Whenever I tell people I live in Cos Cob, some ask if the town was named after a Native American Indian Tribe. Others actually think it has something to do with corn-on-the-cob! But the name "Cos Cob" is derived from the Coe Family.
Way back in the day, in 1641, Robert Coe settled on a plantation in Stamford. He became one of the movers and shaker's of his day, sort of like big man on campus status. During that time, he encouraged a cousin, John Coe, to sail from England and settle at the mouth of the Mianus River...that's the Mianus River in Cos Cob. He hooked his cousin up with 5 acres of land. John built a sea wall at the mouth of the river to protect low lying lands and to provide a safe moorage for small craft. A sea wall at that time was referred to as a "cob" -- and thus it became Coe's Cob, and eventually abbreviated to Cos Cob. I believe if Robert Coe could visit Cos Cob today he would still find it to be a charming town down by the river.