M-10 was built in segments through the late 1950s and early 1960s. It carried several different names before the entire route was finally officially named the John C. Lodge Freeway in 1987. The freeway has carried a few other highway designations. The southern segment was part of US Highway 12 (US 12) and the whole road was later renumbered Business Spur Interstate 696 (BS I-696). From 1970 until 1986, it was part of US 10, and the freeway has been M-10 since. The non-freeway segment that runs between I-696 in Southfield and Orchard Lake Road was previously numbered M-4. M-10 was named after John C. Lodge, an influential Detroiter and Mayor of Detroit from 1927–28.