Adopted 6 April 1950 on 92G/12 as labeled on Chart 3589. Likely named in association with Tzoonie River.

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

The Sechelt First Nation name for Narrows Inlet Stl’íxwim, and this name is also applied to the reserved lands at the inlet’s head, were the Tzoonie River, known to the Sechelt people as Kékaw, joins the sea. This location was once the site of an important winter village, home to the Téwánkw people (Tuwanek Point), one of the main subgroups of the Sechelt Nation. Another winter village, Chichkwat, was located further up the Tzoonie River. Both river and inlet have great spiritual importance for the Sechelt Nation and figure largely in its origin myths and other legends. The word Tzoonie is probably a variation of Ts’únay (or Tsonai), the name for another of Sechelt subgroups, whose members were based at Deserted Bay on Jervis Inlet. The name may have migrated as the result of population transfer or it may have been incorrectly associated with Narrows Inlet. Sháshíshálem language specialist Ronald Beaumont has suggested “sheltering tree” as a translation for Ts’únay. Other spellings recorded for Tzoonie include Tyzoone, Tzoonye, Tsoome and Tzoone.

Source: Scott, Andrew; "The Encyclopedia of Raincoast Place Names"; Harbour Publishing, Madeira Park, 2009.

It is recorded on the name card that the Sechelt name for "Tzoonie Narrows" is "chu-cow," however there is no source listed. Reference file C.1.45.

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