Some Latter-day Saints, eager to present archaeological support for the Book of Mormon, frequently cite the reference to “Nahom” in First Nephi. Not only is this claim misguided, it borders on the absurd. I once dismissed it by pointing to the equally unsubstantiated “River Laman” from the same passage, treating them as canceling fictions. But that never fully satisfied me. The more I investigated, the clearer it became that the Nahom argument is deeply flawed. Philip Jenkins offers a compelling critique on the matter (linked below), especially his observation: “The map evidence makes it virtually certain that Smith encountered and appropriated such a reference, and added the name as local color in the Book of Mormon.”

see patheos.com/blogs/anxiousbench/2015/06/the-nahom-follies/