Two islands that were reported and charted in 1825 with coordinates similar to those of Kanton Island were referred to in those documents as "Mary Island" and "Mary Balcoutts Island". In addition, Reynold's report describes a "Barney's Island" roughly at Kanton's position, which may have been named and discovered by Capt. Joseph Barney of "Equator", who was whaling in the area in 1823-4. The island was given the name "Canton" in 1872 by Commander Richard W. Meade of , who named it after the whaling ship "Canton", which had been wrecked there in 1854.