Which capital city's name means 'Red Hero' in Mongolian?

The capital city whose name means “Red Hero” in Mongolian is Ulaanbaatar.

The name Ulaanbaatar comes from Mongolian ulaγan baγatur, meaning “red hero” or “red warrior.” It was adopted in 1924, when the city became the capital of the Mongolian People’s Republic. The name is commonly connected with Damdin Sükhbaatar, a Mongolian revolutionary and national hero whose forces helped liberate Mongolia in the early 1920s.

Ulaanbaatar had several earlier names. It began as Örgöö in 1639, a movable monastic settlement that later became known in Western languages as Urga. Other historical names included Ikh Khüree and Niislel Khüree. These names reflect the city’s development from a religious center into Mongolia’s political capital.

A common mix-up is the Russian-influenced spelling “Ulan Bator,” which remains familiar in English historical writing. Ulaanbaatar is the modern Mongolian spelling and the country’s largest city, located along the Tuul River near the foot of the Bogd Khan mountains.