Adopted 7 December 1937 on 92G/6, as labelled on British Admiralty Chart 579, 1863 et seq, and on Trutch's 1871 map of BC map.

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

Named in 1860 by Captain Richards, RN, after Rear Admiral James Bowen.... See also "Bowen Island, 1872-1972" by Irene Howard (file N.1.51, March 1989); "Isla de Apodaca", a booklet compiled by J.S. Matthews, Vancouver City Archivist, 1968; "The Gibson's Landing Story" by Walbran & Peterson, p.27 (incomplete citation on BC name card).

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

After Rear Admiral James Bowen (1751-1835) RN, master of HMS Queen Charlotte, flagship of Admiral Earl Howe, at the battle of the "Glorious First of June", 1794. (See Howe Sound). He took his ship so close to the French flagship, Montagne, that the flag of the latter's ensign brushed the main and mizzen shrouds of the Queen Charlotte as she passed and poured her broadside into the French ship's starboard quarter. During the engagement, Lord Howe - whom Bowen addressed by his title - replied on one occasion "Mr. Bowen, you may call me My Lord, and my Lord you yourself deserve to be a prince!". Bowen was promoted for his services in this memorable victory; captain of the Channel fleet, 1806, under Earl St. Vincent; Commissioner of the Navy, 1816; retired in 1825 with the rank of Rear Admiral.

Source: Walbran, John T; British Columbia Coast Names, 1592-1906: their origin and history; Ottawa, 1909 (republished for the Vancouver Public Library by J.J. Douglas Ltd, Vancouver, 1971)

The site of a former Indian village by name Kolelakom, belonging to the [Squamish] tribe of the Salish stock.

Source: Nelson, Denys; Place Names of the Delta of the Fraser River; 1927, unpublished manuscript held in the Provincial Archives

Back in 1791 the Spanish explorer Narvaez had named this island and the one to the west 'the isles of Apodaca,' after Sebastian Ruiz de Apodaca, a Spanish naval official.

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

Originally named Kwílakm by the Squamish People for the excellent clam harvesting offered by its beaches. Kwílakm was also an important location for sea lion and whale hunting. (December 2011 from: Cultural Journey Sea-to-Sky Corridor website, Squamish and Lil'wat First Nations)

Source: included with note