Masvingo was known as Fort Victoria until 1982, when its name was briefly changed to Nyanda. Nyanda is the name of a nearby mountain about 7 miles south of the town on the Masvingo to Beitbridge Road.

The name was changed to Masvingo the general sentiment was the Masvingo would be more reflective of the history of the town. “Masvingo” means “fort” in Shona and the Great Zimbabwe, which is essentially a walled fort, is often referred to as “Masvingo eZimbabwe“or sometimes “Masvingo eVitori” meaning the fort near Fort Victoria“. So, within a few months its name was changed again from Nyanda to Masvingo. It is the oldest colonial settlement in Zimbabwe, and grew up around the encampment established in 1890 when the British South Africa Company “Pioneer Column” of the first colonist passed through on their way to what became Salisbury, now Harare.

The Old Fort national monument is located in the centre of town, and was erected in 1891 as one of a series of fortifications to guard the route from Salisbury to the south. The very first cricket match in Zimbabwe is said to have taken place close by in 1890.