It is named after three related items: Columbia Park itself (located within its borders), the park's acquisition in 1892 (the so-called "Columbian" year celebrating the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World) and the adjacent suburb of Columbia Heights.
The name of this park is derived from three elements: Columbia Park itself, the year 1892 (a "Columbian" year commemorating the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's voyage to the Americas), and the nearby suburb of Columbia Heights.