Which capital city is named after the first President of the United States?

Washington, D.C., is the capital city named after George Washington, the first President of the United States. The city’s name honors the Revolutionary War leader and first holder of the presidency, while “D.C.” stands for District of Columbia.

The Constitution authorized a federal district separate from the states, and Congress approved the Residence Act in 1790 to establish the national capital on the Potomac River. President Washington selected the site, and the new federal city was formally named in his honor in 1791. The district’s second name, Columbia, was a poetic personification of the United States.

The capital began operating from Philadelphia’s former role before Congress and the executive branch moved to Washington in 1800. French-born planner Pierre Charles L’Enfant designed the broad avenues and geometric layout that still shape the city, although Andrew Ellicott later revised parts of the plan.

A frequent mistake is treating Washington, D.C., as a state. It is a federal district, not one of the 50 states, and “Washington” can also refer to the state on the opposite side of the country.