# Places whose names have been tainted by things named after them **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 21, 2013, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/places-whose-names-have-been-tainted-by-things-named-after-them/650980 "2013-02-21T16:54:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/places-whose-names-have-been-tainted-by-things-named-after-them/650980/41 "2013-02-22T17:38:51Z")
> [@echo7tango](#): > > What, no mention yet of Chernobyl? What about Bhopal? They’re tainted by the events that happened there. Not by having some shitty thing named for them. ---
**Author:** ![storyguide3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@storyguide3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyguide3)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/places-whose-names-have-been-tainted-by-things-named-after-them/650980/42 "2013-02-22T17:58:41Z")
> [@FrankJBN](#): > > I questioned that tyhe English word “slim” was an African colloquialism for AIDS. One response said “I assume it was the term in English” another noted that it was because of weight loss associated with the disease. > > To use another colloquilism “Well duh.” > > I guess I must explain was that I was questioning that an English term was the colloquialism for AIDS on a continent where English is not the predominant language as a colloquialism is generally speaking a term of the local language and not a borrowed foreign word. According to [this site](http://www.avert.org/aids-history-86.htm), the term was first used in Uganda, a former British colony/protectorate. English is one of the official languages of the country and there is a local dialect of English there. ---
**Author:** ![storyguide3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@storyguide3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyguide3)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/places-whose-names-have-been-tainted-by-things-named-after-them/650980/43 "2013-02-22T18:03:36Z")
> [@Shark](#): > > Poor Dildo, Newfoundland. Actually, given the age of the term, the town may be named after the product. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/places-whose-names-have-been-tainted-by-things-named-after-them/650980/44 "2013-02-22T18:51:10Z")
(multipost: please delete) ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/places-whose-names-have-been-tainted-by-things-named-after-them/650980/45 "2013-02-22T18:52:15Z")
Newport News, Virginia and Winston-Salem, North Carolina: I think of cigarettes before cities. Pall Mall and Great Marlborough Street in London: same thing. Malibu, California, namesake for the mid-end Chevrolet Malibu. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/places-whose-names-have-been-tainted-by-things-named-after-them/650980/46 "2013-02-22T21:06:10Z")
Watergate Hotel ---
**Author:** ![Scougs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scougs/32/3158_2.png) [@Scougs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scougs)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2013, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/places-whose-names-have-been-tainted-by-things-named-after-them/650980/47 "2013-02-23T00:05:52Z")
Not a place, but someone just pointed out to me the rather unfortunate name of… The Oscars. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2013, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/places-whose-names-have-been-tainted-by-things-named-after-them/650980/48 "2013-02-23T00:20:17Z")
The inverse of the OP, where a thing is tainted by a place name - several years ago there was a movement among some to change it to ‘Freedom Fries’. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2013, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/places-whose-names-have-been-tainted-by-things-named-after-them/650980/49 "2013-02-23T01:38:04Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > What about Columbine High School. > > I have a T-shirt that says "I \<3 Intercourse PA. Columbine is a flower, not a place. There’s no city of Columbine. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2013, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/places-whose-names-have-been-tainted-by-things-named-after-them/650980/50 "2013-02-23T02:19:26Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > [Asbestos, Quebec](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbestos,_Quebec) Presumably the town was named after the mineral, not the other way around. [From wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbestos#History): > [@](#): > > The term asbestos is traceable to Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder’s manuscript Natural History, and his use of the term asbestinon, meaning “unquenchable”. ---
**Author:** ![Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hershele_Ostropoler)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/places-whose-names-have-been-tainted-by-things-named-after-them/650980/51 "2013-02-24T05:33:01Z")
The Greek island of Lesvos comes to mind; I don’t consider that a taint but I understand they do. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/places-whose-names-have-been-tainted-by-things-named-after-them/650980/52 "2013-02-24T05:55:41Z")
Errr… _Lesbos_ ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/places-whose-names-have-been-tainted-by-things-named-after-them/650980/53 "2013-02-24T12:34:03Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Errr… _Lesbos_ Either or. The official transliteration of the Greek name is Lesvos, and it is pronounced “Lezvos”, even though the third letter is a beta. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/places-whose-names-have-been-tainted-by-things-named-after-them/650980/54 "2013-02-24T15:06:01Z")
Toilet water. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/places-whose-names-have-been-tainted-by-things-named-after-them/650980/55 "2013-02-24T15:24:23Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Either or. The official transliteration of the Greek name is Lesvos, and it is pronounced “Lezvos”, even though the third letter is a beta. Ignorance fought, thanks. So why is it not “lesvian”?😃 ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/places-whose-names-have-been-tainted-by-things-named-after-them/650980/56 "2013-02-24T15:26:40Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > The inverse of the OP, where a thing is tainted by a place name - several years ago there was a movement among some to change it to ‘Freedom Fries’. German fried potatoes have been home fries since 1917. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/places-whose-names-have-been-tainted-by-things-named-after-them/650980/57 "2013-02-24T15:28:38Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > So why is it not “lesvian”?😃 A very good Greek restaurant in New York is called Molyvos, which is a town on Lesvos, and their menu (last I was there) mentioned their food was Lesvian. ---
**Author:** ![Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hershele_Ostropoler)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/places-whose-names-have-been-tainted-by-things-named-after-them/650980/58 "2013-02-25T05:15:53Z")
The letter β only started being pronounced /v/ in the standard dialect recently (well, “recently” considering the language is several thousand years old). ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/places-whose-names-have-been-tainted-by-things-named-after-them/650980/59 "2013-02-25T12:58:21Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > What about Columbine High School. > > I have a T-shirt that says "I \<3 Intercourse PA. The welcome sign for Intercourse is large and heavy, apparently to discourage drunk college students from stealing it again. > [@elmwood](#): > > Newport News, Virginia and Winston-Salem, North Carolina: I think of cigarettes before cities. > > Pall Mall and Great Marlborough Street in London: same thing. > > Malibu, California, namesake for the mid-end Chevrolet Malibu. Winstons, Salems, Marlboros, and I assume Virginia Slims are named after those places. I think of cigarettes when I pass the exit for Upper Marlboro, MD, but apparently the town is named after the Duke of Marlborough and thus is probably only indirectly related to Marlboro cigarettes. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/places-whose-names-have-been-tainted-by-things-named-after-them/650980/60 "2013-02-25T13:56:41Z")
> [@](#): > > The welcome sign for Intercourse is large and heavy, apparently to discourage drunk college students from stealing it again. “It ain’t heavy. It’s my Intercourse-Buddy.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/places-whose-names-have-been-tainted-by-things-named-after-them/650980.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/places-whose-names-have-been-tainted-by-things-named-after-them/650980.md?page=4)