“For thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” — Doctrine and Covenants 115:4¹

On April 26, 1838, in Far West, Caldwell County, Missouri, Joseph Smith dictated a revelation commanding the Saints to establish Far West as a city of Zion with a temple and to change the name of the church to "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" (now found in Doctrine and Covenants 115:1-4).² This revelation reaffirmed the significance of the name of Jesus Christ in line with earlier teachings from the Book of Mormon and the New Testament. Church members had called themselves “Latter-day Saints” to distinguish themselves from other Christian denominations, though they were often referred to by others as “Mormons” or “Mormonites.” The name change aimed to clarify the church's identity and mission, which had previously been referred to as "The Church of Christ" (1829–1834) and "The Church of the Latter Day Saints" (1834–1838). The name "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" has persisted as the official name of the church, with the modern format "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" becoming the standard in 1967.³

1. Doctrine and Covenants 115:4

2. Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 26, 308; Doctrine and Covenants 115 Section Heading

3. “Name of the Church,” churchofjesuschrist.org