Rowbotham Lake adopted 13 March 1947 on 92F/12 as identified in Water Rights Branch file 0131886.

Source: BC place name cards, correspondence and/or research by BC Chief Geographer & Geographical Names Office staff.

The notation "Rowbotham-Rowbottom?" on July 1938 names list for compilation of BC Lands' map 2A, signifying uncertainty about the spelling; the feature is labelled "Rowbottom Lake" on the final version of 2A, published 1 November 1938, but no indication how spelling was ascertained. Spelled "Rowbotham Lake" on water licence (WR file 0131886) [earliest date not cited.]

Source: BC place name cards, correspondence and/or research by BC Chief Geographer & Geographical Names Office staff.

"Rhododendron Lake" is the local name because of the many rhododendrons growing here, according to Mr. Rowbotham [sic] who called into the geographic division offices 22 November 1962.

Source: BC place name cards, correspondence and/or research by BC Chief Geographer & Geographical Names Office staff.

"Rowbottom Lake [sic]...was named after a trapper [my father] knew as a child. The Rowbottom family lived at the end of Winchester Road and the trapper would hike up the hill where he had a cabin on this lake to check his trap line. Growing up everyone I knew used the Rowbottom pronounciation... [my father] told me the family pronounced their name Rowbottom. The local museum in Coombs holds area history including a lengthy poem written in 1938 which used the names of all the families living in the area; the poem refers to "Bill Rowbottom" who moved from the Coombs area to Parksville..." (March 2013 advice from Coombs resident Ken Neden, citing his father's recollections, who, in turn, had been a lifelong resident (1921-2010) of Coombs.)

Source: included with note