Filipino American community members advocated for naming the bridge and nearby park after Dr. Jose Rizal, a Filipino physician, novelist, and nationalist. He advocated for Philippine independence from Spain, called for the political rights and equality of the Filipino people, and was ultimately martyred in 1896. Formal dedication occurred on June 7, 1981, by then-Mayor Charles Royer and Philippine Consul General Ernesto A. Querubin. Visit the nearby Dr. Jose Rizal Park at 1008 12th Avenue South, which includes the mosaic mural East Is West by artist Val Laigo.