Answer:  Because, of course, it came from Turkey

by Larry E. Tise, Historian
East Carolina University

(Here are some brief excerpts from a post on H-SHEAR)

How the American bird we know as turkey got the moniker “turkey” and not
_huexoloti_ (Aztec) or _guajolote_ (Mexican)—authentic early American
names for American turkeys—has much to do with the fact that Turkey was
the center of the world at the time Christian Europeans began taking a
few baby steps toward finding an alternative route to India.   [snip]

When corn, tobacco sprouts, and, of course, our _huexoloti_ arrived in
the heart of the thriving and vibrant Ottoman Empire—seated in what we
now know as Turkey—they came into the hands of probably the most
advanced farmers and husbandmen in the world.  Turkish farmers had
previously seen the nearest cousins of the _huexoloti_ from Asia
(pheasants) and from Africa (Guinea fowl).  But these birds were skinny
runts compared to the majestic _huexoloti_.  Making use of sophisticated
growing and seeding techniques, savvy Turkish farmers within a few short
years had produced surplus quantities of corn and tobacco—enough to
export to other parts of the world.   And with smart breeding and
feeding practices they also grew vast flocks of big breasted _huexoloti_.

Within the space of just twenty years or so from the time these New
World crops and creatures had arrived in Spain and had made their way to
the Middle East, Turkish merchants were selling these products in
Eastern Europe.   During the 1540s corn, tobacco, and, yes, our
_huexoloti_ arrived in England.   The first mention of the exotic big
birds in England was in 1541.   These crops and the large winged
creature were embraced, at first, as novelty foods among the English
upper crust—faddish items to be consumed or enjoyed in posh castles.
But by 1577 what was once nouveau had become one of food staples for all
English souls.  By that time the _huexoloti_ had become the principal
food bird in the entire realm—surpassing chickens and other fowl.

And, at this point in the story, it will probably not come as a surprise
that these crops and creatures originally brought forth from the New
World had acquired interesting new names.   Corn when it arrived in
England came as Turkish maize.  Tobacco arrived at the same time already
known—as it still is today--as Turkish tobacco.   And the good old
_huexoloti_ had lost all association with the world encountered by
Spanish explorers.  The larger and more robust bird produced by Turkish
husbandmen would forever be known in English simply as the turkey.

******

Full text to be found at

http://www.h-net.org/~shear/

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