What was the original name of Philadelphia's Liberty Bell?

Philadelphia's Liberty Bell was originally called the State House Bell.

The bell was commissioned in 1751 by the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly for the tower of the Pennsylvania State House, the building now known as Independence Hall. Its inscription draws on Leviticus 25:10: “Proclaim LIBERTY Throughout all the Land unto all the Inhabitants Thereof.”

The name “Liberty Bell” became widely established later, especially through abolitionist use in the nineteenth century. Before that, references generally described it as the State House Bell or the Pennsylvania State House bell. The modern name reflects the bell's symbolic association with freedom rather than its original administrative purpose.

The bell was cast in London and cracked soon after arriving in Philadelphia. Local founders John Pass and John Stow recast it twice. Its prominent crack, which prevents normal ringing today, has become part of its identity and a recognizable feature of American historical imagery.