Basse-Terre Island was originally called "Guadeloupe" (a name which did not originally include the sister island of Grande-Terre) and as in other French Caribbean islands its western side was called Basse-Terre while its eastern side was called Cabesterre.
A illa de Basse-Terre orixinalmente chamouse "Guadalupe" (un nome que non incluía orixinalmente a illa irmá de Grande-Terre) e, como noutras illas do Caribe francés o seu lado occidental chámase Basse-Terre, mentres o seu lado oriental chamábase Capesterre.