 The name is identical with the word "nes" which means "peninsula", since Nes is located on a peninsula.The other name, Hitterø, comes from the name of the island of Hitterø and it surrounding parish.The Old Norse form of that name was "Hitr", which is probably derived from a word with the meaning "split" or "cleft" (referring to the fact that the island is almost split in two by the Rasvåg fjord).