The island was first mapped from air photos taken in the course of the US Navy's Operations Highjump and Windmill in 1947 and 1948.

It was named by the United States Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) for Lieutenant Jack A. Odbert, assistant aerological officer with Operation Windmill which established astronomical control stations in the area in January 1948.

It was named by the US-ACAN for Marvin G. Haunn, meteorologist and member of the Wilkes Station party of 1962.

It was named by the US-ACAN for Aerographer's Mate John R. Swan, a member of the Wilkes Station party of 1958.

[1] The site has also been identified as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International on the basis of the numbers of seabirds present.