Algeria's name derives from the city of Algiers which in turn derives from the Arabic  (, "the islands") in reference to four small islands off its coast, a truncated form of the older  (, "islands of Bani Mazghanna").
ældʒˈɪɹiəz nˈeɪm dᵻɹˈaɪvz fɹʌmðə sˈɪɾi ʌv ældʒˈɪɹz wˌɪtʃ ɪn tˈɜːn dᵻɹˈaɪvz fɹʌmðɪ ˈæɹɐbˌɪk, "ðɪ ˈaɪləndz"ɪn ɹˈɛfɹəns tə fˈoːɹ smˈɔːl ˈaɪləndz ˈɔf ɪts kˈoʊst, ɐ tɹˈʌŋkeɪɾᵻd fˈɔːɹm ʌvðɪ ˈoʊldɚ, "ˈaɪləndz ʌv bˈæni mæzɡˈænə".