Cape Wiles was named after botanist, James Wiles, who became First Gardener on the Second Breadfruit Voyage under William Bligh before becoming a gardener at a public nursery, and ultimately the owner of two coffee plantations.
Cape Wiles was named by Matthew Flinders on 19 February 1802 after James Wiles, a botanist whom he described as "a worthy friend at Liguanea, in Jamaica", along with the nearby Liguanea Island. Wiles had been a friend of Joseph Banks then became First Gardener on the Second Breadfruit Voyage (17911793) under William Bligh and Flinders had been a midshipman on the same voyage. He left the ship in Jamaica and became gardener at a public nursery, then Island Botanist. He later owned two coffee plantations. 
