Harwood Island adopted 27 April 1945 on C.3591, as labelled on Captain Vancouver's 1798 map, and on British Admiralty Chart # 580, 1862 et seq. Name changed to Ahgykson Island per the provisions of the Sliammon Treaty, Appendix W-2, effective 5 April 2016.

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

"Named by [Captain George] Vancouver and noticed by him in his journal, under date 25 June 1792 as follows: "On the coast of the mainland, opposite this island, is a small brook probably of fresh water [today's Powell River], from whence as we advanced the shores put on a very dreary aspect, chiefly composed of rugged rocks thinly wooded with small dwarf pine trees." Vancouver's description, given one hundred and fourteen years ago, is as applicable at this time of writing as on the June day he sailed along this shore with his two vessels, accompanied by the Spanish officers Galiano and Valdes in their small craft. Named after Edward Harwood, eldest son of Edward Harwood, DD, native of Lancashire, classic scholar and biblical critic. He was for many years a surgeon in the navy, and served under Captain (later Admiral) William Bligh on board HMS Providence, 1791-1794....."

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)

See "Gaviola, Camino and Romay: 18th century placenames in the Strait of Georgia" by Gabriola Island historian Nick Doe, for a discussion of the Spanish explorers' name for Harwood Island - Punta de Camino. www.nickdoe.ca/pdfs/Webp511c.pdf (link provided April 2011.)

Source: included with note

The traditional name is Ahgykson, meaning "pointed nose" and referring to an ancient village site on this island. The earliest recorded contact between Europeans and the Sliammon people took place when two surveying crews from Vancouver's ships Chatham and Discovery went ashore on Harwood Island on July 2, 1792. Captain Vancouver labelled the island in 1798 after Edward Harwood, who was a navy surgeon on board the HMS Providence.

Source: Sliammon Traditional Use Study, Sliammon Place Names Project & Sliammon Culture, Heritage and Language Committee 2010.