The peak was roughly charted by Captain Henry Foster in January 1829 and called 'Mount Herschel' after Sir J. F. W. Herschel. The mountain was photographed from the air by FIDASE, 1956-57 and, in association with the names of pioneers of aviation grouped in this area, named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee Mount Pénaud after Alphonse Pénaud (1850-80), French aircraft designer, 1871-80.