 Tradition is that the borough was named after Monaghie, a chief of the Native Americans who inhabited the local cedar forests.Moonachie was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 11, 1910, from portions of Lodi Township, based on the results of a referendum held on May 3, 1910.On March 26, 1917, portions of Moonachie were taken to form Teterboro.