Submitted Place Name Revision History

The original Maliseet (Wolastoqey) name for the river was "Wolastoq", meaning "beautiful, bountiful river" (wolast = "good, pleasant," oq = "river"). The river was central to Maliseet culture, travel, and sustenance.

In 1604, French explorer Samuel de Champlain renamed it "Fleuve Saint-Jean" after Saint John the Baptist, as he arrived on June 24, the saint’s feast day. The name was later anglicized to Saint John River by British settlers.