Have you ever been walking down the streets of West Finford and wondered just where did this town get its name? It’s inevitable for tourists to see the town’s welcome sign, or happen upon a postcard, or even catch a glimpse of tiny West Finford in the corner of a map, and think of how that name came to be. However, it might surprise you that locals are asking the exact same thing.

West Finford’s early history is heavily steeped in obscurity. Although the surrounding land and waters are rife with artifacts that date back centuries, little is known about the town itself, much less its origins.

This gap of uncertainty eventually filled up with rumors and theories which, ironically, also have dubious origins. Most townsfolk are indifferent; if you were to ask what they think, they would probably wave you off and tell you one rumor or another. While there are a multitude of stories, ranging from self-explanatory to straight up insanity, there are four main theories we could consider the most plausible—or at least the most well-known.

Location Theory

Also known as the “what you see is what you get” theory, it is probably the simplest, most logical, and widely accepted explanation. Some might even describe it as the most boring of the four. This theory states that, like many other places, the town’s name reflects the area’s location and geographical features.

In the case of West Finford, we can break down the name into three parts: ‘West’, ‘Fin’, and ‘-ford’.

‘West’ plainly refers to the cardinal direction, indicating that the town is found in the western part of Sequoia. The suffix ‘-ford’ denotes a shallow section of a river that can be easily crossed. This is commonly appended to places near said fords, which West Finford appears to be.

The meaning of ‘Fin’ in West Finford is a little less obvious, and much of the debate surrounding this theory stems from that fact. It is believed that ‘Fin’ is derived from the river deltas at the edge of town, which if viewed from above, resembles the shape of a shark’s fin.

Bird's eye view of the river delta

Founder Theory

The next theory, while as straightforward as the last, remains highly contested to this day. According to the Founder Theory, West Finford is named after the woman who founded the town, Winona Finford.

Locals in favor of this theory readily accept this as fact, as it is not uncommon for places’ namesake to be important figures related to it. However, academics and historians alike seemingly cannot agree on one thing: did Winona Finford even exist?

Before the advent of the digital age, archiving the town’s records was nearly impossible. The constant shifts in leadership paired with the unstable climate rendered any physical documents useless, either being lost due to negligence or destroyed by natural disasters.

The only surviving evidence of Winona Finford is a barely legible document signed ‘W.F.’ dated around the same time the town was supposedly founded. Still, there is great speculation on whether this is enough evidence or even evidence at all.

Recovered documents

Extraterrestrial Theory

Lastly, but certainly not least, a fringe group of people believe that the town’s origins are not confined within the rural state of Sequoia, or even within the world. This theory suggests that West Finford was built and was once inhabited by beings from outer space.

The intricacies of this theory are particularly complicated and often diverge, making it unclear where the original theory ends and baseless conspiracy begins. Though, some would argue that those lines were already blurred in the first place. Regardless, believers seem to concur that the name West Finford came from a mistranslated passage written in an alien language.

Moreso, this theory supposedly gives credence to the abundance of strange artifacts and anomalies present in West Finford. These are touted to be abandoned alien technology or residual effects of their presence.

Popular photo "evidence" circulating conspiracy forums

Conclusion

Admittedly, there is no satisfying conclusion as to the true origins of West Finford’s namesake. Even the most straightforward and believable theories are just that: theories.

Nevertheless, as fun as it is to speculate and debate, West Finford offers so much more. There are sights to see, places to explore, and even more mysteries to solve! Who knows? Perhaps more theories will come to the forefront, along with evidence credible enough to turn theory into bona fide history.

Until then, these are just theories, name theories.