In the English language, Borussia translates directly to Prussia, which was a historical and powerful European state that spanned large portions of modern-day Germany, Poland, Lithuania, and Russia. Prussia played a monumental role in European politics, military history, and the eventual unification of the German Empire in the 19th century. When 19th and early 20th-century sports clubs adopted the Latinized name Borussia, they were paying direct patriotic or regional homage to the historical Prussian heritage of their local geographic areas, connecting athletic pride with national identity.