# How did these New York cities get their names? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 6, 2011, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-new-york-cities-get-their-names/566682 "2011-01-06T23:56:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jebert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jebert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jebert)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-new-york-cities-get-their-names/566682/1 "2011-01-06T23:56:23Z")
Several upstate cities in New York have names from the classical period - Rome, Syracuse, Troy and Ithaca (are there others?). How did this occur? Did the same person or group found all these places? It seems like more than coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-new-york-cities-get-their-names/566682/2 "2011-01-07T00:11:54Z")
Here’s what [Wiki has to say](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ithaca,_New_York): > [@](#): > > …the Central New York Military Tract, which included northern Tompkins County, was surveyed by Simeon DeWitt. His clerk Robert Harpur had a fondness for ancient Greek and Roman history as well as English authors and philosophers (as evidenced by the nearby townships of Dryden and Locke). The Commissioners of Lands of New York State (chairman Gov. George Clinton) followed Harpur’s recommendations at a meeting in 1790. The Military Tract township in which proto-Ithaca was located he named the Town of Ulysses, the Latin form of the Greek Odysseus from Homer’s Odyssey. A few years later DeWitt moved to Ithaca, then called variously “The Flats,” “The City,” or “Sodom,” and named it for the Greek island home of Ulysses (still the surrounding township at the time — nowadays Ulysses is a separate town in Tompkins County). Contrary to popular myth, DeWitt did not name many of the classical references found in Upstate New York such as Syracuse and Troy; these were from the general classical fervor of the times. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Doctor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-new-york-cities-get-their-names/566682/3 "2011-01-07T00:12:30Z")
I’m curious about this as well as I grew up in this area and it really never came up while I lived there. I even lived in a suburb of Syracuse called Liverpool (ah, the English influence). But, yeah, where did all these other names come from? ETA: Xema got in with an actual answer before I finished posting this! Good information! ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-new-york-cities-get-their-names/566682/4 "2011-01-07T00:12:54Z")
Hey, you try coming up with unique names in a spurt of quick colonization. There’s an Athens in Georgia, a Memphis in Tennessee, a Carthage in Missouri, off top of my head. Also a Cairo (albeit pronounced Kay-ro) in Illinois, a Moscow (pronounced Moss-coh) in Idaho, a Paris in Texas, etc. ---
**Author:** ![jebert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jebert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jebert)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-new-york-cities-get-their-names/566682/5 "2011-01-07T00:19:47Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > There’s an Athens in Georgia, a Memphis in Tennessee, a Carthage in Missouri, off top of my head. > > Also a Cairo (albeit pronounced Kay-ro) in Illinois, a Moscow (pronounced Moss-coh) in Idaho, a Paris in Texas, etc. True, but I find it odd that there is such a concentration of these towns in upstate NY, as if it were part of a plan. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-new-york-cities-get-their-names/566682/6 "2011-01-07T00:49:57Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > Also a Cairo (albeit pronounced Kay-ro) in Illinois That’s funny, there’s a Cairo, GA which is pronounced the same way. Of course, there’s also an Albany, GA that’s pronounced ‘All-binny’. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-new-york-cities-get-their-names/566682/7 "2011-01-07T01:05:26Z")
You also had the war for Greek independence in the 1820s which helped revive interest in ancient Greece (and Rome). Revolutionary America in the 1770s is filled with writers signing their articles “Publius” or “Cato” or some other illusion. The “deliberative body” of Congress is known as the Senate (as in Roman republic). There as plenty of interest at this time in looking to ancient Greece and Rome for lessons to be learned on what to do or not to do. There are plenty of tons in Upstate NY that have Dutch or AmerIndian names too. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-new-york-cities-get-their-names/566682/8 "2011-01-07T01:12:12Z")
Greece, the country, had a revolutionary movement in the 1820s that many Americans thought paralleled the American Revolution. That spurred a rash of Greek-themed names. It’s tough to remember that in the 1820s, the newly-settled “western” areas were in western New York. That explains why there is a town called Greece. Which happens to be in a county named Monroe, after the then-current president. Bunches of the other Greek and Roman names stem from this period as well. There was also a classical revival movement in architecture around that time, which accounts for those zillions of courthouses and town halls with Greek-style pillars in the east. ETA: The previous post wasn’t there when I slowly wrote this one. ---
**Author:** ![Mornac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Mornac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mornac)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-new-york-cities-get-their-names/566682/9 "2011-01-07T01:31:36Z")
…I’d be more interested in the origin of the name Great Neck. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-new-york-cities-get-their-names/566682/10 "2011-01-07T01:38:44Z")
> [@jebert](#): > > Several upstate cities in New York have names from the classical period - Rome, Syracuse, Troy and Ithaca (are there others?). How did this occur? Did the same person or group found all these places? It seems like more than coincidence. No comments on how/why it happened, but I can answer the “are there others” question because I grew up there. No necessarily cities, because those are few & far between in those parts, but: [ul] [li]Ulysses[/li][li]Ovid[/li][li]Homer[/li][li]Scipio[/li][li]Romulus[/li][li]Camillus[/li][li]Marcellus[/li][li]Pompey[/li][li]Hector[/li][/ul] There are probably more. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-new-york-cities-get-their-names/566682/11 "2011-01-07T01:41:43Z")
> [@Mornac](#): > > …I’d be more interested in the origin of the name Great Neck. It can’t be as creepy as Horseheads NY: [“The name is derived from the number of bleached skulls of pack horses left behind by the Sullivan Expedition.”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horseheads_%28village%29,_New_York) ---
**Author:** ![Mornac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Mornac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mornac)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-new-york-cities-get-their-names/566682/12 "2011-01-07T02:14:47Z")
> [@Motorgirl](#): > > No comments on how/why it happened, but I can answer the “are there others” question because I grew up there. > > No necessarily cities, because those are few & far between in those parts, but: > > [ul] > [li]Ulysses[/li][li]Ovid[/li][li]Homer[/li][li]Scipio[/li][li]Romulus[/li][li]Camillus[/li][li]Marcellus[/li][li]Pompey[/li][li]Hector[/li][/ul] > > There are probably more. 🙂 –I’m pretty sure there’s a Cicero too because there is one around where I live and I’ve been told that it is named after the one in New York. ---
**Author:** ![Mornac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Mornac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mornac)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-new-york-cities-get-their-names/566682/13 "2011-01-07T02:16:47Z")
> [@Motorgirl](#): > > It can’t be as creepy as Horseheads NY: [“The name is derived from the number of bleached skulls of pack horses left behind by the Sullivan Expedition.”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horseheads_%28village%29,_New_York) –Guess I shouldn’t ask about Sheepshead then. ---
**Author:** ![Uncertain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Uncertain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncertain)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-new-york-cities-get-their-names/566682/14 "2011-01-07T03:31:20Z")
Some others in New York are Utica, Carthage, Attica (of prison fame), Sparta, and perhaps Varna. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Doctor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-new-york-cities-get-their-names/566682/15 "2011-01-07T04:11:14Z")
There is also Rome and Troy. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-new-york-cities-get-their-names/566682/16 "2011-01-07T04:26:54Z")
There are also several cities named Antioch in the U.S. I’m most familiar with the one in California. ---
**Author:** ![Topologist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/topologist/32/3208_2.png) [@Topologist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Topologist)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-new-york-cities-get-their-names/566682/17 "2011-01-07T04:27:18Z")
> [@Mornac](#): > > …I’d be more interested in the origin of the name Great Neck. > [@Motorgirl](#): > > It can’t be as creepy as Horseheads NY: [“The name is derived from the number of bleached skulls of pack horses left behind by the Sullivan Expedition.”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horseheads_%28village%29,_New_York) > [@Mornac](#): > > –Guess I shouldn’t ask about Sheepshead then. I live on what used to be the Cow Neck peninsula. Even further OT: Great Neck is not Great Egg, it’s Little Egg. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-new-york-cities-get-their-names/566682/18 "2011-01-07T05:30:52Z")
> [@jebert](#): > > Several upstate cities in New York have names from the classical period - Rome, Syracuse, Troy and Ithaca (are there others?). How did this occur? Did the same person or group found all these places? It seems like more than coincidence. There’s also Utica. From what I understand, the settlers there picked the name out of a hat. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-new-york-cities-get-their-names/566682/19 "2011-01-07T05:50:37Z")
Carthage is further north than most of the other cities and villages – there was for many years a high school football rivalry between Rome and Carthage. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-new-york-cities-get-their-names/566682/20 "2011-01-07T09:56:20Z")
> [@Mornac](#): > > …I’d be more interested in the origin of the name Great Neck. ‘Neck’ is often used in reference to a curved shore along a river or bay. So does this town have any curved shoreline in it? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-these-new-york-cities-get-their-names/566682.md?page=2)