All squash is native to Mesoamerica and Andes. Neither term is really correct. I believe the indigenous people of Mesoamerica called it chayotl. The Spanish,

All squash is native to Mesoamerica and Andes. Neither term is really correct. I believe the indigenous people of Mesoamerica called it chayotl. The Spanish, who were the first Europeans to come across squash call it calabaza - which is possibly derived from the persian word "kharbuz." But I really don't know why Americans use the Italian word for squash instead.