The islands are named after Norwegian explorer Otto Sverdrup, who explored and mapped them from 1898 to 1902 with the vessel Fram, although some were previously inhabited by Inuit people.
Este grupo de illas recibe o seu nome en honra ao explorador noruegués Otto Sverdrup, que explorou e cartografiou as illas entre 1898 e 1902, co barco Fram, aínda que algunhas foran previamente habitadas polos inuit.