Monona Means.....

From the Dictionary of Wisconsin History on the Wisconsin Historical Society web page come these definitions of "Monona". Take your pick. I'm going with "Tchee-ha-bo-kee-xa(or ha)-kay-ta-la".


Monona [origin of place name]

Term: Monona [origin of place name]
Definition: "Wild rice" (Potawami)

In 1849, Frank Hudson, a surveyor, suggested third lake be called Monona, said to signify "beautiful." In 1855 on February 14th legislature passed a bill legalizing the name. "The word Monona I have sought in a good many Indian vocabularies without success, yet I trust Mr. Hudson had reason to say that its import is beautiful" (James Davie Butler) "Tchee-ha-bo-kee-xa(or ha)-kay-ta-la" Ho-Chunk word meaning "tepee lake", obtained by Oliver Lemere from Henry White, an Indian whose father once resided in the vicinity of Madison.

[Source: A. Skinner in Milwaukee Public Museum Bulletin. v. 6 p. 399 James A. Butler in Wisconsin History Collections, v. 10, p.67\ See article on Lake Monona by C.E. Brown in Wisconsin Archaeologist N.S. vol 1., p. 122]