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The Bedruthan Steps were probably originally called after the steps leading down to this beach from the village of that name, which historically enabled the mining of the cliffs here for copper, iron and lead. These steps collapsed in the mid 20th century but have since been rebuilt by the National Trust.

In the 19th century the Victorians invented the tale of the rock stacks on the beach being named after a mythological giant named Bedruthan. The story has stuck, and the beach and its rocks have taken on the name of Bedruthan Steps.

Three of the five named steps can be seen in this photo: SW8469 : Bedruthan Step: Queen Bess Rock, SW8469 : Bedruthan Step: Samaritan Island and SW8469 : Bedruthan Step: Redcove Island. The other two are SW8469 : Bedruthan Step: Carnewas Island and Carnewas Point and SW8469 : Bedruthan Step: Pendarves Island and Pendarves Point, and are to the left of this photo. The rocks in the foreground here SW8469 : Rocks at Red Cove at the Bedruthan Steps, Cornwall do not include one of the named Steps.