The name Nebo can be traced back to 1828, with a coal mine on the future site of the neighborhood bearing the name Mount Nebo, a reference to the biblical feature. However, a popular folk etymology exists which ties it to the Slavic nebo, meaning heaven or sky. In any case, the name was appropriated by the immigrant population and is now largely associated with the later source. The contemporary pronunciation reflects that of the original etymon and not that of nebo in any Slavic language.