Goddess Samaleswari: Originally  the Goddess was  known as Somalaiswari. (Soma   - eternal  bliss) Somalaiswari -  Soma Datri  meaning one who  bestow  'eternal bliss'.

Others believe that,  as  goddess Samaleswari was being worshipped under a  Samel tree (cotton tree),  she was called  Sameleswari,  and later came to be known  as Samaleswari. A group of devotees believe that Sambalpur was named after the goddess.

However, the name Sambalpur is much older, as it found mention in the book Ptolemy {2nd Century AD} as Sambalaka situated by the left bank of river "Manada," presently Mahanadi. It is  also  mentioned in the the records of Hiuen T' Sang, and also in the writings of the celebrated  King Indrabhuti (the oldest know ruler of Sambalpur) the founder of Vajrayana Buddhism and the present Lama cult.

Historical Evidence: In ancient times Sambalpur was ruled by the Chouhan.  King Balaram Dev,  after a long spell of battles,  reached the small hamlet of Bargarh,  which he made his temporary capital on the left bank of river Jira  (The ruins  are still there - speaking the days of its glorious past). Balaram Dev  went out in search of a suitable place to establish his capital - finally  reached the southern bank of river Mahanadi, pitched camp in a small settlement named Chourpur.  Somalaiswari the presiding deity of the area came to him in a dream,  she directed him to build a temple for her on the left bank of the river Mahanadi and thus the temple.