# Why do Arkansas and Lousiana both have Ouachita counties? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 3, 2026, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-arkansas-and-lousiana-both-have-ouachita-counties/1031395 "2026-07-03T21:10:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2026, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-arkansas-and-lousiana-both-have-ouachita-counties/1031395/21 "2026-07-05T05:11:30Z")
Only because you say it wrong.šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2026, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-arkansas-and-lousiana-both-have-ouachita-counties/1031395/22 "2026-07-05T05:12:41Z")
Hey, Iā€™m just saying like I heard it. I didnā€™t name the thing. (They often neglect to consult me when naming things, assholes) Now whoā€™s state has a Hogskin county? ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2026, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-arkansas-and-lousiana-both-have-ouachita-counties/1031395/23 "2026-07-05T05:47:10Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Thereā€™s no state without Lincoln or Washington counties. Iā€™d almost bet money on it. Good thing youā€™re not allowed to bet here. Alaska, Hawaii, and California donā€™t have either one, so youā€™d lose the bet. (I havenā€™t checked the rest of the states.) Nor do they have Franklin or Jefferson Counties, two other common county names. Iā€™m mildly surprised thereā€™s no fewer than 8 Orange Counties (CA, FL, IN, NY, NC, TX, VT, VA). I expect most were named for the House of Orange, although those in CA and FL were probably named for the fruit. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2026, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-arkansas-and-lousiana-both-have-ouachita-counties/1031395/24 "2026-07-05T06:59:49Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Good thing youā€™re not allowed to bet here _ā€œAnd Remember, NO WAGERING!ā€_ Anybody recognize this? ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2026, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-arkansas-and-lousiana-both-have-ouachita-counties/1031395/25 "2026-07-05T16:57:52Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Yep. We gots all the goodies. Donā€™t forget Booger Hill or whatever the heck it was named. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2026, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-arkansas-and-lousiana-both-have-ouachita-counties/1031395/26 "2026-07-05T17:01:52Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Nevada county and the state of Nevada sound completely different. Donā€™t get me started about Medina, OH vs the real Medina. We have a Nevada, also. About 11 people live there, just like an Arkansas village.. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2026, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-arkansas-and-lousiana-both-have-ouachita-counties/1031395/27 "2026-07-05T17:14:37Z")
Ancient thread about this topic. > [@American cities named after foreign cities](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cities-named-after-foreign-cities/66873): > > Originally posted by Greg Charles in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=1342929#post1342929): Well, thereā€™s an Odessa, Texas, a Versailles (pronounced ā€œVer-salesā€), Indiana, and a London, Ohio. What others can you think of? ---
**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:** [July 6, 2026, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-arkansas-and-lousiana-both-have-ouachita-counties/1031395/28 "2026-07-06T16:12:43Z")
Cairo GA is where Karo syrup allegedly got its name, and yeah itā€™s pronounced like the syrup not like the Egyptian city. Albany GA would appear less easily modified, but actually the residents call it All-BENNIE rather than ALL-bunny as the upstate New Yorkers do it. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-arkansas-and-lousiana-both-have-ouachita-counties/1031395/29 "2026-07-06T16:35:46Z")
Itā€™s Cooterneck, @mixdenny _Cooterneck._ Booger Hollow is in Tennessee, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-arkansas-and-lousiana-both-have-ouachita-counties/1031395/30 "2026-07-06T16:38:34Z")
Arkansas also has the famous place called Toad Suck. One of the all-time great place names. ---
**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:** [July 6, 2026, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-arkansas-and-lousiana-both-have-ouachita-counties/1031395/31 "2026-07-06T17:43:54Z")
Itā€™s right up there with Bald Knob. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-arkansas-and-lousiana-both-have-ouachita-counties/1031395/32 "2026-07-06T18:42:13Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Cairo GA is where Karo syrup allegedly got its name, and yeah itā€™s pronounced like the syrup not like the Egyptian city. That is not what the Karo syrup company thinks: ā€¦ 1902 ### The Start Of Something Good The Corn Products Refining Company of New York and Chicago is formed and introduces KaroĀ® Light and Dark Corn Syrups on May 13. It is believed our chemist and expert syrup formulator coined the name "Karoā€ to honor his wife, Carolineā€¦. [[karosyrup.com](http://karosyrup.com)] ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-arkansas-and-lousiana-both-have-ouachita-counties/1031395/33 "2026-07-07T04:50:03Z")
My high school choir director was from Bald Knob. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-arkansas-and-lousiana-both-have-ouachita-counties/1031395/34 "2026-07-08T04:54:17Z")
Oh, Boo. Iā€™m so happy about that. My baby sister is Caroline. We always called her Karo-nut. I canā€™t wait to tell her Karo syrup was named after a Caroline. Sheā€™ll get a kick out that. Anywhosit, I thought Cairo was pronounced _ki-roh._ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-arkansas-and-lousiana-both-have-ouachita-counties/1031395.md?page=1)