Adopted in the 15th Report of the Geographic Board of Canada, 31 March 1917, as labelled on BC map 1EM, 1915. A long established name. For origin, see The Bugaboos (peaks).

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

"Good [mineral] prospects have been located on Crystal Creek and Bugaboo Creek...." (1890 BC Mines Report, p.374); "....explorations were also made up Bugaboo Creek and down Howser Creek..." (1893 Public Works Report, p.863); labelled on "Sketch Map of East Kootenay District shewing Principal Mineral Localities" by A.P. Cummins (1893 Mines Report). Bugaboo River and Bugaboo Pass labelled on sketch map, and reference to "the old Bugaboo claim, an outcrop of galena...." in Canadian Alpine Journal, Vol III, 1911, p.27 & 34. (The Bugaboo claim was located at the summit/divide on the south fork of the creek.)

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

Webster's Dictionary identifies bugaboo as an imaginary object of fright; a hobgoblin, etc, - seemingly a variation on Akrigg's reference to a lonely place, presumably a Scots or Gaelic colloquilism. Another explanation of the term: "Indians and prospectors were the first to come this way, but the mineral claims proved to be little else than a 'bugaboo'. (from "Days in the Bugaboo Mountains, by J.M. Thorington, The Purcell Range of British Columbia, p.112).

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

Headwaters at 50 41 - 116 45 on 82K/10

Source: Canadian Geographical Names Database, Ottawa