# Good words, part II: Proper names **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 21, 2006, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-words-part-ii-proper-names/345501 "2006-02-21T18:10:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-words-part-ii-proper-names/345501/1 "2006-02-21T18:10:29Z")
Surnames: Finkel Finkelstein Weinstein McGillicuddy Kanjanavaikoon Two Bears Place names: Wa Wa Wai, WA Walla Walla, WA Pompano, FL Kissimee, FL Honeyoye Falls, NY Germantown, PA ---
**Author:** ![YaWanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/bbce88/32.png) [@YaWanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaWanna)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-words-part-ii-proper-names/345501/2 "2006-02-21T18:19:13Z")
That’s 2 m’s in Kissimmee, FL. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-words-part-ii-proper-names/345501/3 "2006-02-21T18:22:44Z")
> [@YaWanna](#): > > That’s 2 m’s in Kissimmee, FL. Even better! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![YaWanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/bbce88/32.png) [@YaWanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaWanna)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-words-part-ii-proper-names/345501/4 "2006-02-21T18:28:52Z")
Happy to help. Um, would you mind explaining the thread? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-words-part-ii-proper-names/345501/5 "2006-02-21T18:34:02Z")
> [@YaWanna](#): > > Um, would you mind explaining the thread? List proper names that are fun to say, funny, or just plain weird. Seriously, try saying Wa Wa Wai Washington five times real fast. Do so out loud. At the office. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-words-part-ii-proper-names/345501/6 "2006-02-21T18:39:44Z")
[Chargoggagoggmanchaugagoggchaubunagungamaugg](http://www.websterlakeassociation.com/GeneralInterest/NameKneeDeepInLetters.htm) is the name of a lake in Massachusetts. ---
**Author:** ![YaWanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/bbce88/32.png) [@YaWanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaWanna)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-words-part-ii-proper-names/345501/7 "2006-02-21T18:40:12Z")
Okey dokey, I get it. Here are some more. Bonus points to anyone who can pronounce them correctly. 😛 Clatskanie, OR Yachats, OR Molalla, OR Boring, Oregon (hee!) Herkimer, NY Okeechobee, FL ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-words-part-ii-proper-names/345501/8 "2006-02-21T18:43:23Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > [Chargoggagoggmanchaugagoggchaubunagungamaugg](http://www.websterlakeassociation.com/GeneralInterest/NameKneeDeepInLetters.htm) is the name of a lake in Massachusetts. Wow, totally cool. I must get there this summer. Where exactly is Webster? New entry: Fucking, Austria ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-words-part-ii-proper-names/345501/9 "2006-02-21T19:01:46Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Wow, totally cool. I must get there this summer. Where exactly is Webster?[It is in south central Massachusetts, not far from the Connecticut border.](http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?formtype=address&country=US&popflag=0&latitude=&longitude=&name=&phone=&level=&addtohistory=&cat=&address=&city=webster&state=ma&zipcode=) . It isn’t all that far from I live all things considered. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-words-part-ii-proper-names/345501/10 "2006-02-21T19:17:15Z")
All in Pennsylvania: Altoona Beaver Big Beaver Blue Knob Covode Desire Intercourse Kishacoquillas Kittanning Punxsutawney ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-words-part-ii-proper-names/345501/11 "2006-02-21T19:35:19Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > All in Pennsylvania: > Blue Knob > Punxsutawney Gobbler’s Knob ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-words-part-ii-proper-names/345501/12 "2006-02-21T19:41:41Z")
Kalamazoo (Michigan) Ougadougu (Burkina Faso) Cat Brain Hill (England) Douro-Dummer (Ontario; I just now noticed it on a map on my wall) Trawsfynydd (Wales; it’s quite lovely for a word with so few vowels. Hint: “dd” is pronounced “th”) ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-words-part-ii-proper-names/345501/13 "2006-02-21T19:48:52Z")
**Shagnasty** , thanks for that. It’s a leetle far for me. NY: Irondequoit MA: Chicopee Mashpee Beetlebung Corner Gay Head ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-words-part-ii-proper-names/345501/14 "2006-02-21T20:31:18Z")
> [@cowgirl](#): > > Trawsfynydd (Wales; it’s quite lovely for a word with so few vowels. Hint: “dd” is pronounced “th”) [Joyless, Wet-Blanket Nitpick] I count four vowels. A, W, Y, and Y again. [/Joyless, Wet-Blanket Nitpick] Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-words-part-ii-proper-names/345501/15 "2006-02-21T23:24:10Z")
Knaw Bone, IN Floyd’s Knobs, IN French Lick, IN Moonsville, IN Lapel, IN (named for the original shape of the town map) Rabbit Hash, KY Patoka Lake, in IN. Near as I can figure, “Patoka” is an old Native word for “Rains every time I camp here.” You can go to a lot of exotic places without leaving Indiana. Mexico Brazil Peru Hobart Versailles Edinburgh New Castle Frankfurt (Frankfort, actually) Florida Station ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-words-part-ii-proper-names/345501/16 "2006-02-21T23:38:33Z")
Native American surname I always liked – Everybodytalksabout. Another Washington State name isn’t particularly good until you say it – Puyallup isn’t funny but – Pew- **all** -up kinda is. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-words-part-ii-proper-names/345501/17 "2006-02-21T23:46:13Z")
My great great (I think that’s enough greats) grandmother had a wonderfully fun name to say, but I have no idea how to spell it. I’ll try it more or less phonetically, and maybe a passing German speaker can fix it if they don’t die laughing at my ignorance. Yes, in a family full of Hildegardes and Brunehildes, we hold a place of honor for Kuneygunda Schmaltzer. Try saying it out loud. Isn’t it like choking on a seltzer bottle? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-words-part-ii-proper-names/345501/18 "2006-02-21T23:46:15Z")
A major street in New Orleans is Tchopotoulis. Even people that have lived there all their lives sometimes can’t spell it. Visitors usually can’t say it (Chop - O - Tool - is). ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-words-part-ii-proper-names/345501/19 "2006-02-22T03:37:00Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > A major street in New Orleans is Tchopotoulis. Even people that have lived there all their lives sometimes can’t spell it. Visitors usually can’t say it (Chop - O - Tool - is). That spelling makes perfect sense. In French. 🙂 A few from Ontario: Omemee. (One of my favourite names to say). Yelverton. (The perfect rural hick town name, in my opinion, even though it is actually little more than a named crossroads northeast of Oshawa). Mississauga. (Four S’s. 650,000 people). ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-words-part-ii-proper-names/345501/20 "2006-02-22T03:48:06Z")
A few from upstate New York: Tonawanda Canandaigua Schenectady Lackawanna Irondequoit Cheektowaga Manlius [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-words-part-ii-proper-names/345501.md?page=2)