Karen Gell, 50, from Manchester, and Ann Marie Dewhurst, known as Marie, 69, from Preston, perished in the crash on the A69 just before 10:00 BST on Saturday.
It happened on an eastbound stretch of the road between Haydon Bridge and Bardon Mill, Northumbria Police said.
Six people are recovering at home while two others remain in hospital. The road was closed for several hours.
One of those in hospital has critical but stable injuries and the other has serious but not life-threatening injuries, police said.
Two people who died in a four-vehicle crash have been named by police.