Nimrod

I noticed a lake clipped by the stair-step border in Arkansas. What kind of nimrod would name something Nimrod Lake (map)?

Nimrod Lake, Arkansas. Photo by Daniel X. O'Neil; (CC BY 2.0)
A Lake That’s a Nimrod

Nimrod applies in a derogatory way in various usages of American English. It references someone rather dim-witted. However, I don’t know if that applies elsewhere in the English speaking world. Maybe our regular readers in Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia and such can confirm or deny that.

In any case, many people in the United States would chuckle if they saw a sign for Nimrod Lake. Does the Nimrod refer to the absurdity of this particular geographic location? Or does it describe people who fish there? Well, neither actually.


Historical Context

Nimrod traces back to the Book of Genesis and the Books of Chronicles in the Hebrew Bible. I am by no means a biblical scholar. So I intend no disrespect if I don’t get this exactly right. Succinctly, Nimrod reigned as king of Mesopotamia / Babylonia. He was a great-grandson of Noah and a mighty hunter of exceptional abilities.

There are way too many things named for Nimrod to even begin to cover them here adequately. So feel free to jump over to Wikipedia’s disambiguation page if so inclined. Historically Nimrod has been a common name for ships and more recently for an airplane, a maritime patrol aircraft for the UK military. They all played off the “mighty hunter” theme. It even included a group of phantom islands. Those oddities actually continued to appear on maps until the early 20th Century.

It should surprise nobody that Nimrod place name appears in various locations throughout the United States. They all draw upon the biblical definition of the mighty hunter. Alas, the United States Geological Survey’s Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) lists 37 Nimrod features. These include towns, lakes, buildings, creeks, canyons, hills, mines, dams, historical sites and more.


From Hunter to Moron

Elmer Fudd. Fair use of copyright image via Wikimedia Commons
Elmer Fudd

Nobody seems entirely sure how Nimrod acquired its negative connotation. One popular theory, often repeated as fact, traces back to the Looney Tunes cartoons. Bugs Bunny apparently referred to the hapless Elmer Fudd repeatedly as “poor little Nimrod.”

Of course Elmer hunted the Wascally Wabbit relentlessly and failed miserably. The writers meant Nimrod as sarcasm, tying back to the Biblical definition. However the audience somehow flipped the meaning from Mighty Hunter to something more akin to Elmer Fudd himself. It transformed from sarcasm to criticism.

I don’t have any way to fact-check that anecdote. Take it as one of those Internet things that sounds plausible on the surface but may or may not be true. Other sources seem to point to an older origin as used amongst hunters to make fun of each other. So feel free to decide for yourself.


U.S. Nimrods

At least five inhabited places in the United States carry the Nimrod designation regardless of how the alternate usage arose.

Nimrod, Minnesota population 69. Photo by Lorie Shaull; (CC BY 2.0)

Nimrod, Minnesota (map) is probably the largest, and even it had fewer than 100 people in the most recent Census. It is an incorporated “city” under Minnesota law, one of the smallest localities in the state with such a designation. It’s best known for it’s annual Labor Day celebration, Nimrod Jubilee Days. I also love that Nimrod was established as a halfway point for wheat traders traveling on the Wheat Trail between Shell City and the nearest railroad at Verndale. This places Nimrod firmly in the “Halfway to what?” category.

Other inhabited U.S. Nimrods include those in:

  • Oregon (map)
  • Texas (map)
  • Arkansas (map)
  • Montana (map) — coincidentally next to Running Rabbit Mountain, to keep with that Bugs Bunny theme!

International Nimrods

Nimrods also exist outside of the United States.

Israel_Nimrod's Fortress 34. Photo by Micheal Fountain; (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

One such Nimrod is a small Israeli settlement in the disputed lands of the Golan Heights. It’s named for and located near the Nimrod Fortress (map). The biblical Nimrod, by speculation and tradition reputedly lived on the summit.

Happy hunting.

Comments

6 responses to “Nimrod”

  1. Peter Avatar

    While the Elmer Fudd story sounds plausible, my guess is that Nimrod became a mildly derogatory term simply because it sounds silly.

  2. KCJeff Avatar
    KCJeff

    My family tree contains a Nimrod. My 3-great grandfather was Nimrod Farley and owned a ferry boat that transported people across the Missouri River between Iatan, Missouri(near Farley, MO – named for his brother) and the Kansas Territory. Nimrod made his reputation for offering free transport to the terrritory for anyone that would vote pro-slavery during election times. Sadly to say; My Nimrod was a “Nimrod”.

  3. David Overton Avatar
    David Overton

    FWIW, I was not previously aware of the negative connotation of the name Nimrod, so it’s probably not in widespread use in Australia, New Zealand or the UK (the countries I’ve lived in). Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd, however, are quite well known in these places 🙂

  4. Steve Avatar

    There are tons of Nimrod Roads around the country, but I prefer ours here in CT. As if Nimrod Road weren’t silly enough, it is intersected by Tootin Hill Road.

    “The BBQ starts at 4. We’re right at the corner of Nimrod and Tootin Hill. Yes, yes, that’s what I said. Nimrod and Tootin’ Hill. I know. Yes, I know. That’s funny. See you at 4.”

    Here it is.

  5. Scott Surgent Avatar

    I had a great-uncle Nimrod, who died at age 3. The family called him “Roddy”. Obviously, back then (1920s) it wasn’t used derogatorily…

  6. Tom and Jerry Avatar

    Ola! Howderfamily,
    I take your point, I bought the CD Nimrod by green day the other day, and i’ve been playing it on my cd player.
    I just ripped the CD onto itunes and windows media player and the quality is really really really bad – its sounds like someone has recorded it with their phone.
    How can i fix this? Or can’t i?
    I’ll be back to read more next time

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