05/22/2026
Another... Fun Fact Friday!
Mount Everest was named after the British Surveyor General of India, Sir George Everest.
The name “Mont Everest” was recommended by Everest’s successor, Andrew Waugh, before the Royal Geographic Society announced the official name “Mount Everest.” Sir Everest was actually against naming the peak after himself, citing the importance of using existing, local names. However, Waugh, when proposing the name, claimed that Tibet and Nepal were closed to foreigners, and local names were “unknown.” Documents were later found disproving Waugh’s claim, the local name for Mount Everest being “Chomolungma” (also spelled Qomolangma) which means “Goddess Mother of the World.” Today, the name Mount Everest is most commonly used to refer to the tallest mountain in the world (above sea level).