The city was founded on January 12, 1794 (Gregorian calendar) as Yekaterinodar (). The original name meant "Catherine's Gift", both in recognition of Catherine the Great's grant of land in the Kuban region to the Black Sea Cossacks (later the Kuban Cossacks), and also in recognition of Saint Catherine, "the Martyr", who is considered to be the patron of the city. After the October Revolution, Yekaterinodar was renamed Krasnodar (December 1920). There are two potential meanings for the new name of the city: Krasno- (Красно-), meaning either 'beautiful' (an older root) or 'red' (especially relevant considering the political atmosphere of the time); and -dar (-дар), meaning 'gift'. Thus, the city's name means either "beautiful gift" or "red gift" (i.e. 'gift of the reds')..