Incorporated as a City 12 March 1912. Port Alberni (City) confirmed in the 17th Report of the Geographic Board of Canada, 31 March 1922, as labelled on BC map 2A, 1913. Re-incorporated with the City of Alberni in October 1967, the new entity to be called City of Port Alberni (the name Alberni to be retained as a Post Office designation). Port Alberni (City) confirmed 15 January 1976 on C.3609. Boundary amendment effective 3 March 1994; confirmed 13 July 1994 on 92 F/2 and 92 F/7.

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

New Alberni Post Office was opened 1 December 1900, located one mile south of Alberni; name changed to Port Alberni Post Office 1 March 1910.

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

"...takes its name from the canal which was named in 1791 by Lieutenant Francisco Eliza after Dom Pedro Alberni. Alberni was in command of the soldiers taking part in the Spanish expedition under Eliza sent by the Viceroy of Mexico to occupy the coast, 1790. A sawmill was established at the head of [Alberni] canal in 1860. Captain Richards, HMS Hecate, called the locality Alberni the following year." (17th Report of the Geographic Board of Canada, 1922). See also the municipality's own website.

Source: 17th Report of the Geographic Board of Canada, 31 March 1921 (supplement to the Annual Report of the Dept of the Interior, 1922, Ottawa)