The Greek place name Galilaia (G1056) refers to the region of northern Israel where Jesus spent most of His earthly ministry. Derived from the Hebrew גָּלִיל (galil), meaning "circle" or "district," it was a fertile, populous region considered peripheral by Jerusalem's religious establishment — hence "Galilee of the Gentiles."
Galilee is where the light first dawned. Matthew 4:15-16 quotes Isaiah 9:1-2: "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali... Galilee of the Gentiles — the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light." Jesus chose this despised region for most of His earthly ministry, calling His disciples, preaching the Sermon on the Mount, and performing the majority of His miracles there. God consistently chooses the overlooked and marginalized as the epicenter of His work.