D.C. Council Renamed Columbus Day But District of Columbia Is Still Named After Columbus

Nicholas Ballasy | 6:26 PM on October 14, 2019

*Columbus Fountain at Union Station in Washington, D.C. Photo Credit: Library of Congress*

While the D.C. Council voted to rename Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the name of the city still honors Christopher Columbus.

“Columbia” is the feminine version of “Columbus.” According to History.com, the official website of the History Channel, “the name Columbia, derived from explorer Christopher Columbus, was used during the American Revolution era as a patriotic reference for the United States.”

Some social media users wondered if the D.C. Council would attempt to rename the city at some point in the future.

Why don’t the anti-Columbus Day people ever come for “the District of Columbia”?

— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) October 14, 2019

District of *Columbia* did this. Gonna rename its self too?

— notfubar (@notfubar) October 10, 2019

D.C. Council member David Grosso originally proposed the “Indigenous Peoples’ Day Emergency Declaration Act of 2019” to rename Columbus Day.

Considering the “Columbia” in the “District of Columbia” is actually derived from “Columbus”, when will you offer legislation changing the name of DC? 🤣 Asking for a friend!!!!

— junk4vb (@junk4vb) October 14, 2019