Kelowna Creek adopted 6 June 1922. Name changed to Mill Creek 7 October 1998 on 82E/14.

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

Labelled "Mill Creek" on BC Lands 1912 plan of the Kelowna Irrigation System. Labelled "Kelowna (Mill) Creek" on BC map 1EM, 1915. District Water Rights Engineer at Kelowna advised in June 1955 that local usage still favoured "Mill Creek", but as there were already 53+ water licences on the creek, in consultation with R.P.MacLean of the Kelowna Courier and other local officials, it was decided to retain the uniquely descriptive name, Kelowna Creek (file K.1.55). By Council Resolution 16 March 1998, following local canvassing and publication of a Notice of Intent in area newspapers, City of Kelowna instructed that the name Kelowna Creek be changed to Mill Creek, "due to community preference and local usage." (file K.1.55).

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

The creek was originally named by the Indians Ne'co-quil-tack, meaning "stream of warm water". From the early 1860's it was known as Pion Creek, referring to the pioneering family who owned the surrounding property. Frederick Brent established a flour mill here sometime after December 1871 (the first major industrial project in the Okanagan) and the creek became known as Millstream, eventually shortened to Mill Creek, as labelled on BC Lands 1912 plan of the Kelowna Irrigation Systems, and as identified on applications for water licences dated 1913. At the same time "Kelowna Creek" was also being used in real estate advertising and settlement promotions, presumably to avoid confusion with numerous other "Mill Creek" or "Millstream" features.

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

18 miles long. The old and still common name Mill arose because water from the stream was used to run early flour mills and sawmills commencing with a small steel mill which Frederick Brent packed over the trail from Hope in the 1860's, and a stone grist mill which he brought from San Francisco c1871. (12th Report of the Okanagan Historical Society, 1948)

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