According to one version, the river was named first (the other features were named later) for Freeman Dodge, who first came to the Peace River Country in 1900. He was guiding an Indian agent and doctor. When they were crossing the river in the Swan Hills, a packhorse stumbled and fell and would have drowned had not "Free," as he was known, jumped in and held its head up until it was unloaded and could get up. As a result of this experience the doctor suggested naming the river Freeman. When the Dominion Land Surveyors were in the area in the mid-teens they recorded the name of the creek, river and lake as "Freemen," which leads to another and more likely explanation of the origin of the name. It referred to those former employees of fur companies who elected to remain in the interior as free hunters or free trappers. They were also referred to as free fur-traders or free traders. It may be the area was being trapped by these freemen.

Flows south-east into Freeman River approximately 5 km south-west of Swan Hills.