Washington, DC Names (Etymology of Names)
Washington, DC Name Origin and State Nicknames
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. The states of Maryland and Virginia each donated land to form the federal district. Washington, D.C., had an estimated population of 646,449 in 2013, the 24th most populous place in the United States. The District is bordered by Montgomery County, Maryland, to the northwest; Prince George's County, Maryland, to the east; and Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia, to the south and west.
The name Washington was to honor the first president of the USA, George Washington. The name Columbia is in reference to Christopher Columbus.
Washington, DC Nicknames
- DC
- Chocolate City
- The Federal City
- The District
- Executive City
- Great White City
- Capital Of America
- Capital Of The Vast
- Republic
- Capital City The American Rome
- The Capital of the World
- City of Magnificent Distances (reported in the 1880s)
- City of Magnificent Intentions (first coined by Charles Dickens)
- Murder Capital of America (late 1980s to early 1990s)
- Hollywood for Ugly People
- The nickname "DMV", for "District - Maryland - Virginia" has also been used as a nickname for the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area.
Origin of Washington, DC District Name
DC stands for District of Columbia. It is called District of Columbia, because it was built on land of the Territory of Columbia, a 10 square mile piece of land, that used to be part of Virginia and Maryland. The territory of Columbia was named such after Christopher Columbus.
Washington, DC Nicknames
Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States of America, has been known by a variety of nicknames, aliases, sobriquets and slogans, both officially and unofficially, now and in the past. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States.
Washington, DC Slogans
Washington, DC Postal Code
- DC
Washington, DC Resident's Name
- Washingtonian (recommended by U.S. GPO)
The Etymologies of US State Names
