[3] Etymologically, "Kokosing" translates roughly to "River of Little Owls."

[4] The Kokosing River rises in Morrow County, northeast of Mount Gilead, and initially flows southwardly.

It turns eastwardly near Chesterville and flows through Knox and Coshocton Counties, passing the communities of Mount Vernon, Gambier and Howard.

[5] Upstream of Mount Vernon, the Kokosing collects its largest tributary, the North Branch Kokosing River,[6] which rises in Morrow County and flows southeastwardly through Knox County, past Fredericktown.

According to the Geographic Names Information System, the Kokosing River has also been known historically as:[8]