Etymologies of place names in San Francisco

This is a list place name etymologies in San Francisco, California.

Place	Namesake	Notes
Alemany Boulevard	Joseph Sadoc Alemany
Alvarado Street	Juan Bautista Alvarado
Anza Street	Juan Bautista de Anza
Arguello Boulevard	José Darío Argüello
Baker Street	Edward Dickinson Baker
Balboa Street	Vasco Núñez de Balboa
Bartlett Street	Washington Allon Bartlett	Bartlett was the first alcalde of San Francisco and is often confused with Governor Washington Montgomery Bartlett, the city's twentieth mayor
Beale Street	Edward Fitzgerald Beale
Bernal Avenue	Juan Francisco Bernal
Bluxome Street	Isaac Bluxome, Jr.
Brannan Street	Samuel Brannan
Brenham Place	Charles James Brenham
Broderick Street	David C. Broderick
Bryant Street	Edwin Bryant
Buchanan Street	John C. Buchanan	It had been assumed that Buchanan Street was named after James Buchanan, the President of the United States who took office in March 1857. However, an 1856 map was found to have also included the street name. It is probable then that the street was actually named for the local pioneer John C. Buchanan.
Burnett Avenue	Peter Burnett
Bush Street	J.P. Bush	May have been named after a cabin boy who was an assistant to city mapper, Jasper O'Farrell. Briefly became "Obama Street" by vandals on the day of the inauguration of President Barack Obama.
California Street	State of California
Castro Street	José Castro	A Californio leader of Mexican opposition to U.S. rule in California in the 19th century, and alcalde (mayor) of Alta California from 1835-1836.
Cezar Chavez Street	César Chávez	Was formerly named "Army Street" until 1995.
Clark Street	William S. Clark
Cole Street	Cornelius Cole
Coleman Street	William T. Coleman
Davidson Street	George Davidson
Davis Street	William Davis
De Haro Street	Francisco de Haro	First alcalde (mayor) of Yerba Buena (now San Francisco)
Dolores Street	Mission Dolores	Also named after the creek that used to run through the Mission, Arroyo de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, or "Our Lady of Sorrows Creek."
Fillmore Street	Millard Fillmore
Folsom Street	Captain Joseph Folsom
Franklin Street	Benjamin Franklin
Fremont Street	John Charles Fremont
Fulton Street	Robert Fulton
Funston Street	Frederick Funston
Geary Boulevard	John W. Geary
Grant Street	Ulysses S. Grant
Gough Street	John Bartholomew Gough	Washingtonian who preached abstinence from alcohol
Guerrero Street	Francisco Guerrero	Former alcalde (mayor) of Yerba Buena (now San Francisco)
Haight Street	Henry Haight
Harrison Street	Edward H. Harrison
Hayes Street	Rutherford B. Hayes
Howard Street	William Davis Merry Howard
Hyde Street	George Hyde
Irving Street	Washington Irving
Jackson Street	Andrew Jackson
Jefferson Street	Thomas Jefferson
Jones Street	Elbert Jones
Judah Street	Theodore Judah
Junipero Serra Boulevard	Junipero Serra
Kearny Street	Stephen W. Kearny
Larkin Street	Thomas Larkin
Lawton Street	Henry Ware Lawton
Leese Street	Jacob P. Leese
Leidesdorff Street	William Leidesdorff
McAllister Street	Hall McAllister
Mason Street	Richard Barnes Mason
Montgomery Street	John B. Montgomery
Moraga Street	José Joaquín Moraga
Noe Street	José de Jesús Noé	The last Mexican alcalde (mayor) of Yerba Buena (now San Francisco)
O'Farrell Street	Jasper O'Farrell
O'Shaughnessy Boulevard	Michael O'Shaughnessy
Ortega Street	José Francisco Ortega
Otis Street	James Otis
Pacheco Street	Salvio Pacheco	Owner of the Rancho Monte del Diablo in the East Bay.
Phelan Avenue	James D. Phelan
Pierce Street	Franklin Pierce
Polk Street	James K. Polk
Portola Avenue	Gaspar de Portolà
Sanchez Street	Francisco Sanchez
Sloat Boulevard	Commodore John D. Sloat
Spear Street	Nathan Spear
Stockton Street	Robert F. Stockton
Sutter Street	John Sutter
Taraval Street	Sigismundo Taraval
Taylor Street	Zachary Taylor
Ulloa Street	Antonio de Ulloa
Valencia Street	Candelario Valencia	Owner of the Rancho Acalanes which is now Lafayette, California.
Vallejo Street	Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo
Van Ness Avenue	James Van Ness
Vicente Street	Vicente Yáñez Pinzón
Wawona Street	Wawona, California
Washington Street	George Washington
Yorba Street	José Antonio Yorba
Zarick Street	Daniel Zarick

References

• Henry C. Carlisle (2010). "Early San Francisco History from Street Names". Museum of the City of San Francisco. http://www.sfmuseum.org/street/stnames1.html. Retrieved 2010-01-10. 
• John D. Casey Jr. (1996). "San Francisco Street Names". http://www.jdcjr.us/SFStreets.html. Retrieved 2010-11-23.