When the Nièvre department was created on 17 February 1800, the "arrondissement" of Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire was part of that original department, with the original name of "Cosne". In 1952, the name was changed to "Cosne-sur-Loire", and in 1973, after the "commune" "Cours" was joined to the "commune" Cosne-sur-Loire, the name was changed to the present name.