On June 26, 2014, the city officially changed its name from Lake City to Rocky Top, after a last-ditch effort by the copyright owners of the song "Rocky Top" was denied by a federal court.

[11][13][14] The House of Bryant, which owned the copyright to the song, as well as multiple trademarks and copyrights associated with it due to its status as the main University of Tennessee fight song, objected to the name change, asserting that it would violate intellectual property rights.

[11][13] On May 29, U.S. District Judge Thomas A. Varlan denied the House of Bryant's request for a preliminary injunction, holding that renaming the town was not likely to be deemed to be a use in commerce as required for trademark infringement.

[15][16] On June 26, 2014, the name change was official after District Judge Varlan denied a last-minute attempt by House of Bryant to prevent the vote.

[17] As of 2018, the plans for the $100 million water park remain in development as the company in charge of the project was waiting for approval of the land usage by the state government.

It is 14 mi (23 km) from Gatlinburg, Tennessee, where the song "Rocky Top" was written in Room 388 of The Gatlinburg Inn in 1967 by Boudleaux and Felice Bryant, but there is no record that the couple were aware of the peak when they wrote the song.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Rocky Top has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km2), all land.

[21] Rocky Top is the hometown of songwriter Dean Dillon, whose songs have become hits for singers including George Strait, Toby Keith, Keith Whitley, George Jones, and Kenny Chesney.

[22] Rocky Top (then Coal Creek) was also the birthplace of early 20th century artist Catherine Wiley (1879–1958).