You say Tanasi, I say Tennessee

Since the European explores and settlers spelled Cherokee words based on how they sounded when spoken, it was common to have multiple spellings for a single word. The word "Tennessee" is a variation of the spelling of the Cherokee word "Tanasi" (also spelled Tannassy, Tanassee, Tenase), the name of a famous Cherokee village located on the banks of the Little Tennessee River near present- day Vonore,Tennessee.