Inspired by this thread, I couldn’t help but wonder what it is that makes state names sound funny to people. In the aforementioned thread, I picked Kentucky as the state with the funniest-sounding name. I’m not really sure why this one struck me as the funniest (because it has the word “tuck” in it, which rhymes with…), so maybe other people can give me their impressions of funny-sounding state names. I also noticed that my own state, Idaho, received several nominations. I suspect that this has to do with the “ho” part of the name.
A-la-ba-ma!
At various times I have thought almost all of them are funny. But the ones I would select are the ones that aren’t pronounced the way they’re spelled:
Connecticut
Arkansas
I find the ones based on Native American names to be least “funny.” That accounts for a lot of them.
I guess I’ll go for Massachusetts since it seems to be hardest for people to say right. As often as not it’s Mass-a-too-sich. And this by “educated” types.
It has to be CUNT. No wonder they abbreviate it to CT.
A toss-up between North and South Dakota, insofar as if one adds the contents of both arid, lifeless States together, there is not enough worthwhile material to create one Dakota, let alone two.
Yeah, but they still get 4 out of 50 Senators in Congress. Who’s laughing now?
…And c’mon, nobody’s mentioned Idaho yet?
“Who da ho? I DA HO!”
Damn, I came in here specificially to mention Idaho…
The Red Hot Chili Peppers thought “California” was a good basis for a jokey album title.
I’m laughing at key parts of your figures. You have a major error in there.
I will vote for Massachusetts as well. It is hard for many to spell or name.
Gotta be New Mexico. I mean, it’s a state but they name it after someone else’s country? Have they no pride in being Amercians down there? Are they just keeping the old name in case this US thingy doesn’t work out and the decided to apply to rejoin Classic Mexico? I mean…
mm
Quintana Roo.
(Okay, it’s a state in Mexico .)
It just makes me think of Kanga’s little one in Winnie the Pooh.
But someobody must like it… some American celebrity (a writer, I think…I can’t remember who it was) named their daughter after this state. Perhaps the child was conceived on a beach in Cancun (the state’s largest city).
You mean like Connecticut, Arkansas, and Massachusetts? 
“Inebriation” is a rather funny name for a pretty funny state.
I-da ho
Bet your ass you da ho.
Mrs Hippy.
I call it Heighdeeho.
Of course, whenever I hear ‘Ohio’ I think ‘That’s Japanese for “hello”.’
D’ohh! :smack:
…I meant to point out they still get 2 Senators each. Yes, I’m aware that 2 x 50 > 50. 
Since you quoted the entire post, maybe you read it?
Those three are “funny” in that they aren’t pronounced as they are spelled – Massachusetts said correctly is.
As a general rule, these exceptions noted, Native American source names don’t strike me as funny as the ones like Virginia, Georgia, Pennsylvania, New York, and other non-Native American sources.
I rarely break down laughing at any of them, though. Now, city and town names are another matter. 
I picked Mississippi in the other thread because it’s so lispy and silly to say. I thought it was funny that a couple of people picked Arizona because I used to have an aerobics instructor named that. They often called her Zona or Zonie for short. Also, on an embarassing note, when I was about 12 years old I wanted to grow up and have twins named Arizona Dawn & America Leanne. I thought it was cute. I also went through a period where I thought Mississippi would be a cute full name for Missi, instead of Melissa. It was all influenced by my love of Indiana Jones of course. Ah, good times.