Ferdinand Magellan named the Pacific Ocean in 1520 after sailing through a calm patch of water, deriving the name from 'pacify' or 'peaceful.'
Notes on verification
Confirmed by multiple independent, reputable sources including NOAA, History.com, and The Old Farmer's Almanac, all consistent on the year, cause, and etymology. [tier=gold indep_score=0.867 clusters=3 claim_tier=notable]
Sources
- The Pacific Ocean—facts and information (seed:science_and_space)
- https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/pacific.html (corroboration)
- https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/november-28/magellan-reaches-the-pacific (corroboration)
- https://www.almanac.com/how-did-oceans-get-their-names (corroboration)