clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Diving Into San Francisco Street Names

View as Map

[Photo: Marcin Winchary]

This week Hayes Wire featured an awesome history of the name origins of many Hayes Valley streets. Inspired by their interesting research, we thought we'd expand on it and take a look at the history behind street names throughout the city. Curious about one that didn't make our initial list? Leave a comment or drop us a note at the Curbed tipline and we'll happily update.


· Lewis Levenstein's "Streets of San Francisco: The Origins of Street and Place Names" (1984)
· Erwin Gustav Gudde's "California Place Names: The Origin and Etymology of Current Geographical Names" (1960)

Read More

Lombard Street

Copy Link

Named in 1839 by a Swiss sailor and surveyor for the same street in New York, which no longer exists. The name itself stems from the Lombards, a Germanic people who founded their kingdom in northern Italy in 568 AD. [Photo: seanosh]

Haight Street

Copy Link
[Photo: cliff1066]

Castro Street

Copy Link

After General Jose Castro, one time commander of all the Spanish forces in California. After occupation by American forces, he was the most active opponent to the US rule. [Photo: Franco Folini]

The Embarcadero

Copy Link

The Spanish term for “landing place” was commonly used during the Spanish times and has survived in many places throughout California. [Photo: Eric Heath]

Geary Boulevard

Copy Link

John W. Geary came to San Francisco after the Mexican war. In 1849 he was Postmaster, then Alcalde, and in 1850 was selected the first Mayor of the city. [Photo: Franco Folini]

Taraval Avenue

Copy Link

Named for Juan Bautista de Anza’s Indian guide in 1776. Some reports say the name comes from Sigismundo Taraval, a Jesuit missionary in Baja. [Photo: Librarygroover]

Funston Avenue

Copy Link

Takes the place of what would be 13th Ave, named instead to avoid the evils superstitiously associated with 13. Named in 1923 for Brigadier General Frederick Funston, acting commander of the Army in the days after the 1906 Earthquake and Fire. [Photo: Marcin Wichary]

O'Shaughnessy Boulevard

Copy Link

Named after Michael Maurice, City Engineer of San Francisco, responsible for many tunnels, boulevards, and streetcar systems throughout the city, as well as the Hetch Hetchy water and sewer system. [Photo: Living New Deal]

Alemany Boulevard

Copy Link

Archbishop Joseph S. Alemany was the first archbishop of San Francisco in 1853, a post which he held for 31 years. [Photo: SF Streets Blog]

Valencia Street

Copy Link

For either Jose Manuel Valencia, a soldier in Juan Bautista de Anza’s company, or his son Candelario, a soldier in the military service at the Presidio. [Photo: Payton Chung]

Cervantes Boulevard

Copy Link

Named for famed Spanish novelist, playwright, and poet Miguel de Cervantes (of Don Quixote fame). [Photo: sfnestcube]

Noe Street

Copy Link

After Jose de Jesus Noe, the last Alcalde under Mexican rule. He owned a 4,000 acre ranch in the center of present-day San Francisco. [Photo: apasciuto]

Innes Avenue

Copy Link

Named for George Innes, the 19th century American landscape painter [Photo: Found SF]

Terry A. Francois Boulevard

Copy Link

The first African American to serve on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from 1964 to 1977, Terry Francois was an attorney who helped to win a major case against the San Francisco Housing Authority’s discriminatory policies. Originally known as China Basin Street, it was renamed in 1992. [Photo: Eric Broder Van Dyke]

Lincoln Highway

Copy Link

The Lincoln Highway is one of the first transcontinental highways for cars across the US. Conceived in 1913 the country’s first national memorial to Abraham Lincoln, it starts in NYC at Times Square and terminates in Lincoln Park near Lands End. In SF, it snakes from the Hyde Street Pier to North Point Street, Van Ness to California, all the way down California to 32nd Ave, and follows El Camino del Mar to the terminus in Lincoln Park. [Photo: The Lincoln Highway Association]

Loading comments...

Lombard Street

Named in 1839 by a Swiss sailor and surveyor for the same street in New York, which no longer exists. The name itself stems from the Lombards, a Germanic people who founded their kingdom in northern Italy in 568 AD. [Photo: seanosh]

Haight Street

[Photo: cliff1066]

Castro Street

After General Jose Castro, one time commander of all the Spanish forces in California. After occupation by American forces, he was the most active opponent to the US rule. [Photo: Franco Folini]

The Embarcadero

The Spanish term for “landing place” was commonly used during the Spanish times and has survived in many places throughout California. [Photo: Eric Heath]

Geary Boulevard

John W. Geary came to San Francisco after the Mexican war. In 1849 he was Postmaster, then Alcalde, and in 1850 was selected the first Mayor of the city. [Photo: Franco Folini]

Taraval Avenue

Named for Juan Bautista de Anza’s Indian guide in 1776. Some reports say the name comes from Sigismundo Taraval, a Jesuit missionary in Baja. [Photo: Librarygroover]

Funston Avenue

Takes the place of what would be 13th Ave, named instead to avoid the evils superstitiously associated with 13. Named in 1923 for Brigadier General Frederick Funston, acting commander of the Army in the days after the 1906 Earthquake and Fire. [Photo: Marcin Wichary]

O'Shaughnessy Boulevard

Named after Michael Maurice, City Engineer of San Francisco, responsible for many tunnels, boulevards, and streetcar systems throughout the city, as well as the Hetch Hetchy water and sewer system. [Photo: Living New Deal]

Alemany Boulevard

Archbishop Joseph S. Alemany was the first archbishop of San Francisco in 1853, a post which he held for 31 years. [Photo: SF Streets Blog]

Valencia Street

For either Jose Manuel Valencia, a soldier in Juan Bautista de Anza’s company, or his son Candelario, a soldier in the military service at the Presidio. [Photo: Payton Chung]

Cervantes Boulevard

Named for famed Spanish novelist, playwright, and poet Miguel de Cervantes (of Don Quixote fame). [Photo: sfnestcube]

Noe Street

After Jose de Jesus Noe, the last Alcalde under Mexican rule. He owned a 4,000 acre ranch in the center of present-day San Francisco. [Photo: apasciuto]

Innes Avenue

Named for George Innes, the 19th century American landscape painter [Photo: Found SF]

Terry A. Francois Boulevard

The first African American to serve on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from 1964 to 1977, Terry Francois was an attorney who helped to win a major case against the San Francisco Housing Authority’s discriminatory policies. Originally known as China Basin Street, it was renamed in 1992. [Photo: Eric Broder Van Dyke]

Lincoln Highway

The Lincoln Highway is one of the first transcontinental highways for cars across the US. Conceived in 1913 the country’s first national memorial to Abraham Lincoln, it starts in NYC at Times Square and terminates in Lincoln Park near Lands End. In SF, it snakes from the Hyde Street Pier to North Point Street, Van Ness to California, all the way down California to 32nd Ave, and follows El Camino del Mar to the terminus in Lincoln Park. [Photo: The Lincoln Highway Association]