Named in 1919, Mount Birdwood honors Lieutenant General Sir William R. Birdwood, General Officer commanding (GOC) the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in France. The mountain's name became official in 1928 by the Geographical Names Board of Canada. The first ascent was made in 1922 by C.F. Hogeboom, F.N. Waterman, and Rudolph Aemmer.