Montreal, or Montréal in French in Canadian English, in Quebec French, and in European French) is the second-largest city in Canada and the largest city in the province of Quebec. Originally called Ville-Marie ('City of Mary'), some historians think the city takes its present name from the Mont Réal (as it was pronounced in Middle French , or Mont Royal/Mount Royal in present French), the three-head hill at the heart of the city, whose name was also initially given to the island on which the city stands.