The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the Tromsøysundet strait in 1860 (prior to that time it was called Tromsøe landdistrikt, which means the rural district around Tromsø).
In 1860, the municipality, previously called Tromsøe landdistrikt (meaning the rural area around Tromsø), took its name from Tromsøysundet strait. Prior to that, it was known as Tromsøe landdistrikt.