The river was first known by its
Māori name of , with literally translating as 'the river'. The name
Whakatipu is shared with several nearby geographic features, including
Lake Wakatipu and
Whakatipu Kā Tuka (the Hollyford River) though this name is an archaic term and its original meaning is no longer known. During the 1860s, the
runholder William Gilbert Rees named the river the Dart, after the river's swift flow. In 1998, the river became one of nearly 90 geographic features to be given an official
dual name as part of the
Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998, a
Treaty of Waitangi settlement between Ngāi Tahu and
the Crown. This dual name combined the name Dart River with the Māori name, in recognition of the significance of both names. ==Gallery==