Kegonsa, in Chippewa, is gigonsag (little fish or minnows). "na-sa-koo-cha-tel-a," a Ho-Chunk word meaning "hard maple grove lake." Obtained from Oliver Lemere from Henry Wite, an Indian, whose father once resided in the vicinity of Madison." Corruption of gigosensag = "lake of small fishes." gigosens = "a small fish" gigosensag = "small fishes" gee-go-sug = "little fishes" kigonsas = a little fish (Potawatomi). About 1855 the name Kegonsa, meaning fish, was proposed by Dr. Lyman C. Draper for the 1st of the four lakes. Bill passed by legislature Feb. 14th, 1855 legalized the name.

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[Source: Card file at the WHS Library reference deskArticle by C.E. Brown on "Lake Monoa" in Wisconsin Archaeologist. n.s. vol. 1 p. 122A. Skinner in Milwaukee Public Museum, Bull. v. 6. p 399.Wisconsin Hist. Collections, vol. 10 page 67]