# US cities - shortest name? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 10, 2022, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-cities-shortest-name/973040 "2022-10-10T22:22:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [October 10, 2022, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-cities-shortest-name/973040/1 "2022-10-10T22:22:15Z")
Inspired by the [US cities - three words or more?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-cities-three-words-or-more/972974) thread, what are the shortest named cities in the US? - Ely, NV and MN Others? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2022, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-cities-shortest-name/973040/2 "2022-10-10T23:14:58Z")
There are a bunch of 3-letter names coming from people: Lee, Jay, Ava, etc. The shortest I can find is Ai, Ohio (well, it’s not exactly a city). ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2022, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-cities-shortest-name/973040/3 "2022-10-10T23:17:30Z")
Not really a “city” as such, but Opp, AL is worth a mention. ---
**Author:** ![Tabco](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tabco/32/7644_2.png) [@Tabco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabco)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2022, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-cities-shortest-name/973040/4 "2022-10-10T23:37:53Z")
There’s Bly, Oregon, which is even smaller than Opp. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2022, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-cities-shortest-name/973040/5 "2022-10-10T23:46:45Z")
Jay, NY, up in the Adirondacks, is closer to Montreal than to any major city in NY. Its population was 2,506 at the 2010 census. The town is named after John Jay, first SCOTUS Chief Justice, and governor of New York in the early 1800s. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2022, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-cities-shortest-name/973040/6 "2022-10-10T23:47:47Z")
Ajo, Arizona (listed as a “community” in Wikipedia, population 2,691) And just down the road is Why (listed in Wikipedia as a “rural community”, population 65) ---
**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:** [October 11, 2022, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-cities-shortest-name/973040/7 "2022-10-11T00:05:28Z")
I did not think to add the populations, (according to Wikipedia, 2020 census)… Ely, NV: 3,924 Ely, MN: 3,268 …it would be interesting to see the short-named place with the largest population. ---
**Author:** ![Karen\_Lingel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karen_lingel/32/18649_2.png) [@Karen\_Lingel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karen_Lingel)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-cities-shortest-name/973040/8 "2022-10-11T00:27:42Z")
Nye, MT has population 272 (2010 census). ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-cities-shortest-name/973040/9 "2022-10-11T00:40:47Z")
In Missouri, Ava (pop.2,894) and Rea (50) ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-cities-shortest-name/973040/10 "2022-10-11T00:57:08Z")
The town of Lee, Massachusetts, which we have visited a few times on trips to the Berkshires, has a population of 5,788 in the 2020 census. ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-cities-shortest-name/973040/11 "2022-10-11T00:59:13Z")
The borough of Yoe, Pennsylvania, population 980. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-cities-shortest-name/973040/12 "2022-10-11T01:39:25Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > The shortest I can find is Ai, Ohio (well, it’s not exactly a city). Same name in Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina. Ai, ai, ai… ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-cities-shortest-name/973040/13 "2022-10-11T01:55:42Z")
Rye, NY ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-cities-shortest-name/973040/14 "2022-10-11T02:11:21Z")
> [@gkster](#): > > Jay, NY, up in the Adirondacks There’s also Jay, VT. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-cities-shortest-name/973040/15 "2022-10-11T02:12:17Z")
Zap, ND ---
**Author:** ![rippingtons\_fan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rippingtons_fan/32/11767_2.png) [@rippingtons\_fan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rippingtons_fan)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-cities-shortest-name/973040/16 "2022-10-11T02:15:09Z")
Roy, Washington ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-cities-shortest-name/973040/17 "2022-10-11T03:08:40Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Rye, NY Amelia Earhart had a house in Rye NY. Her address was 37 Locust Ave, Rye NY. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-cities-shortest-name/973040/18 "2022-10-11T03:13:13Z")
> [@rippingtons\_fan](#): > > Roy, Washington And Roy, Utah too. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-cities-shortest-name/973040/19 "2022-10-11T03:14:07Z")
Bow, WA. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-cities-shortest-name/973040/20 "2022-10-11T12:00:09Z")
And Bow, NH. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-cities-shortest-name/973040.md?page=2)