Rand, West Virginia

Rand is a census-designated place (CDP) on the Kanawha River in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 1,631. It is surrounded by the communities of Malden and DuPont City.

History
The unincorporated community within the historic Kanawha Salines area, was named after Plus Rand Levi, son of Mordecai Levi, patent holder of the Brick Road. It was originally named "Plus" from 1907 to 1909, when a large tract was purchased from the Dickinson family. Because there was already a town already called Plus, the community changed its name to Levi. Around the 1930s or 1940s, due to a town in Braxton County being named Levi, the community changed its name again, to Rand.

Notable people
Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver and ESPN analyst Randy Moss was born and raised in Rand, as well as Samuel Singleton Jr, a former minor league baseball player.

The ESPN Films production Rand University, which chronicled Moss’ journey from Rand to the National Football League, was largely filmed in Rand; the title refers to the area behind the town’s only hangout spot, a 7-Eleven store where many locals openly drink alcohol behind the store’s dumpsters.