Why are native people in north America called Indians?

Native people in North America are called "Indians" due to a historical misunderstanding by Christopher Columbus. When he arrived in the Americas in 1492, he believed he had reached the East Indies, a term referring to parts of Asia. As a result, he referred to the indigenous peoples he encountered as "Indians." This term has persisted over time, despite its inaccuracy and the preference for more specific terms like "Native Americans" or the names of individual tribes.