The former name Chipazaque of Junín refers to the shared terrain by the "zipa" and "zaque", the most important "caciques" of the Muisca Confederation. In Muysccubun it means "our father the "zaque"" or "union between "zipa" and "zaque"". The name Junín was given by Tomas Cipriano de Mosquera in 1861, because the green valleys reminded him of the Pampa de Junín, location of the Battle of Junín in Peru.