The article 'the' is used when talking about monuments, the White House, the Houses of Parliament, so why is it not used when speaking about Big Ben in London? Oh but it is. The Clock Tower of the Palace of Westminster — officially named Saint Stephen's Tower — is commonly known as the Big Ben. Welcome to EL&U.

While everyone knows the iconic London landmark as "Big Ben," the name technically refers only to the Great Bell inside the tower, not the clock or the tower itself. The tower was originally called the "Clock Tower" but was officially renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to honor Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee. The massive bell, weighing over 13 tons, was likely named after Sir Benjamin Hall, the First Commissioner of Works who oversaw its installation in the 1850s, though some legends suggest it was named after a heavyweight boxer of the era. Despite this distinction, the term "Big Ben" has become a universally accepted "metonym" used by locals and tourists alike to describe the entire neo-Gothic structure. In 2026, following extensive multi-year restorations that were completed in the early 2020s, the bell’s hourly "bongs" remain a vital part of the London soundscape. So, while calling the building "Big Ben" is technically a misnomer, it is the standard name used by the public, even if historians and Parliament officials prefer "Elizabeth Tower."