How did Manhattan gets name?

Answer 1

For two related reasons: 1) Before the five boroughs consolidated into one city in 1898, New York City was comprised of Manhattan only. Thus, before 1898, "New York City" and "Manhattan" were the same thing.

2) Even though New York City is now comprised of five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island, Manhattan is still the main borough. For one thing, in state government, Manhattan is known as "New York County." Manhattan is the name of the island and of the borough, but "New York" is the name of the county.

As for the other four boroughs, Brooklyn is Kings County, Staten Island is Richmond County, and the other two have the same names (Queens County and The Bronx County).

Similarly, mail to Manhattan is addressed to "New York, NY," while mail to the other four boroughs is addressed to Brooklyn, NY, or The Bronx, NY, etc.

Furthermore, Manhattan is still the main borough, where Times Square, Central Park, Lincoln Center, Wall Street, City Hall, Harlem, Columbia and New York University, The Empire State Building, and the now-fallen Twin Towers are.

So, even though technically Manhattan is only one borough of New York City, it is still the main borough. So a lot of people use the terms "New York City" and "Manhattan" interchangeably, as if they were the same thing, when in fact technically they are not.

Also, the fact that Manhattan's name in state government is New York County only makes it easier for people to regard Manhattan as THE city, and the other four boroughs as mere suburbs of it.