Monster Park

Candlestick Park was named for Candlestick Point, a point of land jutting into San Francisco Bay. Candlestick Point is itself named for the indigenous "candlestick bird" (Long-billed Curlew), once common to the point.

The rights to the stadium name were licensed to 3Com Corporation from 1996 until 2002. During that time, the park became known as 3Com Park at Candlestick Point. In 2002, the naming rights deal expired, and the park then became officially known as San Francisco Stadium at Candlestick Point. On September 28, 2004, a new naming rights deal was signed with Monster Cable, a maker of cables for electronic equipment, and the stadium was renamed Monster Park (many people erroneously assume the Monster Park name is associated with the well-known Monster.com job search website, or the Monster Energy drink company).

The City and County of San Francisco had trouble finding a new naming sponsor due in part to the downturn in the economy, but also because the stadium's tenure as 3Com Park was tenuous at best. Many local fans were annoyed with the change and continued referring to the park by its original name, and many continue to do so to this day, regardless of the official name. The Giants reportedly continued to call the stadium "Candlestick Park" in media guides. Freeway signs in the vicinity were recently changed to read "Monster Park" as part of an overall signage upgrade to national standards on California highways.

A measure passed in the November 2, 2004, election states that the stadium name will revert back to Candlestick permanently after the current contract with Monster Cable expires in 2008. This highlights San Francisco's extreme distaste for corporate naming. Many San Franciscans refer to AT&T Park, where the Giants play, by its original name, Pac Bell Park, despite its having undergone two name changes in the stadium's relatively short life. Monster Park is similarly almost universally referred to as Candlestick Park by both locals and much of the media despite the name change. The Monster Park moniker is confined to the 49ers' front office and to some radio and television broadcasters, all of whom are contractually required to use the corporate sponsor's name whenever referring to the park, just as they were with 3Com.

On August 10, 2007, San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom announced that the playing field would be renamed Bill Walsh Field in honor of former San Francisco 49ers' coach, the late Bill Walsh, who passed away on July 30 that year, pending the approval of the city government. However the stadium will retain its current name as is contractually obligated.

The San Francisco 49'rs first used this venue in 1960.