Standing by a river, the Master said: it goes on like this, and does not stop.
论语 · 子罕篇· our translation
The 川 here is simply the river. Confucius watched it and said time passes the same way: a name takes that unstopping.
「川」在这里就是那条河。孔子看着水说时间也是这样过去的——「川」在名字里带着这层「不停」。
山川川流不息百川川之山川川流子川
In a name
川 gives a name movement and a direction: not a pool, but something on its way somewhere.