White Rock Post Office & Station adopted 11 February 1936 on 92G/2, as labelled on BC map 2B, 1914 et sq. Incorporated as a City 15 April 1957; White Rock (City) confirmed 4 July 1957 on 92 G/SE.

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

Originally a station on Great Northern Railway; White Rock Post Office opened 16 August 1910. See also the municipality's own website.

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

So-named because of the large white rock on the beach; conspicuous enough to have been a navigational aid for passing vessels.

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

Named after a large white rock on the beach. The story of the rock as told by the Indians runs thus: "Far back in the misty past a mighty seagod dominated the entire coast of what is now known as the Gulf of Georgia. The seagod had a son, a veritable Samson of the Pacific coast. On the shores of the gulf a tribe of the Lummi Indians lived; their chief had a beautiful daughter. One day when the daughter was bathing in the waters of the gulf, the son of the seagod left his cavern and rose to the surface beside her. He fell in love at first sight, and won her by carrying her off to his home beneath the sea. The seagod was angry, however, and ordered his son to return the girl to her tribe...when they presented themselves before the old Lummi chief, the chief adopted the same language as the young man's father. The son of the seagod and his young bride were not dismayed. "We will make a new home for ourselves, and establish a new tribe." The young man picked up a huge rock with his powerful arms and raised it over his shoulder. "See this boulder ? I will hurl it over the waters and it shall guide us to our new home." He cast the rock over the gulf. High over the mountains it went, and as it rose the young man clasped his bride in his arms, dived into the sea and swam of in the direction taken by the great boulder. The rock fell in the hollow of the shimmering bay of Semiahmoo. There the young couple established their home, and in time a mighty tribe grew up around the bay. (The story is given approval by the family of the late Chief Charles, who told the tale.)"

Source: Nelson, Denys; Place Names of the Delta of the Fraser River; 1927, unpublished manuscript held in the Provincial Archives