Naming the Queensferry Crossing

In 2013 a public vote was held to decide the permanent name of the new road bridge, referred to until that point as the "Forth Replacement Crossing". This attracted around 7,600 unique suggestions and more than 37,000 votes during a seven-month process.

On 26 June 2013, Queensferry Crossing was confirmed by Alex Salmond, Scotland's First Minister as the winner of the public 'Name the Bridge' vote with over a third of the total votes cast. Read the full story here.

The voting stage ended on the 7th of June 2013 and attracted more than 35,000 votes.

Naming the Queensferry Crossing

The public voted on the following shortlist, which was drawn up by an independent panel after considering more than 7,600 names submitted by the public during the nomination stage (November 2012 to January 2013).

The final shortlist of names for the Queensferry Crossing:

A - Caledonia Bridge
Caledonia is the Latin name for the area known as Scotland which was beyond the northern frontier of Roman Britain. The name may be related to that of a large central Pictish tribe, the Caledonii.

B - Firth of Forth Crossing
Formed by an ice age glacier, the Firth of Forth is the estuary where the River Forth flows into the North Sea. The Forth Estuary separates Fife and Edinburgh which will be linked by the new bridge.

C - Queensferry Crossing
The name is shared by the communities on either bank of the Forth Estuary - North Queensferry and South Queensferry. Named after Queen (Saint) Margaret who established a ferry to carry pilgrims travelling to St Andrew's and Dunfermline.

D - Saltire Crossing
Scotland's national flag, represents the cross of St Andrew, the country's patron saint. It is believed to be the oldest continuously used flag in Europe - some even say the world.

E - St Margaret's Crossing
Saint Margaret of Scotland (b1045 - d1093) became Queen Consort of Scotland when she married King Malcolm III Canmore. She established the ferry crossing of the Forth, which carried pilgrims to St Andrew's and Dunfermline, and which gave North and South Queensferry their names.