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The Chunky River is one of two major waterways that join to form the Chickasawhay River, the other being Okatibbee Creek. According to official sources, Chunky Creek becomes a river where Okahatta Creek joins it southwest of Hickory, MS. Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. Chunky-Okatibbee Watershed Implementation Plan. Chunky-Okatibbee Watershed Project, May 2007. Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, 2007.  By that point, however, Chunky Creek has already grown into a broad, river-like stream, making the change in name far more noticeable on a map than it is on the water.

The name "Chunky" is of Choctaw origin. Although the exact origin is debated, many modern scholars believe the name refers to the martin, a small swallow-like bird, while local tradition has long associated it with chanki, a popular Choctaw game once played on sandy riverbanks.  The Choctaw established a large village near the creek they called Chunky Chitto meaning “big Chunky”.  It is speculated that either the creek derived its name from the village or the village derived its name from the creek.  In any event, later European settlers retained the name Chunky for both a town and the creek.

Although the name Chunky River begins where Okahatta Creek joins Chunky Creek, the waterway itself extends much farther upstream. The river's headwaters lie in the hills of Neshoba and Newton Counties north of Union, MS where numerous small streams merge to form the headwaters of Chunky Creek. From there, the channel grows steadily for nearly 40 miles before joining Okatibbee Creek to form the Chickasawhay River.

Under normal water level conditions, the Chunky becomes navigable by canoe or kayak in the vicinity of Hickory, where the creek has gathered enough drainage to provide dependable paddling after normal rainfall. However, there are few accessible landings, and fewer that offer access to the public.  Farther upstream, the stream is often too small or obstructed for reliable navigation except after periods of heavy rain. From Hickory downstream, the river meanders through small sandbars, wooded floodplains, and long sweeping bends before joining Okatibbee Creek to form the Chickasawhay River. S