Biola, CA

Biola is a small Fresno County place whose name sounds like a university because it is tied to one. William Kerchoff founded the community in 1912, and the name was formed from the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, the school that later became Biola University. The place sits north-northeast of Kerman in the Central Valley, with Central Unified handling local schools. The local hook is unusually specific: Biola carries a piece of California religious-education history in its name. If you’re placing it on the map, think west-side Fresno County, school district, and a name borrowed from Los Angeles.