Why is it called hamburger when it...

Although the origin of the name isn’t clear, one theory is that “hamburger” was named for the city of Hamburg, Germany, where it was common for residents to pound their beef in the 19th century. By 1912, people in the United States were shaping this pulverized beef into patties.

Over the years and in different regions, “hamburger” also has been called “hamburg,” “hamburg steak,” “burger,” “ground beef patty,” and other names.