The name Slocan is derived from the Sinixt word meaning "to strike or pierce on head" and was derived from their practice of harpooning salmon.
Slocan should not be confused with Slocan Park, which is farther south along the Slocan River, or South Slocan, which, in turn, should not be confused with Shoreacres (Prekrasnoye), at the Slocan River's confluence with the Kootenay River.