# Which major American city has the best street names? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 5, 2012, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-american-city-has-the-best-street-names/639902 "2012-11-05T00:20:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**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 6, 2012, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-american-city-has-the-best-street-names/639902/41 "2012-11-06T06:35:14Z")
I like what I see on maps of Lower Manhattan. Besides the obviously famous streets like Wall and the Bowery, many of the others seem rather oddly to bear what seem like first names–like John, Henry, Ann, Leonard, Thomas, and William. One assumes that some of those could have been named after English royalty back in colonial times–but surely not Henry, Leonard, and John? Also, I wonder who Great Jones was and if there was also a Little or Not Quite So Great Jones. I do know there was once a Little Walter, but that street is long gone. I don’t think L.A.'s street names are anything to brag about, but then they’re too familiar to me since I live here. ---
**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 6, 2012, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-american-city-has-the-best-street-names/639902/42 "2012-11-06T06:44:24Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > I don’t think L.A.'s street names are anything to brag about, but then they’re too familiar to me since I live here. ETA: I do have to admit I like the unintended double entendre of New High Street, which runs through Chinatown near the Plaza. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-american-city-has-the-best-street-names/639902/43 "2012-11-06T06:52:16Z")
The actual names may not be interesting, but the acronym for Seattle streets is “Jesus Christ Made Seattle Under Protest”, which I think ought to count for something. > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > It doesn’t qualify as a major city but many of the streets in my old hometown of Plattsburgh, NY have women’s names. There’s Catherine Street, Cornelia Street, Margaret Street, Lorraine Street, Elizabeth Street, Helen Street, Caroline Street, Grace Avenue, Sally Avenue, Sandra Avenue, Sharon Avenue, Erin Avenue, and Marcy Lane. I humbly insist that Margaret Ct. and Della St. be added at the earliest possible convenience. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-american-city-has-the-best-street-names/639902/44 "2012-11-06T09:13:53Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > Agree with New Orleans, for sure. > > Drinking a sazerac on Rues Iberville, Bienville, Carondelet, Gov. Nichols, Conti, etc., etc., etc. is an American History lesson par excellance… Hey! I resemble that remark! > [@Shagnasty](#): > > New Orleans by a mile. Bourbon, Tchoupitoulas, Royal, Burgundy and dozens of others are not only famous but require someone to know about history to give the correct pronunciation. Street names are lesson in American, French, and Spanish history in that city. > [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > New Orleans not only has great street names, but great pronunciations. “Calliope” is one of my favorites - they pronounce it “CAL-ee-ope.” “Burgundy” is pronounced “bur-GUN-dee.” “Esplanade” is pronounced “ESS-pla-nayd.” > > Someone once told me that New Orleanians pronounce “Clio” as “see el ten,” but I’m not sure I believe that one. Never heard Clio pronounced as “see el ten”. I was directed to Leanders St. once. I was working with a children’s entertainment company way back before Googlemaps or Mapquest. We’d get directions to the party over the phone when booked. The host of the party gave the address on Leanders St.(Lee-ANN-ders), so that’s what we wrote down. We followed directions well enough to get into the general vicinity of the party but couldn’t find Leanders St. Finally, we realized that “Lee-ANN-ders” was the neighborhood pronounciation of “Leonidas”. :smack: Some of my favorites have been mentioned, Calliope, Tchoupitoulas, Carondelet, I’ll add some of my other favorites: Prytania Freret Fontainebleau Gentilly Elysian Fields Ursulines Poydras Calliope and Clio, mentioned above, are actually filled out with the other seven of the Nine Muses. Heading downtown on Prytania or Coliseum, you’ll pass (in order): Urania Polymnia (variant of Polyhymnia) Euterpe Terpsichore Melpomene Thalia Erato Clio Calliope ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-american-city-has-the-best-street-names/639902/45 "2012-11-06T09:21:19Z")
Vegas has Paradise, Rainbow, Tropicana, Flamingo, Warm Springs, Spring Mountain and lots more. > [@Hyperelastic](#): > > As for the dullest, Columbus, Ohio has to be right up there. Main, Town, High, Broad… It almost puts you to sleep, until you happen upon Gay Street. I will admit that I always got a laugh at the one near campus Buttles because when people said it, it usually sounded like Buttholes. Ahhh the cheap and easy laughs of the immature. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-american-city-has-the-best-street-names/639902/46 "2012-11-06T15:00:02Z")
**bienville** , perhaps you can explain the origin and pronunciation of Peniston. ---
**Author:** ![Inter\_Alia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@Inter\_Alia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inter_Alia)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-american-city-has-the-best-street-names/639902/47 "2012-11-06T17:39:26Z")
Windy Ghoul Drive in Beaver, PA. But overall, definitely New Orleans. Bellecastle and Arabella are two of my favorites that haven’t been mentioned. I’ve never heard Clio as “see el ten,” but I bet I can tell you where you got your shoes. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-american-city-has-the-best-street-names/639902/48 "2012-11-06T18:05:20Z")
Middle River, Maryland, just outside the former Martin Aircraft factory - an entire neighborhood with streets named for airplane parts. Left Aileron Drive, Fuselage Avenue, Yawmeter Drive, Cockpit Street … ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-american-city-has-the-best-street-names/639902/49 "2012-11-06T18:25:45Z")
> [@Mr\_Downtown](#): > > I draw street maps, so I see all kinds of weirdness. The Dallas subdivision with streets named for cigarette brands. **The Long Island town where you can drive Tinker to Evers to Chance**. I am so making a point now of visiting and renting a car, just to say I drove that. Hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-american-city-has-the-best-street-names/639902/50 "2012-11-06T19:20:01Z")
Another vote for New Orleans. The worst has got to be Atlanta, where everything is named some variant of Peachtree. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-american-city-has-the-best-street-names/639902/51 "2012-11-06T19:46:02Z")
Even the New Orleans 'burbs have good names. States & universities in Kenner; Hickory, Dickory, and Dock in Harahan. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-american-city-has-the-best-street-names/639902/52 "2012-11-06T19:52:27Z")
Honolulu; with names like ‘Likelike Highway’ "Auwailoimu St’ and ‘Paoakalani Ave’. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-american-city-has-the-best-street-names/639902/53 "2012-11-06T21:52:46Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > Honolulu; with names like ‘Likelike Highway’ "Auwailoimu St’ and ‘Paoakalani Ave’. I drove around Honolulu a few months ago. The street names sounded exotic but boy, talk about vowel overload. I stopped looking at street names after a while because they all blurred together. One street had something like a 12 letter name and 10 of them were vowels (I don’t know the exact number but it was impressively unpronounceable). ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-american-city-has-the-best-street-names/639902/54 "2012-11-06T21:57:17Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > I drove around Honolulu a few months ago. The street names sounded exotic but boy, talk about vowel overload. I stopped looking at street names after a while because they all blurred together. One street had something like a 12 letter name and 10 of them were vowels (I don’t know the exact number but it was impressively unpronounceable). The easiest way to comprehend/pronounce them is to read or say them in chunks of two letters. Doesn’t cover all cases, but it’ll get you far. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-american-city-has-the-best-street-names/639902/55 "2012-11-07T03:57:38Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Riddle: What are the three streets in Chicago that rhyme with a woman’s genitalia? Mulva St? ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-american-city-has-the-best-street-names/639902/56 "2012-11-07T09:30:12Z")
Detroit: 6 Mile. 7 Mile. 8 Mile. 9 Mile. 10 Mile. 11 Mile. 12 Mile. 13 Mile. 14 Mile. 15 Mile. 16 Mile. 17 Mile. 18 Mile. 19 Mile. Hall Road. 21 Mile. 22 Mile. 23 Mile. 24 Mile. 25 Mile. 26 Mile. Okay, you get the idea… ---
**Author:** ![Melaleuca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Melaleuca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melaleuca)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-american-city-has-the-best-street-names/639902/57 "2012-11-08T02:01:59Z")
This is a bit off-subject, but a good story - the city council of Brisbane Australia had a good idea, in naming the first new bridge over the Brisbane River for 50 years - the [Go-Between Bridge](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_Between_Bridge), named after a local indie rock band made good, but also a description of what the structure is there for… ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-american-city-has-the-best-street-names/639902/58 "2012-11-08T15:02:23Z")
New Orleans, definitely. Ann Arbor isn’t too amazing, but they do have Felch and Hiscock streets. I’m surprised no one has mentioned Atlanta…🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-american-city-has-the-best-street-names/639902/59 "2012-11-13T04:28:24Z")
As you can see [here](http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&sugexp=les;&gs_mss=lorain+ohio+kans&pq=lorain+ohio+state+name+streets&cp=25&gs_id=19l&xhr=t&safe=off&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&bpcl=38093640&biw=1280&bih=883&bs=1&q=lorain+ohio+kansas+avenue&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x88309ce8e3ac71cb:0x1ffd4602f864f697,Kansas+Ave,+Lorain,+OH+44052&gl=us&sa=X&ei=TMuhUNWHGsHLyQGQtYHACw&sqi=2&ved=0CBwQ8gEwAA), the Ohio city of Lorain has a series of avenues named for states. Obviously the grid was laid out while Hawaii was still a territory. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-american-city-has-the-best-street-names/639902/60 "2012-11-13T14:04:28Z")
> [@lost4life](#): > > I’m surprised no one has mentioned Atlanta…🙂 Post 27… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-american-city-has-the-best-street-names/639902.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-major-american-city-has-the-best-street-names/639902.md?page=4)