List of Philippine city name etymologies
The more than 140 cities in the Philippines as of 2019 have taken their names from a variety of languages both indigenous (Austronesian) and foreign (mostly Spanish). The majority of Philippine cities derive their names from the major regional languages where they are spoken including Tagalog (Filipino), Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon, Bicolano, Kapampangan and Pangasinense. They are written using Spanish orthography in most cases, but a few have also retained their indigenous spellings. The names of thirty-nine cities derive exclusively from the Spanish language while at least three have taken their names from the old Sanskrit language.
Of the 146 cities, sixteen are named in honor of an individual while twelve are named after saints.
City names
| City name | Province | Name origin |
|---|---|---|
| Alaminos | Pangasinan | Juan Alaminos y Vivar, Spanish Governor-General of the Philippines. |
| Angeles | none | a contraction of its original Spanish name El Pueblo de los Angeles which means "The Town of Angels." |
| Antipolo | Rizal | Hispanicized form of the Tagalog phrase ang tipolo which means "the breadfruit" in reference to the tree that grew abundantly in the city. |
| Bacolod | none | Hispanicized form of bakolod, an old Hiligaynon word for "hill" in reference to the hilly area in the city that is now the barangay of Granada. |
| Bacoor | Cavite | Hispanicized form of bacood, derived from the Tagalog word which means "fence."[1] |
| Bago | Negros Occidental | from bago-bago, a local shrub. |
| Baguio | none | Hispanicized corruption of the Ibaloi word bagiw which means "moss." |
| Bais | Negros Oriental | Cebuano for "large, edible fresh-water eel." |
| Balanga | Bataan | Pampango for "clay pot." |
| Batac | Ilocos Norte | Multiple origins, however, it was believe that the place gets it name from batak, an Ilocano word which means "pull", in reference to pulling efforts together or the assistance given to another who is in need of help. Hence, the name must have been derived from the common trait of the people who are ever ready to extend a helping hand to anybody.[2] |
| Batangas | Batangas | from batang, Tagalog for "log", in reference to the trunks of logged trees that used to be floated down the Calumpang River which runs through the city. |
| Bayawan | Negros Oriental | from bayaw, a Cebuano word which means "to hoist" or "to elevate."[3] |
| Baybay | Leyte | Cebuano word for "shore."[4] |
| Bayugan | Agusan del Sur | Manobo word for "pathway" or from bayug, the local name for bayur tree.[5] |
| Biñan | Laguna | Hispanicized corruption of binyagan, Tagalog for "baptismal place." |
| Bislig | Surigao del Sur | from bizlin, an ancient gold currency. |
| Bogo | Cebu | from bogo, an incense tree.[6] |
| Borongan | Eastern Samar | from borong, a Waray word for "fog," referring to the heavy fog that used to cover the place.[7] |
| Butuan | none | from batuan, a Visayan sour fruit. |
| Cabadbaran | Agusan del Norte | from badbad, a Cebuano word which means "to untie."[8] |
| Cabanatuan | Nueva Ecija | from banatu, a sturdy vine that grew along the swampy banks of Rio Grande de Pampanga.[9] |
| Cabuyao | Laguna | from cabuyao, common name for Citrus macroptera, a species of wild orange |
| Cadiz | Negros Occidental | the Spanish city of Cádiz.[10] |
| Cagayan de Oro | none | Cagayan, the Philippine province in northern Luzon, and the Spanish phrase de oro which means "of gold." |
| Calamba | Laguna | Hispanicized corruption of kalan-banga, Tagalog for "clay stove." |
| Calapan | Mindoro Oriental | Hispanicized form of the old Tagalog word kalapang which means "branch."[11] |
| Calbayog | Samar | from bayog, a Visayan word for the "Pterospermum diversifolium" tree that grew in abundance in the city.[12] |
| Caloocan | none | Hispanicized form of the Tagalog root word lo-ok; kalook-lookan (or kaloob-looban) which means "innermost area." |
| Candon | Ilocos Sur | the Spanish municipality of Candón in Huelva, Andalucia; or the kandung, an Ilocano sandalwood tree believed to be extinct. |
| Canlaon | Negros Oriental | Kanlaon Volcano. |
| Carcar | Cebu | the Spanish municipality of Cárcar.[13] |
| Catbalogan | Samar | from balaug, a type of shrub that used to thrive along the seashore and mouth of the Antiao River.[14] |
| Cauayan | Isabela | Hispanicized form of kawayan, Tagalog for "bamboo." |
| Cavite City | Cavite | Hispanicized form of kawit or corruption of kalawit, Tagalog words for "hook," in reference to the small hook-shaped peninsula jutting into Manila Bay. |
| Cebu City | none | Hispanicized corruption of sugbu, Cebuano for "to walk on shallow waters," referring to the shallows through which one had to wade in order to reach dry land from the port of the city. |
| Cotabato City | none | Hispanicized form of kuta wato, Maguindanao (from Malay – "Kota Batu") for "stone fort." |
| Dagupan | none | from pandaragupan, a Pangasinense word which means "gathering place", due to the city's history as a market center.[15] |
| Danao | Cebu | Hispanicized form of danawan, a Cebuano word for "small lake."[16] |
| Dapitan | Zamboanga del Norte | Cebuano for "to invite."[17] |
| Dasmariñas | Cavite | Gómez Pérez Dasmariñas, the seventh Spanish Governor-General of the Philippines. |
| Davao City | none | Hispanicized form of dawaw, a Guiangan name for the Davao River. |
| Digos | Davao del Sur | Hispanicized corruption of padigus, a Lumad word which means "to take a bath" in reference to the Digos River. |
| Dipolog | Zamboanga del Norte | from dipag, Subanon for "across the river." |
| Dumaguete | Negros Oriental | from dagit, a Cebuano word which means "to snatch", in reference to the frequent marauding attacks of pirates in the past and the city's power to charm and keep tourists and visitors. |
| El Salvador | Misamis Oriental | Spanish for "The Savior."[18] |
| Escalante | Negros Occidental | the Spanish municipality of Escalante.[19] |
| Gapan | Nueva Ecija | from gapang, a Tagalog word which means "crawl." |
| General Santos | none | Paulino Santos, Filipino Commanding General of the Philippine Army. |
| General Trias | Cavite | Mariano Trías, Filipino revolutionary and politician. |
| Gingoog | Misamis Oriental | Hispanicized form of hingoog, a Manobo word which means "good luck." |
| Guihulngan | Negros Oriental | from guihulugan, Cebuano for "a place where something was dropped."[20] |
| Himamaylan | Negros Occidental | from hima babaylan, a Hiligaynon phrase which means "foot doctor." |
| Ilagan | none | The reverse of the Gaddang word nagali which means "transferred." |
| Iligan | none | Higaonon for "fortress". |
| Iloilo City | none | Hispanicized corruption of irong-irong, Hiligaynon for "nose-like," referring to the shape of the delta formed by what are now called the Iloilo and Salog Rivers. |
| Imus | Cavite | Old Tagalog word for "a piece of land cutting into the junction of two rivers." |
| Iriga | Camarines Sur | from i raga, a Bicolano phrase which means "there is land." |
| Isabela | Basilan | Isabella II, Queen of Spain. |
| Kabankalan | Negros Occidental | from bangkal, a Philippine Leichhard tree. |
| Kidapawan | Cotabato | from tida pawan, a Manobo phrase which means "highland spring". |
| Koronadal | South Cotabato | from koron nadal, a B'laan phrase which means "grass plain." |
| La Carlota | Negros Occidental | the Spanish municipality of La Carlota. |
| Lamitan | Basilan | from lami-lamihan, a Yakan word which means "merry-making."[21] |
| Laoag | Ilocos Norte | Ilocano for "light or clarity." |
| Lapu-Lapu | none | Lapu-Lapu, the ancient ruler of Mactan. |
| Las Piñas | none | Spanish for "The Pineapples"; the city's old name however is "Las Peñas" meaning "The Rocks".[22] |
| Legazpi | Albay | Miguel López de Legazpi, the first Spanish Governor-General of the Philippines. |
| Ligao | Albay | from ticao, a Bicolano word for a tree with poisonous leaves. |
| Lipa | Batangas | from lipa, a Philippine linden tree. |
| Lucena | none | The Spanish municipality of Lucena.[23] |
| Maasin | Southern Leyte | Cebuano for "salty." |
| Mabalacat | Pampanga | from balakat, a species of tree endemic to the Philippines.[24] |
| Makati | none | from kumakati, Tagalog for "ebbing tide"; shortened and Filipinized form of its original Spanish name "San Pedro de Macati." |
| Malabon | none | from tambobong, which denotes a place full of labong (bamboo shoots) |
| Malaybalay | Bukidnon | from a Cebuano phrase which means "house of the Malays". |
| Malolos | Bulacan | from paluslos, a Kapampangan word which means "downstream" in reference to the Calumpit River. |
| Mandaluyong | none | from daluyong, Tagalog for "big waves from the sea"; the city's original name is San Felipe Neri. |
| Mandaue | Cebu | Hispanicized form of mantawi, a Cebuano variety of vine.[25] |
| Manila | none | Hispanicized corruption of the Tagalog-Sanskrit phrase may nila which means "there is nila" (indigo tree in Sanskrit) referring to the prevalence of the tree. |
| Marawi | Lanao del Sur | from rawi, a Maranao word which means "reclining" in reference to the lilies that bend northward on the banks of the mouth of the Agus River. |
| Marikina | none | Félix Berenguer de Marquina, the Spanish Governor-General of the Philippines. |
| Masbate | Masbate | Hispanicized corruption of masabat, Bicolano for "to meet along the way," referring to the strategic position of the city within Philippine maritime trade routes. |
| Mati | Davao Oriental | from maa-ti, a Mandaya word which means to "dry quickly," referring to the Mati Creek which dries up quickly even after a heavy rain.[26] |
| Meycauayan | Bulacan | Hispanicized form of the Tagalog phrase may kawayan meaning "a place full of bamboos." |
| Muntinlupa | none | munting lupa, Tagalog for "small land." |
| Muñoz | Nueva Ecija | Francisco Muñoz, Spanish politician and former gobernadorcillo of Nueva Ecija.[27] |
| Naga | none | Bicolano for narra, a type of rosewood tree. |
| Naga | Cebu | Cebuano for the narra tree. |
| Navotas | none | Hispanicized form of the Tagalog word nabutas which means "breached" or "pierced through" in reference to the formation of the Navotas River. |
| Olongapo | none | Hispanicized corruption of olo nin apo, a Zambal phrase which means "head of the elder." |
| Ormoc | none | Hispanicized corruption of ogmok, a Cebuano word which means "lowland" or "plain." |
| Oroquieta | Misamis Occidental | the barrio of Oroquieta in the district of Villaverde in Madrid, Spain. |
| Ozamiz | Misamis Occidental | José Ozámiz, a Filipino politician from Mindanao. |
| Pagadian | Zamboanga del Sur | from padian, an Iranun word for "market." |
| Palayan | Nueva Ecija | Tagalog for "rice field." |
| Panabo | Davao del Norte | from taboan, a Cebuano word which means "marketplace." |
| Parañaque | none | Hispanicized corruption of Palanyag, the old Tagalog name of the Parañaque River. |
| Pasay | none | Dayang-dayang Pasay, a Namayan princess. The city's old name is Pineda, after Spanish horticulturist Cornelio Pineda. |
| Pasig | none | from pasi, a Sanskrit word meaning "riverbank." |
| Passi | Iloilo | from passis, a Kinaray-a word which means "unhusked rice." |
| Puerto Princesa | none | a contraction of its original Spanish name Puerto de la Princesa which means "Port of the Princess" named after Princess Eulalia of Spain.[28] |
| Quezon City | none | Manuel Luis Quezon, the second president of the Philippines. |
| Roxas | Capiz | Manuel Acuña Roxas, the fifth president of the Philippines. |
| Sagay | Negros Occidental | from sigay, a Hiligaynon word for "shell." |
| Samal | Davao del Norte | Sama, an indigenous ethnic group in Mindanao. |
| San Carlos | Negros Occidental | Saint Charles Borromeo. |
| San Carlos | Pangasinan | named after Charles III of Spain, who ordered the Spanish rulers to raze the town of Binalatongan (its former name) to the ground. |
| San Fernando | La Union | Saint Ferdinand, King of Spain. |
| San Fernando | Pampanga | Saint Ferdinand, King of Spain. |
| San Jose | Nueva Ecija | Saint Joseph |
| San Jose del Monte | Bulacan | Saint Joseph of the Mountain. |
| San Juan | none | Saint John the Baptist; the city's longer official name is San Juan del Monte, Spanish for "Saint John of the Mountain." |
| San Pablo | Laguna | Saint Paul the First Hermit. |
| San Pedro | Laguna | Saint Peter, the Apostle |
| Santa Rosa | Laguna | Saint Rose of Lima. |
| Santiago | none | Saint James the Apostle. |
| Santo Tomas | Batangas | Saint Thomas Aquinas |
| Silay | Negros Occidental | from kansilay, a local Philippine tree. |
| Sipalay | Negros Occidental | Suludnon for "there is rice"[29] |
| Sorsogon City | Sorsogon | Hispanicized form of sogsogon, a Bicolano verb meaning "to continuously follow a course, such as a trail or a river." |
| Surigao | Surigao del Norte | Hispanicized corruption of suligan, a Manobo word for "where there is sulig," a species of fish. |
| Tabaco | Albay | Spanish for "tobacco." |
| Tabuk | Kalinga | from tobog, Ilocano for "living stream."[30] |
| Tacloban | none | Hispanicized corruption of tarakluban, a Waray-Waray word which means "to catch fish." |
| Tacurong | Sultan Kudarat | Hispanicized corruption of talakudong, a Maguindanao word which means a traditional "head covering" or "hat." |
| Tagaytay | Cavite | Tagalog for "ridge". |
| Tagbilaran | Bohol | from tagubilaan, a Boholano phrase which means "to hide from the Moros."[31] |
| Taguig | none | Hispanicized form of the Tagalog word taga-giik meaning "rice thresher." |
| Tagum | Davao del Norte | from magugpo, a Mandaya word which means "tall tree." |
| Talisay | Cebu | from talisay, a Visayan variety of Indian almond tree. |
| Talisay | Negros Occidental | from talisay, a Visayan variety of Indian almond tree. |
| Tanauan | Batangas | Hispanicized form of the Tagalog word tanawan which means "vista" or "view." |
| Tandag | Surigao del Sur | from tangad, Cebuano for lemongrass. |
| Tangub | Misamis Occidental | from tangkob, a Subanon word which means "rice basket."[32] |
| Tanjay | Negros Oriental | Hispanicized corruption of taytay, a Cebuano word which means "bamboo bridge."[33] |
| Tarlac City | Tarlac | Hispanicized rendering of tarlak, Aeta term for a certain grass related to talahib (cogon) and tanglar (Zambal for lemongrass). |
| Tayabas | Quezon | from bayabas, a Tagalog word for the "guava" fruit.[34] |
| Toledo | Cebu | the Spanish city of Toledo. |
| Trece Martires | Cavite | Spanish for "thirteen martyrs." The city was named in honor of the Thirteen Martyrs of Cavite. |
| Tuguegarao | Cagayan | Hispanicized form of the Ibanag phrase tuggui gari yaw meaning "this used to be fire." |
| Urdaneta | Pangasinan | Andrés de Urdaneta, Spanish friar, circumnavigator and explorer. |
| Valencia | Bukidnon | Named by the first local Barrio school teacher in the village, who hailed from Valencia, Bohol. |
| Valenzuela | none | Pío Valenzuela, a Filipino patriot. |
| Victorias | Negros Occidental | from Nuestra Señora de las Victorias, Spanish for "Our Lady of Victories". |
| Vigan | Ilocos Sur | Hispanicization of bî-gán (美岸), Hokkien for "beautiful shore". |
| Zamboanga City | none | Hispanicized form of samboangan, Sinama for "anchorage," or literally, "place of mooring poles," referring to the settlement and port town at the southern tip of Mindanao's western peninsula. |
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