The name of ‘Salta’ precedes by far the Spaniard colonization. And the history of how it came to be imposed is interesting.
But it was not the name imposed by its founder. Hernando de Lerma, the conqueror to whom these dominions were granted, gave his own name to the initial settlement: Lerma. Soon, once the drawing lots of saints took place that would give as a result the patron saint, was called San Felipe de Lerma, valley of Salta.
But this name was not to endure the passage of time. Most of the historians agree that Hernando de Lerma was a tyrant, who imposed his authority on cruel bases such as humiliations and inhuman punishments, to Indians and Spanish as well who could have been against any decision he could have made.
This seems to be the reason for which, as a triumph of the subdued population, soon after the imposed name was silenced and only the second part was remembered. Being more descriptive and filled with more meaning, surely, for the vast amount of native settlers of the region: Salta.
This was the name that this place, the valley of Salta, received since memory can recon.
There are diverse interpretations about its origin. It can be the name of an Indian tribe, the “Saltas”; or “salla ta” that means “crag-place”; or “sagtay”, in quechua “meeting of the outstanding”, or, the preferred meaning, “sagta”, “very beautiful” in the language aymara.