Where Does the Golden Gate Bridge Get Its Name?

The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is named after the strait that it spans, called Golden Gate. The name was given to the strait by Captain John C. Frémont in 1846. He drew an analogy to the Golden Horn of the Bosporus in Turkey, envisioning the strait as a gateway for rich cargoes from Asia.

The strait of Golden Gate is a crucial geographical feature of northern California, connecting San Francisco Bay with the Pacific Ocean. It serves as the ocean gateway to the port cities of the bay and the Sacramento–San Joaquin river system. The bridge, therefore, not only spans a significant body of water but also connects San Francisco with Marin county to the north.

The Golden Gate Bridge came to be recognized as a symbol of the power and progress of the United States. The bridge itself, upon its completion in 1937, was the tallest and longest suspension bridge in the world, setting a precedent for suspension-bridge design globally.