Why is it called DC?

Posted by on Nov 22, 2011 in DC, Public Relations, Real Estate | 0 comments

Great news, another new client. You can view their website at Homes in DC. This one is in an area that has the highest median cost of a home in the country for a large city – median home cost is at $750,000. While many people here don’t own and don’t rent, it’s going to be a competitive real estate market (and you can see why… homes are expensive).

But that’s all besides the point. My question is:

Why is it called Washington DC

? When you break the words down it is an acronym for District of Columbia (which raises another question, why isn’t it Washington D of C?).

It’s just something that we’ve all heard growing up, but nobody has ever questioned it. Let’s break those words down

Let’s break it down. What do district and Columbia even mean?

  • District: An area of a country or city, esp. one regarded as a distinct unit because of a particular characteristic.
  • Columbia: A country located in northwestern South America


By the definitions above, Washington DC should be an area in the country of Columbia. What it should not be is the capitol city of America. So again…

Why is it called DC? Here is the Answer

Columbia is actually another name for America. It was a way that of referred to America, giving it a feminine personification. This makes sense, because think back to the explorer which brought people to America – Christopher Columbus. Then once you throw the letters “ia” in there, it sounds feminine.

This use began the early 1730′s in Europe. Though calling America “Columbia” now is widely unpopular, because that is the name of another country. So there you go, that’s why it’s called the District of Columbia… it’s just another way of saying “Distinct region or area of America”

Learn More