7 Town Names We Bet You Can’t Pronounce
Some names roll off the tongue, others not so much. With more than 108,000 cities in the United States, it’s no surprise that more than a few town names are extra hard to pronounce.
Here are seven towns that truly test your tongue-twisting skills. Try saying each three times fast.
1: Aquebogue, New York
Aquebogue is a hamlet town in Long Island that often perplexes people with its pronunciation. The city is pronounced “A-kwuh-baag” and means “end of water place.” That said, local records show over 20 variations of the town’s name. The region is known for its wine and has around 2,000 residents.
2: Tok, Alaska
Looks can be deceiving. The town of Tok, which translates to “peaceful river,” has fewer than 2,000 people and sits between the Tanana River and the Alaska range. Known for its dog sledding, Tok’s residents are among the only people who say its name correctly. Tourists learning the name may say “talk”; however, it’s pronounced TOE-ck.”
3: Napakiak, Alaska
Napakiak residents can rejoice that their population isn’t declining, but it only increased by one resident from 2000 to 2010, bringing the total up to 354 people. The Native American town has been around since 1000 A.D. and is sometimes confused with the nearby village of Napaskiak. To pronounce the town’s name accurately, practice saying “na-PAH-kee-ahk.”
4: Wayzata, Minnesota
Approximately 12 miles west of Minneapolis, Wayzata sits in Hennepin County, Minnesota. The area has a population of around 5,000 and is known for its quaintness. Wayzata’s name originates from the Dakota word, meaning “north” and is pronounced “wai-ZEH-tuh.”
5: Duchesne, Utah
Located in a county of the same name, Duchesne is rich in history. The town went through two names before the locals landed on what it’s called now. Pronounced “doo-SHANE,” the city likely received its name from the river that flows through the area.
6: Schenectady, New York
Located in New York’s Schenectady County, the city of Schenectady has a population of over 60,000 residents. Despite being the ninth-largest populated area in the state, many people mispronounce its name (skuh-NEHK-tuh-dee). Schenectady boasts a rich history, being the hometown where Thomas Edison founded the General Electric Company.
7: Keosauqua, Iowa
Derived from the Meskwaki and Sauk indigenous people, the meaning of Keosauqua translates to “bend in the river.” The small town is home to under 1,000 locals and sits near the Des Moines River. To correctly pronounce the name of the historic region, one must say “KEE-o-SAW-kwa.”
Smaller Than a Town
Has this article left you wanting to research town names? You might see the word “hamlet” pop up. Hamlet is a term used to describe a community smaller than a village or town, like Aquebogue, NY. A hamlet generally sits near a larger settlement.
A Mouth Full
Though not a town, Massachusetts has one of the country’s longest names for a lake. Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg, commonly referred to as Webster Lake, spans over three miles. Interestingly, it holds the title of one of the longest names of any area in the world.
Off the Tongue
Where Lake Webster boasts one of the longest names in the country, some states hold the shortest. Some examples of location names that slide off the tongue are Lee, Florida; Jal, New Mexico; and Ila, Georgia.
Mispronounced US States
Research shows that the most commonly mispronounced state in the U.S. is Nevada. Burt Vaux, a linguistic professor at the University of Cambridge, conducted the survey and found that along with Nevada, states like Illinois and Colorado were also mispronounced.
Across the Pond
One of the most mispronounced locations in the world resides in France. The city of Cannes is often said wrong by most individuals unfamiliar with the area. It’s pronounced “kan,” like “can.” The site is well-known for its film festival.
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