Nicola (town) adopted in the 12th Report of the Geographic Board of Canada, 30 June 1913. Form of name changed to Nicola (Post Office & Railway Station) 7 April 1949; further changed to Nicola (community) 17 October 1979.

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

Named in association with Nicola River and Nicola Lake, in turn adaptions of the nickname of a famous Indian chief, grand uncle of the present chief at Douglas Lake (1915). His name was Nwistes-meekin, "walking grizzly bear", but the French-speaking fur traders nicknamed him "Nicolas" and spoke of the district and river as Nicolas' country. Lac de Nicolas and R. Nicholas [sic] are labelled on A.C. Anderson's 1849 manuscript map. The Indians pronounced the nickname N'kuala or Nkwala, and those spellings made their way into the records, eventually anglicized to "Nicola".

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

Nicola Lake Post Office was opened 1 August 1872 in the home of John Clapperton; apparently closed sometime thereafter, and was re-established 1 April 1885. Name changed to Nicola Post Office 1 September 1905 and remained open until 28 August 1960. Nicola was the main centre of the valley until coal development at "the Forks" (confluence of Nicola and Coldwater Rivers) gave rise to Merritt in 1907.

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