Adopted with November-December 1921 decisions, Geographic Board of Canada, for Geological Survey of Canada map 1933, Fraser River Delta, as submitted by the Vancouver Harbour Commission (letter 3 November 1921, file F.1.21). "Indian Arm (not North Arm)" identified in 18th Report of the Geographic Board of Canada, 31 March 1924.

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

Labelled "North Arm" on British Admiralty Chart A1922, published in 1860 from Captain Richards' surveys of 1859-60, and on Trutch's 1871 map of British Columbia, and on Jorgensen's 1895 map of British Columbia, and on BC map 2B, 1914, etc.

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

"The [Vancouver Harbour] Commissioners agree that North arm should be changed to a definite distinctive name instead of a merely descriptive one, and have proposed Indian arm. As Indian River [has been given] for the river flowing into the head of this arm, local and historical usage as the reason, I will.... approve the name Indian Arm." (letter 15 November 1921, BC member of Geographic Board of Canada, file F.1.21)

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

"The north arm of the channel which we called "Floridablanca" [Burrard Inlet], and the natives name "Sasamat," ends in a river of very little consequence which runs down the slopes and by a ravine of a great mountain and is apparently formed by the waters which, coming from the melted snow, rush down from the mountain." (Spanish Explorations in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, by Henry R. Wagner; AMS Press; New York, 1933. p 265, being a translation from Eliza's log, 1792)

Source: included with note

Explored by the Spanish in June 1792, who met a few [Indigenous People] here. From them they learned that the [Indigenous People] applied the name Sasamat either to Indian Arm or to the whole of Burrard Inlet - just which is not clear. Sasamat Lake, near the mouth of Indian Arm, preserves this ancient name. Indian River at the head of Indian Arm, was officially Meslisloet (sic) River until 1921.

Source: Akrigg, Helen B. and Akrigg, G.P.V; British Columbia Place Names; Sono Nis Press, Victoria 1986 /or University of British Columbia Press 1997