The Star-Spangled Banner is one of the nicknames of the national flag of the United States. The specific 1813 U.S. flag that inspired the words of the national anthem is also called the Star-Spangled Banner.
The American flag, with its 13 horizontal, alternating red and white stripes and 50 white stars on a blue rectangle in the upper left corner, is called by a few popular nicknames: Old Glory, the Stars and Stripes — and the Star-Spangled Banner. The first flag to be called the Star-Spangled Banner was a massive flag flown over Fort McHenry in Baltimore's harbor during the War of 1812. Moved by the sight of the flag still flying after a long night of British bombardment, Francis Scott Key penned the words of a poem that later became the lyrics of the U.S. national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner." Spangled means "studded with shining objects," and a banner is a flag.