Although the island had been known as the South Island for many years, in 2009 the New Zealand Geographic Board found that, along with the North Island, the South Island had no official name.
Aínda que a illa coñeceuse como a "Illa Norte" durante moitos anos, en 2009 a Xunta Xeográfica de Nova Zelandia atopou que, xunto coa Illa do Sur, a Illa Norte non tiña nome oficial.