How Quebec City Got Its Name

Québec derives from the Algonquin word kébec — meaning "where the river narrows" or "strait." The name describes the dramatic constriction of the St. Lawrence River at Cap Diamant, where cliffs force the kilometer-wide river through a 300-meter gap opposite Lévis.

Pre-Colonial Name

Stadaconé — the Iroquoian (St. Lawrence Iroquois) village encountered by Jacques Cartier in 1535. Palisaded longhouse community, ~500-1000 people, corn/bean/squash agriculture. Disappeared by 1600 (disease, warfare, dispersal).

Cartier's Adoption

1535: Cartier records "chemin de Québec" — using the Algonquin (not Iroquoian) term for the narrowing, likely learned from Algonquin guides. The name designated the geographic feature, not the village.

French Colonial Establishment

1608: Samuel de Champlain founds Habitation de Québec at the narrowing — strategic for fur trade control, defense, and navigation. The Algonquin term became the settlement's name, displacing Stadaconé.

Linguistic Journey

Kébec (Algonquin) → Québec (French orthography) → Quebec (English). The accented é preserves French pronunciation [kebek]; English typically drops accent [kwɪˈbɛk].

Modern Resonance

The narrowing remains Quebec City's defining geography: Château Frontenac atop Cap Diamant, Dufferin Terrace overlooking the strait, funiculaire connecting Upper/Lower Town. The name encapsulates the strategic bottleneck that made Quebec the key to North America for two empires.