'Brompton' means the farm where broom grows.
It comes from 'broom tun', and in medieval times Brompton was known for its gorse fields. The name was first recorded in 1292. West Brompton takes it from the old village of Brompton to the east, linked to it by the Old Brompton Road. The coat of arms of Kensington and Chelsea, created in 1965, includes a broom bush.