# Strangely named places you've been to **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 18, 2019, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-named-places-youve-been-to/843629 "2019-11-18T22:20:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-named-places-youve-been-to/843629/81 "2019-11-20T23:10:58Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > I’ve been in [Rough and Ready, California](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rough_and_Ready,_California). I’ve driven on Rough and Ready Highway in Grass Valley, but I haven’t actually been in the town of Rough and Ready. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-named-places-youve-been-to/843629/82 "2019-11-20T23:44:19Z")
[French Lick Resort](https://www.frenchlick.com/) ---
**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:** [November 21, 2019, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-named-places-youve-been-to/843629/83 "2019-11-21T00:05:09Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > I’ve also driven past [Pasadena](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasadena,_Maryland), [Hollywood](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood,_Maryland), and [California](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California,_Maryland), all small towns near to each other in Maryland. The town of Paris, Panama, is not named after the city in Texas ;), but after a local Indian chief. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2019, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-named-places-youve-been-to/843629/84 "2019-11-21T00:13:10Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > I’ve driven on Rough and Ready Highway in Grass Valley, but I haven’t actually been in the town of Rough and Ready. Now I just went and looked at Rough and Ready on Google Maps, and it appears there’s a little dead end street there named Slave Girl. At least that’s how it’s labeled on the map. On Street View I couldn’t see any street sign with that name on it. So I’m not sure if that’s the official name of the street or a case of Google Maps vandalism (if there is such a thing). But it would be interesting if we had a case of an odd name within a place with an odd name. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2019, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-named-places-youve-been-to/843629/85 "2019-11-21T00:42:06Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > I’ve also driven past [Pasadena](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasadena,_Maryland), [Hollywood](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood,_Maryland), and [California](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California,_Maryland), all small towns near to each other in Maryland. There’s a [Pasadena](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasadena,_Newfoundland_and_Labrador) in Newfoundland of all places (and it was, in fact, named after the one in California) and a [California](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California,_Derby) in England. Haven’t been to either one, though. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2019, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-named-places-youve-been-to/843629/86 "2019-11-21T01:45:01Z")
I’ve been to Truth or Consequences, New Mexico! I’ve also been to Sunspot, NM- which may not be such a strange name when you consider the National Solar Observatory facility located there. Well worth a visit. My sister and brother-in-law live just outside Persia, Iowa. ---
**Author:** ![Rich\_Mann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce73a5/32.png) [@Rich\_Mann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rich_Mann)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2019, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-named-places-youve-been-to/843629/87 "2019-11-21T02:33:30Z")
I took a road trip to Oregon and went the long way up CA 1. It was taking too long so I found a route to I-5. Along the way I came to an intersection with a CA highway sign that only said “Remote” with an arrow pointing right. I wanted to check it out but I was already running late. I still regret passing it by. ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2019, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-named-places-youve-been-to/843629/88 "2019-11-21T02:43:09Z")
I once hopped a bus from \*\*Cuba \*\*to **La Florida** , both town names in the Risaralda department of Colombia. I could give directions from my former home in Cayman to \*\*[Hell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell,_Grand_Cayman)\*\*that included taking the first right turn after the intersection of **[Off the Beaten Path Road](https://www.caymancompass.com/2018/07/31/off-the-beaten-path-sign-popular-with-thieves/)**. ---
**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:** [November 21, 2019, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-named-places-youve-been-to/843629/89 "2019-11-21T04:50:53Z")
I’ve been to [Te Urewera](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Te_Urewera), New Zealand, which is Maori for “The Burnt Penis.” One tale says it’s from a chief who rolled into a fire while sleeping and burned his naughty bits. Others say the member was burned in vengeance. I’ve also been to Shag Point, which is named after a kind of cormorant, rather than Austin Powers’ favorite activity. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2019, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-named-places-youve-been-to/843629/90 "2019-11-21T06:18:24Z")
According to the map I had at the time, I must have driven through Dirty Sock, CA as I approached Yosemite from the south, though I don’t remember noticing any sort of town or settlement. There’s still a place called Dirty Sock Spring, CA, but that’s quite some distance away from where Dirty Sock is, or was. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2019, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-named-places-youve-been-to/843629/91 "2019-11-21T08:13:38Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > There’s a [Pasadena](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasadena,_Newfoundland_and_Labrador) in Newfoundland of all places (and it was, in fact, named after the one in California) and a [California](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California,_Derby) in England. Haven’t been to either one, though. And Ontario, California takes its name from the Canadian province: > [@](#): > > It [that is, Ontario, California] takes its name from the Ontario Model Colony development established in 1882 by the Canadian engineer George Chaffey and his brothers William Chaffey and Charles Chaffey. They named the settlement after their home province of Ontario. > **[Ontario, California](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ontario,_California)** > > Ontario is a city in southwestern San Bernardino County in the U.S. state of California, 35 miles (56 km) east of downtown Los Angeles and 23 miles (37 km) west of downtown San Bernardino, the county seat. Located in the western part of the Inland Empire metropolitan area, it lies just east of Los Angeles County and is part of the Greater Los Angeles Area. As of the 2020 Census, the city had a population of 175,265. > The city is home to the Ontario International Airport, which is the 15th-busie... ---
**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:** [November 21, 2019, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-named-places-youve-been-to/843629/92 "2019-11-21T18:05:10Z")
I’ve been to [Storm King Mountain,](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storm_King_Mountain_(New_York)) New York, and [Mount Aspiring](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Aspiring_/_Tititea), New Zealand, both of which sound like they’re something out of Tolkein. Breakneck Ridge is across the Hudson from Storm King. I’ve also camped on the [Hen and Chicken Islands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hen_and_Chicken_Islands) in New Zealand. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2019, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-named-places-youve-been-to/843629/93 "2019-11-21T20:07:41Z")
> [@Iggy](#): > > I once hopped a bus from \*\*Cuba \*\*to **La Florida** , both town names in the Risaralda department of Colombia. > > I could give directions from my former home in Cayman to \*\*[Hell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell,_Grand_Cayman)\*\*that included taking the first right turn after the intersection of **[Off the Beaten Path Road](https://www.caymancompass.com/2018/07/31/off-the-beaten-path-sign-popular-with-thieves/)**. I’ve seen Lois Lane, Margo Lane, Dunwich Rd. and Green Acres Rd. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2019, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-named-places-youve-been-to/843629/94 "2019-11-21T20:40:52Z")
> [@Zyada](#): > > I’m an avid reader of Regency novels, many of which are set in small rural towns rather than London. I thought the authors were making the names up. Then I got an atlas of England\* and started looking up some of the weirder names (plus looking for other funny names) > > When I got to [Giggleswick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giggleswick), I gave up. Apparently in England you don’t have to make up names, there’s bound to be one out there to give just the right feel for your story. > > - Note this happened long before such information could easily be looked up on the Internet. Been to Giggleswick 😃 Also been to Pennsylvania, Catbrain, and London Apprentice. All of which are in England and tiny. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2019, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-named-places-youve-been-to/843629/95 "2019-11-21T20:59:27Z")
I’ve been to Pennsylvania too! Almost went to the Shell station but was too exhausted to make the 100 feet off the Cotswold Way even if it meant the possibility of indulging in alcohol before hitting Bath. ---
**Author:** ![MarvinKitFox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@MarvinKitFox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarvinKitFox)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-named-places-youve-been-to/843629/96 "2019-11-22T06:29:05Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > S > Boring, OR and Drain, OR. Make up your mind. Is it “Boring”, or is it “and Drain”, or something else? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-named-places-youve-been-to/843629/97 "2019-11-22T14:35:41Z")
> [@Zyada](#): > > > [@Northern Piper](#): > > > > Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. > > > > " [The] church of [St.] Mary (Llanfair) [of the] pool (pwll)[15] of the white hazels (gwyn gyll) near [lit. “over against”] (go ger) the rapid whirlpool (y chwyrn drobwll) [and] the church of [St.] Tysilio (Llantysilio) of the red cave (-ogo[f] goch)." > > This might be not countable - the town changed their name in the Victorian era in order to set the record at the time for longest place name, and thus attract tourism. It’s unclear. The story that the name was changed is based on one person’s memoirs, but he refuses to name the person who made the name change, making it sound like a bit of a story. There’s also an earlier parish return that has a longer form of the name, not quite the same as the current version, but of similar length. It may be that there were different forms of the name floating about, some longer, some shorter, before it got set in the mid-19th century. From [wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llanfairpwllgwyngyll#19th_century_renaming): > [@](#): > > The true originator and date of the longer version of the name is less certain, however: an ecclesiastical directory published several years before the claimed renaming gives what it calls the “full” parish name in the slightly differing form of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerbwlltysiliogogo (“St Mary’s church of the pool of the white hazels over against the pool of St Tysilio Gogo [Tysilio of the cave]”),[17] while exactly the same form appears in an paper on placenames published in 1849, its author noting that “the name was generally abridged” by locals.[8] While the addition regarding the Swellies is supposed only to have been made in the 1860s, early 19th century guidebooks had already suggested a derivation of the element pwllgwyngyll from pwll, gwyn and gwyll (“gloomy raging pool”), in reference to the Swellies.[24] ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-named-places-youve-been-to/843629/98 "2019-11-22T14:36:52Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > When my family and I went to Hawaii, I insisted that we stop for sign pictures in Aiea (the only city/town in North America with no consonants in the name) and in Ka’a’awa (the only city/town in North America with three of the same letter consecutive - at least in purely English letters, not sure how that apostrophe-thing counts). I’ll agree that these are city/town names in the United States, but not in North America. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-named-places-youve-been-to/843629/99 "2019-11-22T15:05:31Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > More like suburbs rather than towns, but I’ve been to The Village outside Annapolis MD and Barraterria outside St. Augustine FL. There is also [The Villages](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Villages%2C_Florida) in Florida, which I have driven past on the way to Walt Disney World. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2019, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-named-places-youve-been-to/843629/100 "2019-11-22T15:07:31Z")
I used to have family in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, whom I visited. And stayed with some friends in England in the town of Biggleswade (which, IMHO, is the best name for an English town; does anything sound more ‘English’ than Biggleswade)? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-named-places-youve-been-to/843629.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strangely-named-places-youve-been-to/843629.md?page=6)