The short form "United States" is also standard. Other common forms are the "U.S.

", the
"USA", and "America". Colloquial names are the "U.S. of A." and, internationally, the
"States". "Columbia", a name popular in American poetry and songs of the late 18th
century, derives its origin from Christopher Columbus; both "Columbus" and "Columbia"
appear frequently in U.S. place-names, including Columbus, Ohio, Columbia, South
Carolina, and the District of Columbia. Places and institutions throughout the Western
Hemisphere bear the two names, including Colón, Panama, the country of Colombia,
the Columbia River, and Columbia University.
The phrase "United States" was originally plural in American usage. It described a
collection of states—e.g., "the United States are." The singular form became popular after
the end of the Civil War and is now standard usage in the U.S. A citizen of the United
States is an "American". "United States", "American" and "U.S." refer to the country
adjectivally ("American values", "U.S. forces"). In English, the word "American" rarely refers
to topics or subjects not directly connected with the United States. [31]