This is a list of place name etymologies in San Francisco, California.
Place names Place Namesake Notes Alamo Square Named for a cottonwood tree (alamo in Spanish) that grew on Alamo Hill. Alemany Boulevard Joseph Sadoc Alemany The Alemany Maze is also named for Alemany. Alvarado Street Juan Bautista Alvarado Ambrose Bierce Alley Ambrose Bierce Formerly Aldrich Alley, named for Mark Aldrich; renamed in 1988. Anza Street Juan Bautista de Anza Arguello Boulevard José Darío Argüello Ashbury Street Munroe Ashbury Ashbury was a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from 1864 to 1870. Baker Beach The John Henry Baker family, dairy farmers.Van Niekerken, Bill (March 11, 2020) "Archive photos: Baker Beach’s beautiful vistas — and deadly history." San Francisco Chronicle. (Retrieved March 11, 2020). Baker Street Edward Dickinson Baker San Francisco's Baker Street, extending from Haight Street at Buena Vista Park, past the Palace of Fine Arts to the marina within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area at Marina Boulevard, is named after Baker. Balance Street Storeship called "The Balance" The Balance was captured during the War of 1812 and arrived in San Francisco in 1849, where she served as a storeship docked at the intersection of Front and Jackson. She was broken apart and buried at the end of Pacific Wharf which is now Balance Street Balboa Street Vasco Núñez de Balboa Bartlett Street Washington Allon Bartlett Bartlett was the first alcalde (mayor) of San Francisco and is sometimes confused with Governor Washington Montgomery Bartlett, the city's twentieth mayor Beale Street Edward Fitzgerald Beale Bennington Street Battle of Bennington Bernal Heights José Cornelio Bernal In 1839, José Cornelio Bernal (1796–1842) was given a land grant to Rancho Rincon de las Salinas y Potrero Viejo, part of which comprised present-day Bernal Heights. Bernal Heights Boulevard José Cornelio Bernal See Bernal Heights. Bernice Street May have been named for a prostitute who worked in the alley. Birch Street The Birch tree Several Hayes Valley streets are named for plants and trees. Bluxome Street Isaac Bluxome Jr. Bluxome led troops against the Hounds in 1849; he served as Secretary of the Vigilante Committees of 1851 and 1856. Bonifacio Street Andrés Bonifacio Bradford Street William Bradford Bradford Street is one of two streets in Bernal Heights named for Pilgrim Fathers; the other is Brewster Street.Ludlow, Lynn. "The Generals of Bernal Hill." Bernal Heights History Project. (Retrieved 4 Jan 2017.) Brannan Street Samuel Brannan Brenham Place Charles James Brenham Brewster Street William Brewster Brewster Street is one of two streets in Bernal Heights named for Pilgrim Fathers; the other is Bradford Street. 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 J. P. Bush who was an assistant to city mapper, Jasper O'Farrell. At least twice, "Bush" street signs along the 2.6-mile stretch were vandalized to honor a political opponent of a Republican named Bush. Days before the 1988 election, dozens of signs were covered with "Dukakis" stickers. After the 2009 inauguration following the 2008 election, vandals covered signs throughout the street's length with "Obama" stickers; some signs were also vandalized shortly after Obama's victory. A man was charged in the 1988 incident, and San Francisco city officials stressed the cost of removing the stickers in the 2009 incident.