Behind the Names: A Look into Oxford’s House-Naming Tradition

By Taylor Morgan

Taylor Morgan / UP Blog Writer

Miami University is a school rooted in tradition—some of which you can’t truly understand unless you spend four years immersed in campus life. The culture that brings back generations of families and creates a close-knit alumni network is uniquely based around the student body. It isn’t born from the success of a sports team or academics, but rather from students who love the town and the school.

In the bubble of Oxford, Ohio—home to beloved townspeople and the revolving bustle of Miami students—any visitor will notice something curious on the outskirts of campus: the houses are named. That’s right. A tradition that started many years ago, nearly every off-campus home and apartment now has its own unique name.

Left to their own devices and surrounded by cornfields and open space, students get creative. While it’s unclear which house was named first, the trend spread like wildfire decades ago.

Addresses are essentially forgotten. When asked “Where do you live?” students often respond with a name pulled from street names, house features, famous phrases or inside jokes from the original tenants.

Notable Names

• Green with Envy

• Endzone

• Animal House

• Fox Den

• At Church & Almost High

• The Beech House

• The Ivy League

These houses—or homes, rather—represent every person who has lived there. Many are passed down through sororities, fraternities, campus organizations and close-knit friend groups. This “passdown” culture is yet another student-driven tradition that defines the Miami experience.

Thanks to the consistency of house names, alumni often find themselves back on the porch of the house they once called home—sometimes 10 or 20 years later. And more often than not, after knocking on the door, they’re greeted by a version of their own friend group and led through the house. They see the changes, sure—but more importantly, they see what has remained.

Maybe it’s a pink-painted kitchen, a carving in the wood banister, or a banner they left behind. Miami students take pride in fostering tradition and preserving memories.