As the official title of the federal holiday, Washington's Birthday was originally implemented by the federal government in 1880 in the District of Columbia and expanded in 1885 to include all federal offices. As the first federal holiday to honor an American-born citizen, the holiday was celebrated on Washington's birthday, February 22. In 1971 the federal holiday was shifted to the third Monday in February.
In the late 1980s with a push from advertisers the term President's Day began its public appearance. The theme has expanded the focus of the holiday to honor another February President Abraham Lincoln and often other Presidents of the United States as well. Lincoln's birthday is February 12 and although it was never a federal holiday, approximately a dozen state governments have officially renamed their Washington's Birthday observances as "Presidents' Day", "Washington and Lincoln Day", or other such designations. It is also interesting to note "Presidents' Day" is not always an all inclusive term. In Massassachusetts, while their state holiday honors "Washington's Birthday" there is also a Presidents' Day Proclamation honoring the the Presidents that have come from the New England area.
In Washington's home state of Virginia the holiday is legally known as "George Washington Day."