Labelled "Chuan Island" on plan to accompany the "Report of a Canoe Expedition along the E. coast of Vancouver Island" by James Douglas, 1854; labelled "Saltspring Island" on Pemberton's 1855 map of Southeastern Districts of Vancouver Island; labelled "Admiral Island" by Captain Richards in 1859, while surveying these waters. The entrenched local name "Saltspring Island" was adopted by the Geographic Board of Canada in 1910.

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

" [Saltspring Island]...Regarding the name of Admiral island, Captain Richards when surveying here evidently wished to associate the island with Rear Admiral Baynes, commanding at the time, 1857-1860, the Pacific station, his flagship, staff and officers etc. He therefore named the highest mountain Baynes, and the island Admiral; Ganges harbour after the flagship; Fulford harbour after the captain; Burgoyne bay after the commander; Southey point after the admiral's secretary; Mount Bruce after the previous commander in chief; and Cape Keppel after a friend of Admiral Baynes."

Source: Walbran, John T; British Columbia Coast Names, 1592-1906: their origin and history; Ottawa, 1909 (republished for the Vancouver Public Library by J.J. Douglas Ltd, Vancouver, 1971)