Adopted 3 July 1946 on 103SE, as labelled on BC Lands' map 3L, 1919.

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

Named in 1791 by Captain Etienne Marchand of the French trading ship "Solide", after his second in command, Captain Chanal. On the 25th August 1791, the Solide reached Cloak Bay, but having been preceeded by an English trader, Marchand obtained only a few inferior quality skins. Some of his officers landed amongst the natives of Parry passage and made interesting accounts of their visit. For 3 weeks Capt. Chanal, accompanied by Louis Marchand (a brother of the captain of the Solide), made the first real survey of Cloak bay, Parry passage, and along the west coast of Graham Island as far south as Hippa Island, and gave the names Otard bay, Port Louis and Port Chanal.

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)

....Captain Prosper Chanal, a retired French naval officer and hydrographic surveyor when he joined the voyage of the Solide under Captain Marchand....

Source: Dalzell, Kathleen E; Queen Charlotte Islands - Book 2: of places and names; Prince Rupert: Cove Press, 1973