The freeway was originally named the Squaw Peak Parkway. The modern usage of the word squaw, which can be perceived as a derogatory term for Native American women, had led to guidelines from the U.S. Board on Geographic Names that the word should be phased out of the names of natural features. In 2003, Governor Janet Napolitano announced her intent to rename the peak for which the freeway was named. That same year, U.S. Army specialist and Arizona native Lori Piestewa was killed in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. According to U.S. Military records, Piestewa was the first known Native American woman to be killed on foreign soil while serving in combat for the military. As such, Governor Napolitano thought this was an appropriate new name for the peak, which by extension affected the name of the freeway.