The chief city of modern Wisconsin, Milwaukee, was once in Michigan Territory, although it was then but a small trading post. Wisconsin Territory was separated from Michigan in 1836. However the name Milwaukee survives in Michigan, on Milwaukee Lake in Marquette County, Milwaukee Creek, St. Clair County, Milwaukee Junction, a postal station in Detroit and , in corrupted form, Zilwaukee, Saginaw County. There was once a village of Milwaukie in St. Clair Couty (1837 – 1858), named for Milwaukie Creek (presently Milwaukee); it is now Lakeport.
About ten interpretations of this name are in print, although it is not a difficult one to analyze. There can be little doubt that the correct meaning is “good land.” From Potawatomi meno or mino, “good,” and aki, “land.” The l sound it now has is the result of misunderstanding by whites. [From Indian Names in Michigan by V. Vogel]
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