In particular, the "Raton" in "Boca Raton" is pronounced as / r ə ˈ t oʊ n/ instead of / r ə ˈ t ɒ n/. Residents of the city have kept the pronunciation of Boca Raton similar to its Spanish origins. Still other people claim that "ratones" referred to pirates who hid out in the area, and thus the name could translate to "pirates' inlet", which would illustrate why there is a pirate ship in the city seal. Some claim that the word "ratones" appears in old Spanish maritime dictionaries referring to "rugged rocks or stony ground on the bottom of some ports and coastal outlets, where the cables rub against." Thus, one possible translation of "Boca Raton" is "rugged inlet". The true meaning of the word "ratones" for the area is more uncertain. "Boca", meaning mouth in Spanish, was a common term to describe an inlet on maps by sailors. For example, the tailgate area for football games at Florida Atlantic University is known as the "Rat's Mouth". Although incorrect ( ratón means "mouse" in Spanish "rat" is rata), this translation continues to be popularized by several residents and institutions in the city. Its name was originally labeled in the first European maps of the area as "Boca de Ratones", and many people mistakenly translate the name in English as Rat's Mouth.
The strict development code has led to several major thoroughfares without large signs or advertisements in the traveler's view.īoca Raton translates to Spanish literally as Mouse's Mouth. Still today, Boca Raton has a strict development code for the size and types of commercial buildings, building signs, and advertisements that may be erected within the city limits. Many buildings in the area have a Mediterranean Revival or Spanish Colonial Revival architectural theme, initially inspired by Addison Mizner, a resort architect who heavily influenced the city's early development. The downtown area is established around a lifestyle center and entertainment hub named Mizner Park and Royal Palm Place, a mixed-used shopping, dining, and residential district.
Boca Town Center, an upscale shopping center in central Boca Raton, is the largest indoor mall in Palm Beach County.
It is also home to the Evert Tennis Academy, owned by former professional tennis player Chris Evert. īoca Raton is home to the main campus of Florida Atlantic University and the corporate headquarters of Office Depot. It is known as one of the wealthiest places in South Florida. Boca Raton is 45 miles (72 km) north of Miami and is a principal city of the Miami metropolitan area, which had a population of 6,012,331 people as of 2015. As a business center, the city experiences significant daytime population increases. However, approximately 200,000 additional people with a Boca Raton postal address live outside of municipal boundaries, such as in West Boca Raton. The 2019 population estimated by the U.S. It was first incorporated on August 2, 1924, as "Bocaratone," and then incorporated as "Boca Raton" in 1925. Boca Raton ( / r ə ˈ t oʊ n/ rə- TOHN Spanish: Boca Ratón, ), is a city in southern Palm Beach County, Florida.