El Cajon ( el kə-HOHN, Latin American Spanish: [el kaˈxon]; Spanish: El Cajón, meaning "the box") is a city in San Diego County, California, United States, 17 mi (27 km) east of downtown San Diego. The city takes its name from Rancho El Cajón, which was named for the box-like shape of the valley that surrounds the city, and the origin of the city's common nickname "the Box".