Rickey Wallace, age ii, of Gastonia, N.C., For his question:

What was San Francisco's first name?

The Spanish settlers called it Yerba Buena, meaning good grass. Yerba Buena may also mean beautiful meadows, a far more suitable name for this scenic wonderland of swooping hills and tranquil water. The vast bay had been spotted by Spanish explorers in 1769 and they had named it for Saint Francis, who was the patron saint of their expedition.

The name of the settlement, with its mission and presidio, was changed from Yerba Buena to San Francisco in 1847. At that time, the scenic city was home to only 850 people. Two years later came the California Gold Rush and San Francisco swarmed with hopeful visitors from around the world.