Benjamin Briggs coined the name from the English word "crescent" because he could see three crescent-shaped formations from his home,[1] or because of the shape of the valley.

[2] The Crescenta Valley area has been inhabited by the Tongva for thousands of years, including the central villages of Tuyunga, Hahamongna, and Wikangna.

[3] Wikangna was most central to the valley, being located in the Las Barras Canyon area possibly at the Verdugo Hills Gold Course.

The first American settler in the valley was Theodore Pickens, who settled at the top of today's Briggs Avenue in 1871.

Because of proximity to the mountains, rainfall is generally higher than most Los Angeles area locations, averaging around 20 inches per year, mostly falling between November and March.