Odoorn (Drents: Oring) is a place in the municipality of Borger-Odoorn, in the province of Drenthe. Odoorn counted (according to information from the municipality of Borger-Odoorn) on January 1, 2007, 1856 inhabitants (872 men and 984 women). The meaning of the name Odoorn is not possible with certainty. The name consists of two parts: Ode and Horn. The last part means angle or bend. Ode = the man name of Odo or the same as the German fate (deserted, deserted). Odoorn is thus the corner of Odo or the lonely wild corner.

The oldest document in the name of Odoorn is a sealed letter of 2 July 1327 of the monastery Ten Nije Lichte. In a letter from 1376 we recall the name Odoorn again. The name is called Oderen there. In a handwriting of 1548, the name is still in the expression: "The pastor of Oderen". In a handwriting of 1393, the name Odern, in one of 1431 Oederen, and in one of 1546 we meet: Oideren's assurance.

Odoorn (an esdorp) had only a farmer's population until the far eighteenth century (even the mayor, the dominee and the schoolmaster were at the same time farmer).

Odoorn was the main and church village of the same-name cherry game. But it was certainly not the biggest place in the cherry game. In 1612, Exloo 112 included residents and Odoorn 92. In 1808, the entire municipality of Odoorn counted 930 inhabitants. It was one of the smallest municipalities in Drenthe. In 1835, the administrative center of Valthe moved to Odoorn. But after 35 years, the town hall - was moved to Exloo again in 1870. Despite several attempts to get the town hall back in Odoorn, this has never been the case. The municipality of the new municipality of Borger-Odoorn was also located in Exloo after much discussion.