Pittsburgh was named in 1758, by General John Forbes, in honor of British statesman William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham.As Forbes was a Scotsman, he probably pronounced the name / ˈ p ɪ t s b ər ə / PITS-bər-ə (similar to Edinburgh). [18] [19]Pittsburgh was incorporated as a borough on April 22, 1794, with the following Act: [20] "Be it enacted by the Pennsylvania State Senate and ...