Adopted 31 March 1924 on 82F/5 as appears in 1910 Gazetteer and on Map "B.C." (G. Jorgenson, 1895) Reference Map 1EM "Kootenay, Osoyoos, Similkameen" (1915). May have previously appeared as Sloken or Schlogan.

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

"The name Slocan is from a Syilx'tsn (Okanagan) First Nation word that translates into 'pierce or strike on the head.' The moniker refers to the Okanagans' practice of harpooning or spearing salmon." (p. 272)

Source: Thorburn, Mark; "British Columbia Place Names"; Dragon Hill Publishing Ltd., Canada, 2009.

"Members of the Palliser Expedition in 1859 passed the mouth of the Schlocan or Sloghan River. This name is derived from the Okanagan ... word meaning 'pierce, strike on the head.' This refers to the [Indigenous] practice of spearing or harpooning the salmon that used to be plentiful throughout the Slocan district." (p. 248)

Source: Akrigg, Helen B. and Akrigg, G.P.V; "British Columbia Place Names"; University of British Columbia Press 1997

Likely named in association with the Indigenous practice of "spearing" salmon in this area. "The association of the Slocan area with salmon has been noted by Teit (1930: 210): "Salmon were forerly plentiful throughout the Slocan district and many people lived at all the villages. Teit's statement seems also to imply that it was because of the plentiful salmon in the Slocan (see also page 37) that there was formerly a large Lakes [/Sinixt] population in thie region." (Randy Bouchard and Dorthy Kennedy, "Lakes Indian Ethnography: Report Prepared for the B.C. Heritage Conservation Branch, 1985 - S.1.59 #2).

Source: included with note