Supernovich said he chose the name, MetroWest, for a number of reasons. One of those was geography. Both the North Shore and South Shore around Boston were lasting names, so he concluded, after studying a Boston map, that the name had to include the word, "West," since the region's towns were west of Boston. Also, he said he was the health/environmental reporter at the newspaper at the time, and his job affected his values. He thought of the American West as wild and natural, and hoped that the area west of Boston would maintain its natural heritage of some open space, conservation areas, river corridors, wildlife habitats, and clean air and water, a model that would create a safe and healthy place for its residents. Yes, he said, he understood the importance of business and commerce as the major contributors of jobs and economic vitality to the region, but he hoped they would pursue their interests with social responsibility to protect people's health and the environment. As for "Metro", he said it was clear at the time he chose the name that the cities and towns west of Boston would continue to grow as part of a metropolitan Boston area. Lastly, he noted that he liked the sound of "MetroWest", and its modern look of combining two words to create a new word/concept. (Supernovich, 2014)