Brilliant (Post Office and Railway Station) adopted 6 December 1951 on Columbia River Basin manuscript 14, as labelled on BC map 1EM, 1915. Form of name changed to Brilliant (Community) 29 November 1984. May have previously appeared as "Haynes" (maps/dates not cited).

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

Named in 1908 by Peter Verigin, because of the brilliance of the water. Brilliant Post Office opened 1 November 1908; closed 8 September 1970. See also Doukhobor Genealogy Website: (http://www.doukhobor.org/settlements.html (January 2008)

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

According to A.M. Evalenko, when the Doukhobors came to the Kootenays they gave their first settlement "the name of the Valley of Consolation, Village of Brilliant, from a brilliant diamond of the first water, on account of the great river Columbia flowing through the land". Actually, though near the Columbia, Brilliant is on the Kootenay River, and a little piece in Cominco Magazine says it was "the bright racing waters" of the latter river that suggested this name to Mr. H.B. Landers who was working with the Doukhobour settlers.

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

According to census data, in 1961 the population was 590. In 1966 the population was recorded as 89. In 1971 the population was recorded as being 1971. 1976 census data listed the population as 100.

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