The name "Chilko" is the product of
linguistic anglicisation of the
Tŝilhqot’in name
Tŝilhqóx, (also spelled without vowel flattening as
Tsilhqox). The meaning of the name is contested, and is the subject of much
folk etymologising. Some believe the meaning to be "ochre river", but other contenders are "axe river" (from
tŝinlh yeqox), "river from the ponderosa pine" (from
tsilhtsilh yeqox), or "river with rocks" (from
tŝi belh yeqox). The related name of the Chilcotin River is from that of the
Tŝilhqot’in First Nation, from
Tŝilhqox Gwet’in, meaning "people of Tŝilhqox". The name
Tŝilhqox refers to the whole Chilko River as well as lower Chilcotin River, with its source at the north end of
Chilko Lake and its mouth at its confluence with the
Fraser River. Due to a confused naming process, the name "
Chilcotin River" refers to only the lower segment of
Tŝilhqox, then follows a smaller tributary (
Cheẑqox/Chezacut River) northwest to
Chilcotin Lake (
Cheẑich’ed Biny/Chezacut Lake), and then further north and west along another tributary (
Yeqox Gunchagh or "big creek" in Tŝilhqot’in) to its nominal source. ==See also==