Synagogue Street was named after the first Jewish synagogue in Singapore. Occupying a shophouse, the synagogue which accommodates 30 to 40 worshippers, was built in 1841. Known as Maghain Aboth Synagogue, it operated there for 37 years before it relocated to Waterloo Street, in 1878, and remained there to this day.
The Central Police Station of Singapore used to be located on South Bridge Road (where One George Street is situated today). For that reason, Synagogue Street was known in Hokkien as Po3lay3 Au33 Te33-Jee33 Kay1 ("the second street from the police station").