Episode 1 of 2

Naming Victoria Falls

When: November 1855
Where: Zambezi River
Part of: David Livingstone becomes the first European to see Victoria Falls

Livingstone named the waterfall Victoria Falls after Queen Victoria, acknowledging local names like Mosi-oa-Tunya.

Livingstone named the waterfall Victoria Falls after Queen Victoria. The site was known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya, meaning 'Thundering Smoke,' and Shungu Namutitima, meaning 'Boiling Water.' He was introduced to the falls in 1855, having been told about them before reaching them from upriver.

Sources

Victoria Falls Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-04

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