# What Are Some American Cities With Names That Actually Man Something In English? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 22, 2019, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-american-cities-with-names-that-actually-man-something-in-english/830028 "2019-02-22T16:22:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-american-cities-with-names-that-actually-man-something-in-english/830028/21 "2019-02-22T17:25:10Z")
> [@adhemar](#): > > Little Rock Near me is a Rock Hill. Also a Mint Hill. Less near me, but still close: Blowing Rock (not like _that_, I was disappointed to learn), Hickory, Cherokee\*, High Point, Southern Pines, Rocky Mount, Chapel Hill, Emerald Isle, Myrtle Beach, Isle of Palms, Prosperity, Due West, Central (it’s not), and Mountain City. - not English, exactly, but it’s meaning should be immediately understood. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-american-cities-with-names-that-actually-man-something-in-english/830028/22 "2019-02-22T17:27:50Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Reading (at least the one here in PA) rhymes with bedding rather than with seeding, so it probably doesn’t count. Probably all named after the English placename, which is also pronounced rhyming with bedding. But it’s a homograph, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-american-cities-with-names-that-actually-man-something-in-english/830028/23 "2019-02-22T17:34:09Z")
In Maine: Caribou Old Orchard Beach Bar Harbor Winter Harbor Strong Weld ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-american-cities-with-names-that-actually-man-something-in-english/830028/24 "2019-02-22T17:47:38Z")
Mercury, NV Venus, PA Earth, TX Mars, PA Jupiter, FL Uranus, AK (a lake) Neptune City, NJ Pluto, WV No love for Saturn. ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-american-cities-with-names-that-actually-man-something-in-english/830028/25 "2019-02-22T17:49:43Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Reading (at least the one here in PA) rhymes with bedding rather than with seeding, so it probably doesn’t count. Are they named after the Reading in the UK (also pronounced to rhyme with bedding)? It’s probably named after an Anglo-Saxon tribe. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-american-cities-with-names-that-actually-man-something-in-english/830028/26 "2019-02-22T17:50:02Z")
I live near Apollo, PA (a palindrome!). > [@Wikipedia](#): > > At the time of the Apollo 11 moon landing, Apollo, PA was the only place in the world named Apollo. Coincidentally, it is in Armstrong County, the name of the first astronaut to walk on the Moon was Neil Armstrong. On the day of the moon landing, members of the Apollo Pa fire department dressed as astronauts and drove to nearby Moon, Pa where they planted a flag and returned with some “Moon Soil”. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-american-cities-with-names-that-actually-man-something-in-english/830028/27 "2019-02-22T17:52:54Z")
Near me (Missouri): Bunker, Boss, Banner and Bourbon. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-american-cities-with-names-that-actually-man-something-in-english/830028/28 "2019-02-22T17:56:24Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > What are some American cities/towns with names that are **word that have readily-obvious meaning in everyday English**? > > **Viburnum** , Missouri :dubious: 😃 OK, OK … I could Google it … but it might be more fun for the OP to fight some ignorance here. I did note your location, **HeyHomie**. … To make myself useful to the thread at large … Hot Coffee, MS Monkey’s Eyebrow, KY Studio City, CA The Woodlands, TX Spring, TX Round Rock, TX Laurel, MS (or is it ‘Yanni’? :p) _And a few local ones:_ Violet, LA Bush, LA River Ridge, LA _A few more near Baton Rouge, LA and points east:_ Central, LA Independence, LA Walker, LA Baker, LA ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-american-cities-with-names-that-actually-man-something-in-english/830028/29 "2019-02-22T17:57:45Z")
All in Maryland (most are CDPs): Parole (it began as a civil war parole camp) Friendship Mayo Piney Orchard Middle River South Gate White Oak ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-american-cities-with-names-that-actually-man-something-in-english/830028/30 "2019-02-22T18:15:54Z")
from New Mexico: Farmington South Valley Sunland Park North Valley Loving and Lovington (probably named after people, but still have meaning in regular speech) Silver City Shiprock Bloomfield Truth or Consequences White Rock Black Rock Church Rock Meadow Lake Twin Lakes Paradise Hills University Park Edgewood Crownpoint Radium Springs Waterflow Fruitland White Sands Angel Fire Elephant Butte ---
**Author:** ![Bayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bayaker/32/3454_2.png) [@Bayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-american-cities-with-names-that-actually-man-something-in-english/830028/31 "2019-02-22T18:19:08Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > There’s a city called The Woodlands in Texas (and the article is part of the city’s official name). There’s also a city called Sugar Land, which was named for the _ **sugarbeet** _ fields that used to be in the area. Both are suburbs of Houston. Nitpick: _Cane_ was grown around Sugar Land. Sugar beets, AFAIK, are only grown up in the panhandle - they are a cold weather crop. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-american-cities-with-names-that-actually-man-something-in-english/830028/32 "2019-02-22T18:22:17Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > :dubious: 😃 > > OK, OK … I could Google it … but it might be more fun for the OP to fight some ignorance here. I did note your location, **HeyHomie**. Viburnum is a bush/shrub (I’m sure there’s a difference botanically, but it’s lost on me). A rather dull-looking bush with teeny white flowers. There are about five of them in the entire city, all in front of the town hall. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-american-cities-with-names-that-actually-man-something-in-english/830028/33 "2019-02-22T18:26:31Z")
Derby, VT East Haven, VT Fair Haven, VT Fletcher, VT Glover, VT Grand Isle, VT Guildhall, VT New Haven, VT North Hero, VT Orange, VT Proctor, VT Reading, VT South Hero, VT St. George, VT Victory, VT Warren, VT Wells, VT West Haven, VT There are others that are perhaps borderline… a “High Gate” is a thing, but is “Highgate”? ---
**Author:** ![Dickerman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8baadc/32.png) [@Dickerman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dickerman)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-american-cities-with-names-that-actually-man-something-in-english/830028/34 "2019-02-22T18:28:56Z")
Bummer…Humptulips (WA) doesn’t count. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-american-cities-with-names-that-actually-man-something-in-english/830028/35 "2019-02-22T18:34:01Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Reading, VT tap tap Is this thing on? ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-american-cities-with-names-that-actually-man-something-in-english/830028/36 "2019-02-22T18:36:39Z")
I live in a suburb of **Portland** , OR, called **Beaverton**. Nearby are **Forest Grove** and **Sherwood**. Up the road a bit, where the freeway ends at the coast, are **Seaside** and **Cannon Beach**. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-american-cities-with-names-that-actually-man-something-in-english/830028/37 "2019-02-22T18:45:49Z")
> [@Teuton](#): > > Are they named after the Reading in the UK (also pronounced to rhyme with bedding)? Whenever I see _the Reading_ I think of Monopoly. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-american-cities-with-names-that-actually-man-something-in-english/830028/38 "2019-02-22T18:53:52Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Whenever I see _the Reading_ I think of Monopoly. The Reading Railroad on the Monopoly board refers to a real railroad that operated in southeast Pennsylvania, primarily between Reading, PA and Philadelphia. It also at one time ran trains to Atlantic City, which is how it ended up on the Monopoly board. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-american-cities-with-names-that-actually-man-something-in-english/830028/39 "2019-02-22T18:54:35Z")
> [@Teuton](#): > > Are they named after the Reading in the UK (also pronounced to rhyme with bedding)? > … According to Wikipedia, the one in PA is. > **[Reading, Pennsylvania](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reading,_Pennsylvania)** > > Reading (/ˈrɛdɪŋ/ RED-ing; Pennsylvania German: Reddin) is a city in and the county seat of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city had a population of 95,112 at the 2020 census and is the fourth-largest city in Pennsylvania after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Allentown. Reading is located in the southeastern part of the state and is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area, which had 420,152 residents in 2020. > Reading gives its name to the now-defunct Reading Company, also k... ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2019, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-american-cities-with-names-that-actually-man-something-in-english/830028/40 "2019-02-22T19:05:49Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Whenever I see _the Reading_ I think of Monopoly. The Monopoly board space was presumably named after the Reading Railroad which was a real railroad in PA. It ran from Pottsville, through Reading, then on to Philly. It was absorbed by Conrail in the 70s. > **[Reading Company](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reading_Company)** > > The Reading Company (/ˈrɛdɪŋ/ RED-ing) was a Philadelphia-headquartered railroad that provided passenger and freight transport in eastern Pennsylvania and neighboring states from 1924 until its acquisition by Conrail in 1976. > Commonly called the Reading Railroad and logotyped as Reading Lines, the Reading Company was a railroad holding company for the majority of its existence, and a single railroad in its later years. It operated service as Reading Railway System and was a successor to the Ph... [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-american-cities-with-names-that-actually-man-something-in-english/830028.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-american-cities-with-names-that-actually-man-something-in-english/830028.md?page=3)