When Emperor Kameyama saw a moon move above the bridge, he said, 'It looks as if the clear moon were walking over the bridge,' so it was named 'Togetsu-kyo' (the bridge of the passing moon).
亀山天皇が、橋の上空を移動していく月を眺めて「くまなき月の渡るに似る」と感想を述べたことから渡月橋と名付けられた。