Chaatl Island adopted in the 15th Report of the Geographic Board of Canada, 31 March 1917, as identified in BC Mines Report, 1909, p.75; not Cha-atl Island as spelled on 1880 map "Queen Charlotte Islands" by George Dawson, Geological Survey of Canada.

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

Identified as Chaatlgwai (the latter syllable meaning "island") on 1905 map "Haida of Queen Charlotte Islands" by Drs. Swanton & Newcombe, published by American Museum, Washington, DC. See Chaatl (locality).

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

Chaatl (Ts’aa’ahl), on the island’s south shore, was a major Haida First Nation village in ancient times. In the 1830s, John Work, HBC trader at Port Simpson, estimated that over 550 people lived there, in 35 houses, but most had moved to Skidegate Inlet by 1870.

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

"Cha-atl Island" and "Chaahl Island" are other recorded spellings of this name.

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