The mountain was officially named in 1939 but had been known as Mount Fernie long before that. It may be that Mount Fernie was named after William's brother Peter who was actually through this area prior to his younger sybling. Many of the geographical features in the Elk Valley were named prior to any settlement in the area, the first series of naming taking place in 1872 when a fellow named Michael Phillipps (Phillipps Peak) came through. [Randal Macnair; Fernie & District Historical Society]