There are several versions how the Municipality derived its name. The first, according to old tales, was attributed to a river flowing directly to the town proper from the main spring in sitio Anahaw, Barangay Nagsaha, hence the name “GUIPADULNGAN” which means the point where the river flows to an end.

The second is associated with the gruesome incident in the 19th Century when the Philippines was a colony of Spain, men, women and children where said to be captured, beheaded and thrown into the sea, now known as Tañon Strait, by the Moros. Other accounts claim that the moros dropped a bell into the sea when they found out that was used by the lookout warn the townsfolk of the coming. Since that time the place was called “GUIHULUGAN” which means, “Place where a thing was dropped”. But in the Spanish writing, “U” and “N” are similar that’s why it became and commonly known as GUIHULNGAN.

Whether it all started as “GUIPADULNGAN” or “GUIHULNGAN”, the name is indeed very symbolic as the town is “dropped” with abundant blessings from the Almighty for a significant “end”.