Where Does Mount Everest Get Its Name?

Mount Everest, at an altitude of 8,848 meters (29,028 feet), is the world's highest peak. The mountain was christened 'Mount Everest' in 1865 by Andrew Waugh, the then British Surveyor General of India after his predecessor; George (Geo) Everest. Earlier adaptation of the name varied between Mont Everest, Mount Everest and the pronunciation of the word 'Everest'.

However, the mountain is referred to differently in places like Nepal and China. It was named 'Sagarmatha' or 'Goddess of the Sky' by the Nepalese government in the 1960s while the Tibetans call it 'Chomolungma', which means 'Mother of the Universe'. Prior to all of these, the most ancient name that the mountain had was Devgiri or 'holy mountain' in Sanskrit, or Devadurga.