How Sorsogon Got Its Name
As to how such name came to be, there were several versions but the most plausible is the term “sosogon,” which means to follow a trail, a river or a route continuously.

The theory goes that when the Spaniards reached this unexplored portion of the Bicol peninsula in the latter part of the 16th century, they reached a river and, upon seeing a native, asked about the name of the place. Not knowing the Castillan language, and thinking that they were asking for the location of the settlement, the native answered: “sosogon,” pointing to the direction up-river.

The strangers corrupted the word and wrote the name “Sorsogon,” referring to the area, which was situated between what are now the barangays of Capuy and Bulabog, originally called Domanaog, now Binanuahan.

When the province was separated from Albay on October 17, 1894, the town was selected as its capital, and the province adopted the name “Sorsogon.”