The name was later restricted on maps to the small bay described, since a name for the large embayment was not considered useful. The South Georgia Survey, 1951–52, reported that the name Iris Bay for the same feature is well established in use among the whalers and sealers in South Georgia, and that the name Sandwich Bay is unknown locally, so Iris Bay was approved to conform with local usage.
The designation was later narrowed down to the small bay described, as a larger name for the embayment was considered redundant. The South Georgia Survey of 1951-52 discovered that Iris Bay is commonly employed by whalers and sealers in South Georgia, whereas Sandwich Bay is unfamiliar locally, prompting the approval of Iris Bay to align with local usage.