What ocean did Ferdinand Magellan name the 'Peaceful Sea'?

Ferdinand Magellan named the Pacific Ocean the “Peaceful Sea,” or Mar Pacifico. He chose the name after his fleet passed through the strait now called the Strait of Magellan and entered the ocean in November 1520.

Magellan's expedition had spent months sailing along the coast of South America, searching for a passage to the west. After navigating the difficult strait, the ships emerged into a vast ocean that initially appeared unusually calm compared with the storms and rough waters they had faced earlier. The name reflected that first impression, although the crossing that followed was extremely harsh.

The fleet took about 98 days to cross the Pacific, suffering from starvation, thirst, and scurvy. Magellan did not complete the entire circumnavigation: he was killed in the Philippines in 1521. Juan Sebastián Elcano later commanded the Victoria back to Spain. “Pacific” is therefore not a reference to the ocean's size or temperature, but to the relatively peaceful conditions Magellan encountered at the beginning of the crossing.