# Exotic street names **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 19, 2014, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exotic-street-names/686494 "2014-04-19T17:37:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exotic-street-names/686494/21 "2014-04-19T23:49:54Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Why is “Gough” exotic? It’s a common surname in the UK and Ireland, so I can’t imagine it would be that rare in the USA, given the history of immigration. Yep, and we had a Prime Minister in the 70’s named [Gough Whitlam](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gough_Whitlam) (although Gough was actually his second name). There’s a street in a suburb of Melbourne (Ashburton) called Y Street. Why? It’s shaped like a Y of course. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exotic-street-names/686494/22 "2014-04-19T23:50:43Z")
New Orleans also has many French(not surprising) street names like Carondelet or Chartres but with American pronunciations. Carondelet is Kuh-rahn-duh-LET not kuh-rahn-duh-Lay Chartres is CHAR-ters not sharh-TRUH, Then the street names change when you cross Canal, Carondelet becomes Bourbon Chartres is called Camp before Canal. My sister lives between Dauphine(not pronounced how you’d expect) and Burgundy(same) ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exotic-street-names/686494/23 "2014-04-20T00:00:54Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Why is “Gough” exotic? It’s a common surname in the UK and Ireland, so I can’t imagine it would be that rare in the USA, given the history of immigration. Nothing particularly “exotic”. But a lot of people, visitors in particular, can’t decide how to pronounce it. Guff? Goff? Gow? Lots of streets in Hawaii have Hawaiian names (duh), some of them lengthy. It’s always fun listening to the malihinis (newcomers) trying to pronounce them. Two major roads in or near Honolulu are Keeaumoku St. and Kalanianaole Highway. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exotic-street-names/686494/24 "2014-04-20T00:05:21Z")
Demonbreun Street in Nashville. Pronounced " da-mun’-bree-un" ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exotic-street-names/686494/25 "2014-04-20T00:16:05Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Well, there’s Gansevoort st. in Manhattan. > > But, my favorite street name has to be Apple’s address: > **1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA.** I prefer Seagate’s Technology, Scotts Valley plant 920 Disc Drive ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exotic-street-names/686494/26 "2014-04-20T01:16:59Z")
[Ragged Ass Road](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragged_Ass_Road_(street)) in Yellowknife, Canada is a classic one. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exotic-street-names/686494/27 "2014-04-20T01:37:34Z")
Fteley Avenue, in my part of the Bronx, looks so odd that people theorize that it must originally have been Ft. Eley, until some sign maker dropped the period and space. It’s actually named after Alphonse Fteley, designer of the Croton Dam. There’s also a neighborhood with streets with an electrical theme: Ohm, Ampere, Watt, and Radio Drive. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exotic-street-names/686494/28 "2014-04-20T01:52:57Z")
To continue with the “ft” theme, the 17th Governor of Pennsylvania was named John Frederick Hartranft, in consequence of which there is at least one street named Hartranft in my area… there is also a neighborhood in Philadelphia by that name. Then there’s Interstate 76, the Schuylkill Expressway… anybody know of any interstate with an odder name? ---
**Author:** ![Craneop2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Craneop2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Craneop2)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exotic-street-names/686494/29 "2014-04-20T02:04:31Z")
In Crosby, Texas there is Winking, Blinking, and Nod streets. They are in order leaving town. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exotic-street-names/686494/30 "2014-04-20T02:43:24Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > There is a street in Long Beach, CA, named Ximeno (SIMM-uh-no) Avenue. It’s California, nothing exotic about a Hispanic name. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exotic-street-names/686494/31 "2014-04-20T02:43:38Z")
When it was first built, there used to be a street named Nuclear Way in Des Plaines IL. It was right next to Bumblee Drive. Looks like it got renamed. ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exotic-street-names/686494/32 "2014-04-20T03:41:41Z")
Sore Finger Road, Arizona. [http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.fineartamerica.com%2Fimages-medium-large%2Fsore-finger-road-arizona-steven-love.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Ffineartamerica.com%2Ffeatured%2Fsore-finger-road-arizona-steven-love.html&h=675&w=900&tbnid=6rQjSrXGuzPGCM%3A&zoom=1&docid=nrvpLYaTbIecgM&ei=WUBTU6beMIOmyASc2oKoCQ&tbm=isch&ved=0CFQQMygAMAA&iact=rc&uact=3&dur=623&page=1&start=0&ndsp=12](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.fineartamerica.com%2Fimages-medium-large%2Fsore-finger-road-arizona-steven-love.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Ffineartamerica.com%2Ffeatured%2Fsore-finger-road-arizona-steven-love.html&h=675&w=900&tbnid=6rQjSrXGuzPGCM%3A&zoom=1&docid=nrvpLYaTbIecgM&ei=WUBTU6beMIOmyASc2oKoCQ&tbm=isch&ved=0CFQQMygAMAA&iact=rc&uact=3&dur=623&page=1&start=0&ndsp=12) [http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-MSzKJD00tKw%2FUxt9ZmNShOI%2FAAAAAAAA4jQ%2FeqB6dIPn3wM%2Fs1600%2F03-P3070153.JPG&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fsteveanddiannesmostexcellentadventure.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F03%2Ffriday-march-7-2014-travel-to-midland.html&h=448&w=800&tbnid=6hGcM\_JqBbCA-M%3A&zoom=1&docid=n209kn2\_PtjgmM&ei=WUBTU6beMIOmyASc2oKoCQ&tbm=isch&ved=0CGYQMygSMBI&iact=rc&uact=3&dur=592&page=2&start=12&ndsp=16](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-MSzKJD00tKw%2FUxt9ZmNShOI%2FAAAAAAAA4jQ%2FeqB6dIPn3wM%2Fs1600%2F03-P3070153.JPG&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fsteveanddiannesmostexcellentadventure.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F03%2Ffriday-march-7-2014-travel-to-midland.html&h=448&w=800&tbnid=6hGcM_JqBbCA-M%3A&zoom=1&docid=n209kn2_PtjgmM&ei=WUBTU6beMIOmyASc2oKoCQ&tbm=isch&ved=0CGYQMygSMBI&iact=rc&uact=3&dur=592&page=2&start=12&ndsp=16) ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exotic-street-names/686494/33 "2014-04-20T03:49:31Z")
Hunky Dory Street, Trabuco Canyon, CA [http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Frender.fineartamerica.com%2Fimages%2Fimages-stretched-canvas-search%2F15.00%2F15.00%2Fblack%2Fbreak%2Fimages-medium%2Fhunky-dory-street-jason-ogle.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Finstaprints.com%2Fart%2Fall%2Fstreet%2Bsign%2Fcanvas%2Bprints&h=256&w=242&tbnid=RK8O8TwIba8a-M%3A&zoom=1&docid=GdmXeXgcrXFazM&ei=zEJTU\_fAA4GoyASRrIFA&tbm=isch&ved=0CFIQMygAMAA&iact=rc&uact=3&dur=4575&page=1&start=0&ndsp=12](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Frender.fineartamerica.com%2Fimages%2Fimages-stretched-canvas-search%2F15.00%2F15.00%2Fblack%2Fbreak%2Fimages-medium%2Fhunky-dory-street-jason-ogle.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Finstaprints.com%2Fart%2Fall%2Fstreet%2Bsign%2Fcanvas%2Bprints&h=256&w=242&tbnid=RK8O8TwIba8a-M%3A&zoom=1&docid=GdmXeXgcrXFazM&ei=zEJTU_fAA4GoyASRrIFA&tbm=isch&ved=0CFIQMygAMAA&iact=rc&uact=3&dur=4575&page=1&start=0&ndsp=12) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exotic-street-names/686494/34 "2014-04-20T03:54:52Z")
One of the major streets here in Panama City is universally known as Tumba Muerto (officially Via Ricardo J. Alfaro.) It’s variously translated as “Fall down dead” or “Tomb of the dead,” which either way is pretty creepy. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exotic-street-names/686494/35 "2014-04-20T03:55:03Z")
Bangkok has an Henri Dunant Road. Dunant was the Swiss businessman who founded the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Thai Red Cross is on the corner of Henri Dunant and Rama IV. ---
**Author:** ![yearofglad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b782af/32.png) [@yearofglad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yearofglad)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exotic-street-names/686494/36 "2014-04-20T03:56:17Z")
Portland, OR, has a Couch Street downtown, except it’s apparently pronounced “kooch” (rhymes with “hooch”) rather than couch (as in a sofa). Or else they’ve been lying to me for several years. (EDITED TO ADD: They haven’t been lying - named after John H. Couch, pronounced “kooch,” an early resident and founder of Portland and a navigator of the Columbia.) ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exotic-street-names/686494/37 "2014-04-20T04:04:20Z")
There’s one in La Jolla, CA called North Torrey Pines Road. I don’t know what a North Torrey Pine is supposed to be. I wonder if they have South Torrey Pines, too? In my next life, I’m gonna be a botany major. OP, I used to work on Ximeno Street in Long Beach (in 1991). And my wife lived on Voorhees when she was in high school. Are you following me around? 'Cos it’s kinda creepy. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exotic-street-names/686494/38 "2014-04-20T04:09:30Z")
I have a quite a collection from around the country, enough that I’ve given a Pecha Kucha talk showing them. The world is full of punsters; in Rapid City, S.D., you’ll find Sum Pl. and Kno Pl. Outside Alamogordo, N.M., you’ll find streets named for heavy metal bands. In suburban Columbus, Ohio, there’s a bunch named for tennis shoes (Nike, Saucony, Converse, Tretorn). An old favorite is from Dallas: a subdivision where the streets were named Kool, Camel, Lucky, and Pall Mall. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exotic-street-names/686494/39 "2014-04-20T04:29:45Z")
> [@percypercy](#): > > My sister lives between Dauphine(not pronounced how you’d expect) and Burgundy(same) So did I, on Orleans. St. Which in New Orleans is always pronounced /oar-LEENZ/, which is important because New Orleans is coterminous with Orleans Parish. There are streets in Almere, Netherlands, named Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Goofy and Popeye. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exotic-street-names/686494/40 "2014-04-20T04:31:07Z")
There is an “I Dream of Genie” street in Florida because its where the tv show was filmed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exotic-street-names/686494.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exotic-street-names/686494.md?page=3)