Is there any connection between Memphis Tennessee, and Memphis Egypt?

Besides that they are both situated next to a river. This is just a question that popped into my head, that I thought maybe someone here could answer for me.

The city of Memphis in Egypt was of profound initiatory importance to the ancients, not just Egyptians, but Greeks too, and anyone from around that region I would imagine. People came from all around to learn and participate at the temples there.


All I have found thus far is this:

Memphis was founded in 1820 , the city was named after the ancient capital of Egypt on the Nile River.

en.wikipedia.org...


Is there no other information?

I come from that part of the country originally (Cape Girardeau MO isn't but a couple of hours' drive away), and while I can't rule out any connection at all, I can say that during the 1800's, there was a real fad for exotic place-names, particularly Egyptian ones. There's a "Cairo" in Illinois (though it's pronounced "care-oh"), and a Thebes in both Kentucky and Illinois. There's an Oran in Missouri, and a Carthage, too. The Greeks got their share of cities...it wouldn't surprise me if there were 300 Spartas, never mind 300 Spartans, and a few Troys as well.

I don't think it was the result of a conspiracy so much as it was the result of some pretentious impulses.

Well, we got a pyramid downtown that nobody uses anymore because it is falling apart and nobody wants to buy it. And there are at least two private organizations in town that I am aware of that have some Egyptian relevance.

But that's all I can think of that may be interesting. Don't know why the city was named Memphis... but at least they didn't call it armpit-of-america.

It's a name similarity, but I highly doubt anything beyond that. If you want a history of the city, you can easily find that online.

Originally posted by Brother Stormhammer
I don't think it was the result of a conspiracy so much as it was the result of some pretentious impulses.

I never said there was a conspiracy. I was just curious as to why it was named after Memphis.

Thanks for the replies.