 The Abenaki Indians called the Dead River "Plumpetoosuc", which means "shallow, narrow river".The earliest known document to specifically name Dead River is the 1796 deed of sale by an Indian named Phillip, to Thomas Eames, John Bradly, Jonathan Eastman, and Nathan Hoit.The deed states, "... then up said Ammonoosuc River to Head Pond, then across the carrying place to a small pond on the head of the Plumpetussuck, or Dead River, then down said river to Andrewscoggin River [sic]..."

The name "Dead River" is thought to come from fact that the river is flat, or "dead," as it travels through the valley before reaching the Androscoggin River.