Washington, D.C., is the capital of the United States. 'D.C.' is an abbreviation for the District of Columbia, the federal district coextensive with the city of Washington. The city is named after George Washington, military leader of the American Revolution and the first President of the United States. Columbia in this context is an early poetic name for the United States, a reference to Christopher Columbus, an early European explorer of the Americas. District of Columbia apartments for rent comparison page shows most up to date rent information on District of Columbia apartments and houses. Rent information is obtained from multiple rental sources but we cannot guarantee their accuracy.