Winnebago for "water." James Duane Doty gave the name to the locality. It is claimed that the name originated in the answer which an old Native American once gave to Governor Doty, when the latter pointing to the Fox River asked "What is that," -- meaning to ask the name of the river. The Native American, supposing that he wished to know what water was called in the Winnebago language, answered "neenah" which means water or running water.

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[Source: Cunningham's History of Neenah, p.45andTitus, Wm. History of the Fox River Valley, p.606]