After Mount Kenya, the Republic of Kenya was established. Johann Ludwig Krapf, a German explorer, wrote the first known use of the present name in the 19th century.Kenya wasn’t given its current name formally until 1920; prior to that, it was known as the British East Africa Protectorate or British East Africa.
Some historical stories claim that the name Kenya was coined by speaking the Kamba names for Mount Kenya, Kirinyaga and Kinyaa.From a distance, the peak appeared to be black on one side and white on its snow-capped glaciers, hence the name kii nyaa (the place of the male ostrich), which is black and white in contrast to the gray female.
They were the first Europeans to observe Mount Kenya thanks to Akamba, a resident of its slopes, and Kilimanjaro. Krapf was essential to the exploration of the East African coastline, particularly around Mombasa.krapf was born into a Lutheran farmer family in southwest Germany.
Since he was in school, he has had a talent for languages. His initial studies were in Latin, Greek, French, and Italian. He enrolled in the Basel Mission Seminary at the age of 17 after finishing high school, but later dropped out since he wasn’t sure he wanted to be a missionary.
https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/busia/article/2000010726/how-kenya-was-given-its-name