Meaning of the Name Calgary

Calgary: "Pasture by the River"

The name Calgary comes from the Scottish Gaelic Cala-ghàidh (or Caladh gaoithe), meaning "pasture by the river" or "haven by the bay."

Origins

• Scottish Namesake: Named after Calgary Bay on the Isle of Mull, Scotland, by Colonel James Macleod of the North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) in 1876.
• Fort Calgary: NWMP established Fort Brisebois (renamed Fort Calgary 1876) at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers.
• Hudson's Bay Co.: Used "Calgary" for a trading post at the same site from 1821.

Modern City

Incorporated 1894. Now Alberta's largest city (~1.4M metro), gateway to the Rockies, energy capital, Stampede host. The name reflects its riverside prairie setting—still evident in the Bow River pathway system and nearby ranchlands.