Named after a house called Cairnburn, the family home of the family home of Lt.-Col. the Rt. Hon. Samuel Herbert Hall-Thompson (1885–1954), a prominent Northern Ireland politician.
The assistant City surveyor submitted an application from Mr WM McFarland for the naming of streets as follows: Cairnburn Park, Cairnburn Avenue, Cairnburn Gardens, Cairnburn Drive and Cairnburn Crescent on property situated Off Cairnburn Road and recommended that names be approved. The recommendation was adopted. (5th August 1952).
"Submitted application from Mr William McFarland to name Streets under on his property at Cairnburn ...on the recommendation of the City Surveyor, the names were approved: Cairnburn Park. (Continuation of Cairnburn Park.) Cairnburn Crescent, continuation of (Cairnburn Crescent) (13th September 1955).