Adopted 1 May 1934 on National Defence sheet 415a, Victoria (Ottawa file OBF 1449), as labelled on British Admiralty Chart #1911, 1849 et seq, and on BC Lands' map 2A, 1913. See also Esquimalt (District Municipality).

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

"An adaption of its Indian name. In a report on Vancouver Island, dated 12 July 1842, by Mr. James Douglas to Dr. John McLoughlin, chief factor, at Fort Vancouver, Columbia River, this harbour is spelt Is-whoy-malth. The late Mr. J.W. McKay, of the Indian Office, Victoria, gives the Indian meaning of the word "A place gradually shoaling" ie. the flats at the mouth of Sawmill Creek. Lieutenant Quimper, of the Spanish Navy, anchored in Esquimalt Harbour 30 June 1790, and named it Puerto de Cordova, after Don Antonio Maria Bucareli y Ursua Henestrosa Lasso de la Vega Villacis y Cordova, the 46th viceroy of Mexico. This is the first recorded visit of any vessel to the port.... A survey of the harbour was made in 1847 by Lieut Cmdr James A. Wood, HM surveying vessel Pandora, assisted by Mr. R.M. Inskip, naval instructor, HMS Fisgard (Captain John A. Duntze), when the point and islands, etc around the harbour were all named after the officers of the Fisgard." [see Walbran for additional detail...]

Source: Walbran, John T; "British Columbia Coast Names, 1592-1906: Their Origin and History"; published for the Geographic Board of Canada, Ottawa, 1909 (republished for the Vancouver Public Library by J.J. Douglas Ltd, Vancouver, 1971)