[SoCal Pubbie]

I do business with the County and I was surprised to learn that the origins of the name Orange County are in dispute. I had assumed that it was named for the citrus crops, but that may not have been the case. The County split off from LA County just one year after the City of Orange was incorporated, so it was pretty much simultaneous. They wanted to name the town Richland, but there was already a city with that name elsewhere in the state.

Apparently Orange was popular name in the 1800's. Besides California, there are Orange Counties in Florida, New Jersey, Indiana and probably other states as well.

[Clemenza]

There is no Orange County in New Jersey (although there is a city of Orange). There is an Orange County New York though.

[NathanR]

So far as I know there is no controversy, just wrong assumptions by people who don't know the history. There was a contest between cities on which one the county would be named after. Orange and Santa Ana were the two finalists. Orange was given the honor, and Santa Ana the county seat.

Apparently, the county web site thinks differently, but I believe that is what happened. (The city of Orange, was named for the orange groves. The county of Orange was named for the city.)