Memorial Day was called Decoration Day in its earliest widespread U.S. observances after the Civil War.
The name described the central custom: decorating the graves of dead soldiers with flowers, wreaths, and other memorial objects. General John A. Logan’s 1868 order used the term Decoration Day when calling for a national observance among Union veterans.
The practice developed from local commemorations held in communities after the Civil War. As the observance expanded and later generations connected it with all U.S. wars, the name Memorial Day became increasingly common. Federal law now uses Memorial Day as the official holiday name.
Decoration Day is not the same as Veterans Day. Memorial Day honors service members who died while serving, whereas Veterans Day honors all people who have served in the U.S. armed forces, living or dead.