What does the place name for the city of Amsterdam mean etymology wise?

Deear nieman,

The name "Amsterdam" derives from the name of the Amstel river the
city was build on and from the word "dam", which means the same as in
English.

As early as the 12th century, damming rivers for the purpose of flood
control and for protecting the flat country from the permanent threat
of inundation was a basic necissity for the people dwelling in the
Netherlands. One such dam was built in the 13th century where the
Amstel River joins the Zuiderzee Bay, to keep floods from the bay from
entering the inlands. Thus, the village near that dam received its
name: "Amstelledamme" - "Dam on the Amstel".
The place is mentioned in a document for the first time in 1275, when
Count Floris V of Holland granted certain privileges to its
inhabitants. This date is celebrated today as the city's founding
date. Over the centuries, the name slowly changed from Amstelledamme
to today's Amsterdam.


Sources:

Amsterdam.Info: The History of Amsterdam
http://www.amsterdam.info/basics/history/

Going Dutch: Short History of Amsterdam
http://home.wish.net/~sparhawk/history.htm

Frommer's: Amsterdam - History
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/amsterdam/0043020044.html

Hotels Holland: Amsterdam - History of the City
http://www.hotels-holland.com/amsterdam-info/adam-2history.htm

Passports: Amsterdam
http://www.passports.com/trips/cityfact/cityfact.asp?city=Amsterdam

Search terms used:
"name Amsterdam"
://www.google.de/search?q=%22name+Amsterdam%22&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=de&btnG=Google-Suche
amsterdam amstelledamme
://www.google.de/search?q=amsterdam+amstelledamme&hl=de&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&start=0&sa=N
amsterdam history 1275 amstel zuiderzee
://www.google.de/search?hl=de&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&q=amsterdam+history+1275+amstel+zuiderzee&btnG=Suche
amsterdam amstel 1220
://www.google.de/search?hl=de&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&q=amsterdam+amstel+1220&btnG=Suche


Hope this answers your question!
Regards,
Scriptor

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Request for Answer Clarification by nieman-ga on 08 May 2004 18:26 PDT

What is the etymological meaning for Amstelle of the Dam?  The name Amstelle?
If you could crlearify I would greatly appreciate!     Nieman

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Clarification of Answer by scriptor-ga on 08 May 2004 18:40 PDT

With all due respect: You have given my answer a final (mediocre)
rating. Any additional effort I would put into this task now would be
futile from my point of view, since neither my rating nor my income
would improve.

Regards,
Scriptor

The etymology of a word asks for a definition of the meaning of the
name not a history lesson.  Sorry! I will tip you more if you follow
up with a better answer.

The etymology of a word is quite specifically its history, as opposed
to its definition.
://www.google.com/search?q=define%3Aetymology

- Hammer