The history behind the name "Sacramento" is rooted in Spanish colonialism and the Catholic Church. The city was named after the Sacramento River, which in turn was named by Spanish explorer Gabriel Moraga in honor of the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist.
The city of Sacramento gets its name from the Sacramento River, which runs through the region. The river was originally named by Spanish explorer Gabriel Moraga in 1808, who named it "Rio de los Sacramentos" (River of the Sacraments) in reference to the Catholic sacraments. The name was later shortened to just "Sacramento."