Where does “Smolensk” come from?

Smolensk is an English name for the Russian city Смоле́нск, whose origin is uncertain.

Ancestry of “Smolensk”, step by step

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Russian	Смоле́нск	—
2	Russian	Смо́льня	Smolnya
3	Russian	смола́	tar; resin, tar; resin, pitch, tar
4	Old East Slavic	смола	—
5	Proto-Slavic	smolà	—

Smolensk — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer