Gor Mahia Football Club was formally established on 17 February 1968 after the merging of Luo Union and Luo Sports Club.

The club was named after a legendary medicineman from Kanyamwa, Ndhiwa, Homa Bay in Luo mythology, whose nickname was Gor Mahia (“mahia” is Luo for “magic”) because he was famous for performing magic.

The club’s most famous nickname, K’Ogalo, also stems from the medicineman, whose full name was Gor Wuod Ogada nyakwar Ogalo (Gor son of Ogada grandson of Ogalo), and as such was known as Gor Makogalo, or Gor K’Ogalo in short, which means “Gor of Ogalo’s homestead”.

Several prominent Luos from all walks of life met in Nairobi to christen the club. The name Gor Mahia was settled upon from a shortlist of other Luo cultural heroes and warriors such as: Nyathi Kwach; Lwanda Magere from Kano; Okore wuod Ogonda Mumbo from Kisumu; Oguttu wuod Kipapi from Ugenya; Kech Kamajwala from Asembo and Tao K’Ogot also from Ugenya.