Why is it called Times Square?

Times Square, one of the most iconic locations in New York City and perhaps the entire world, owes its name not to the dazzling lights, giant billboards, or bustling crowds that define it today, but to a newspaper. The story of how this famous intersection came to be called “Times Square” is deeply tied to the history of The New York Times and the city’s transformation at the turn of the 20th century.

Quick Reference: Why Is It Called Times Square?

Aspect	Details
Original Name	Longacre Square
Renamed As	Times Square
Year of Renaming	1904
Reason for Name Change	Named after The New York Times newspaper headquarters built there
Key Figure Behind the Name	Adolph S. Ochs (Publisher of The New York Times)
First Major Event	1904 New Year’s Eve fireworks celebration organized by The New York Times
Historic Building	One Times Square (originally the Times Tower)
Connection to Subway	First NYC subway line opened beneath Times Square in 1904
Symbolism Today	Represents progress, modernity, and the vibrant heart of New York City
Famous Tradition	Annual Times Square Ball Drop every New Year’s Eve
Fun Fact	The New York Times moved out in 1913, but the name “Times Square” remained forever

In the late 1800s, the area we now know as Times Square was called Longacre Square. It was a rather quiet, unremarkable neighborhood filled with horse stables, carriage workshops, and small factories. The name “Longacre” came from London’s Long Acre, a district known for its carriage trade, which mirrored the purpose of this New York counterpart. The area was far from the glittering entertainment center it would become. It was dusty, industrial, and on the edge of the rapidly expanding Manhattan grid.

Everything changed in 1904, when Adolph S. Ochs, the publisher of The New York Times, decided to move his newspaper’s headquarters from downtown Manhattan to a new skyscraper he commissioned on a triangular plot of land at the intersection of Broadway and Seventh Avenue. This new building was to be called the Times Tower, later known as One Times Square. Ochs was not just moving his paper; he was making a statement. The relocation symbolized progress, ambition, and the forward momentum of New York City itself.

The completion of the Times Tower was more than a simple business expansion—it transformed the neighborhood’s identity. Ochs lobbied the city’s mayor at the time, George B. McClellan Jr., to rename Longacre Square in honor of his newspaper. On April 8, 1904, the request was granted, and the area officially became Times Square. Just a few weeks later, the first subway line of New York City opened, with a major station right beneath the new Times Tower. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect—the convergence of the newspaper’s prestige, the city’s modern transportation system, and the area’s central location ensured Times Square would soon become a hub of activity and innovation.

That same year, to celebrate the newspaper’s new home and to draw attention to the area, Ochs organized a grand fireworks display on New Year’s Eve atop the Times Tower. Thousands of people gathered to witness the event, marking the beginning of a tradition that would later evolve into the world-famous Times Square Ball Drop. This annual celebration became one of the defining features of Times Square, linking the name of the square forever with celebration, energy, and the passing of time.

Over the decades, The New York Times eventually moved its offices elsewhere, but the name “Times Square” remained. The area continued to grow and transform—from a hub of theaters and hotels in the 1920s and 1930s to a center of neon advertising and bustling commerce in the post-war years. Even during its darker periods in the mid-20th century, when the area became notorious for crime and adult entertainment, the name “Times Square” still carried the weight of its history. It was not just a name—it was a brand, a symbol of New York’s constant reinvention.

Today, when people from all over the world walk through Times Square, they may not immediately think of a newspaper, but that’s where it all began. The New York Times’ decision to plant its headquarters there more than a century ago turned a forgotten corner of Manhattan into a global landmark. The name “Times Square” is a living reminder of that moment when journalism, city planning, and ambition converged to create one of the most recognizable places on Earth.

In essence, Times Square was named after The New York Times, but it has come to represent far more than a publication. It stands as a symbol of the heartbeat of New York City—a place that captures the energy, diversity, and unstoppable movement of time itself.