According to legend of the Bana people, Kon Tum was originally just a village of the Bana people. At that time, the Bana ethnic group (now Kon Tum city) had a local village near the Dakbla river called Kon Trang - OR. At that time, Kon Trang - OR village was very prosperous with a large population. At that time, villages were always fighting with each other to confiscate wealth and capture people as slaves. The two sons of Ja Xi - one of the leaders of Kon Trang - OR village named Jo Rong and Uong, did not like the war and built their own house near the lake, next to the Dakbla river. This land is very favorable for a settled way of life, so gradually more people came to live, growing more and more every day, establishing a new village called Kon Tum. From then on, Kon Tum became the official name for a newly established village of the Bana people, next to the Dakbla stream, where there are many low-lying lakes. In Kinh language, Kon Tum means Lake Village (Kon is village, Tum is lake, pond, water tank,...).
Due to its special location, Kon Tum is a flat land, surrounded by the Dakbla River and deposited with fertile alluvium. Experiencing the upheavals and ups and downs of history, this land has undergone many changes, with people from all ethnic groups gathering here in increasing numbers. When Kinh people came to the Central Highlands, they also chose Kon Tum as a place to settle. Since then, Kon Tum has become a residential area of many ethnic groups.
Promoting the advantages of natural conditions with the hard work of people, the land of Kon Tum is increasingly prosperous, not only one village but many villages, covering a large land area. This land when the town was established was also officially called Kon Tum. When the provincial administrative unit was established, Kon Tum was still officially used as the name of the province. This is the earliest administrative geographical region formed in the Central Highlands.