Wakanda is a spiritual place, or "where the spirit dwells," in Dakota. The Dakota people named this area before settlers came to Kandiyohi County. Prior to 1900, there was evidence that this was a place of burial grounds. Over time, erosion and agriculture obliterated the large flat mounds directly south of the site. Wakanda, Wacanda, and Waganga have all been used as names for this lake. To the earliest pioneers, the lake was known as Grass Lake, and through the years the word was lost in translation. In 2005, after much research and work, the name Wakanda was restored by official action of the Kandiyohi County Commissioners, Minnesota Department of Resources, and the U.S. Board of Geographic Names.