English 'Barcelona' comes from Latin Barcino, possibly named after the Carthaginian Barcid dynasty — 'Barca' meaning 'lightning' in Punic — though a pre-Roman Iberian origin cannot be ruled out.
The second-largest city in Spain and the capital of Catalonia, situated on the Mediterranean coast of northeastern Spain.
English 'Barcelona' comes from Spanish/Catalan 'Barcelona', from Latin 'Barcino' or 'Barcenona'. The name's origin is debated. The most common theory connects it to the Carthaginian Barcid family — particularly Hamilcar Barca, Hannibal's father, who is said to have founded or refounded the city around 237 BCE. 'Barca' (also 'Barqa') means 'lightning' or 'thunderbolt' in Punic (Phoenician). However, the city may predate Carthaginian involvement, and some scholars
If the Carthaginian etymology is correct, Barcelona is named after a family whose name meant 'lightning' — the Barcids. The most famous Barcid was Hannibal (Hamilcar's son), who crossed the Alps with elephants. So Barcelona may literally be 'Lightning City', named by the father of the man who brought elephants to Europe.