Can You Name the Four Iowa Counties Named After Women? Four of Iowa’s 99 counties are named after women. One is located along the Mississippi River --- named after a fugitive. Another located along the Cedar River is named after a famous writer. A county in Western Iowa is named for the first child of immigrants in the area and another after a famous Native American woman. Probably the most obvious is Pocahontas County, named in honor of Pocahontas, the Native American. The name of was suggested by Iowa Senator, John Howell of Jefferson County in the 1850s. The county is located in the northwest quadrant of the state.