Why Do So Many Lakes In Minnesota Share Names?

Do you know how confusing it can be when dozens of lakes share the same name? Ten lakes share names with at least 75 other lakes in Minnesota. When you have so many lakes, apparently, you run out of names. Sometimes people had to get creative.

Minnesota Has 11,842 Lakes

We're called the Land of 10,000 lakes, but the number is actually higher. Minnesota has 11,842 lakes over 10 acres in size. Counting smaller lakes, Minnesota has over 14,000. Surely, you're going to run out of names with that number.

How Did Minnesota Lakes Get Their Name?

Many of Minnesota's lakes were named while President Millard Fillmore was in office from 1850-1853. Some lakes were named by the Native American Dakota and Ojibwe tribes. Some lakes were named because of a unique story behind them. Most of them were named for a feature. That's why we have so many long lakes.

There Are Still Unnamed Lakes In Minnesota

Believe it or not, there are still lakes in Minnesota that don't have a name. There's a process involved, but you can name a lake by submitting it to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.