California Jewel
Despite the word “jolla” sounding Spanish, it’s not a real word. The Spanish word “joya”, which is similar in pronunciation to jolla, translates to Jewel. Historians believe that sometime in the 19th century when Spanish colonials arrived on the land, they accidentally called it joya. The name has stuck ever since.
The Kumeyaay, native people who lived in the area for an estimated 3000 years, called the area “Kulaaxuuy” which means Land of Holes.
