The tower was initially named the Clock Tower, an accurate (if somewhat uninspired) name for this massive timepiece. In 2012 it was renamed the Elizabeth Tower to commemorate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, though colloquially it will always be Big Ben.

The famous landmark in London is technically not called "Big Ben"; that name officially refers only to the Great Bell housed inside the tower. The tower itself was originally called the "Clock Tower," but in 2012, it was renamed the Elizabeth Tower in honor of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee. Most people also mistakenly believe the clock is "Big Ben," but that is the "Great Clock of Westminster." The bell earned its nickname from Sir Benjamin Hall, the First Commissioner of Works who oversaw its installation in 1858. In 2026, while locals and tourists alike continue to use "Big Ben" to describe the entire architectural icon, a "true" Londoner or a trivia buff will tell you that you are looking at the Elizabeth Tower and listening to Big Ben. Following the massive 2017–2021 restoration, the tower now shines in its original Victorian Prussian Blue and gold, standing as the most accurate (and misidentified) clock in the world.