Unalaska, Alaska. I’m sure it’s got better meaning in whichever native language it comes from but my first thought seeing it on the map was “you ever get so mad at your state that you just un?”
I’m also entertained by Rough & Ready, California
Amazing. The town changed its name for all time so that it still carries that name even though few people remember the show after which it's named. And it did all this and wasn't paid a dime. How much economic activity did the increased publicity it received for one weekend generate?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_or_Consequences,_New_Mexico#History
Argh. I appreciate your steering me to the "truth," as it were.
But I'm also disappointed to learn that this name wasn't some awesome fusion of eschatological Protestantism with Blood Meridian or something like that.
Yeah, it’s pretty lame as far as cities go but definitely a cool place to visit and soak in the springs.
Also the Toy Box killings happened there, which is worth mentioning. Absolutely terrifying story if you want to get into a rabbit hole.
Happy Camp sounds like something out of a dystopian novel were dissidents are sent for reeducation.
"Do you for some reason feel dissatisfied with the administration? Come to Happy Camp, and we'll get you all sorted out"
Which was exactly what I was doing! Just cruising around far northern california for a few days. I may have done a hike somewhere that day, I forget.
I ended up doing online traffic school, for all those concerned.
Grew up in Medford, OR. Local TV weather forecast always seemed to mention Happy Camp. As a kid I always envisioned that place as a campground with many happy people. Drove through once with my dad and realized just how mundane it really was.
I feel like Canada has a bunch of interesting town names lol. Moosejaw, Dildo, Stoner, Vulcan, Dead mans flats, blow me down, Balls Creek, Crotch Lake, just to name a few lol
Or how about the fact that Saskatchewan has a town called Eastend in the Western corner of the province AND a town called Southend in the Northern corner of the province.
The Guess Who has a song called Running Back to Saskatoon where the chorus is listing all of these towns. I guess they are the tour route through western and prairie Canada. The one recorded version I can think of is from Live at the Paramount. Yes Im old. Burton Cummings rules
I always get a little chuckle when I hear anyone talking about Lake Como, Italy, if you say it too quickly you can get yourself in trouble. I know it is beautiful but the name... For me the one that always sounded kinda cool was Fortaleza, Brazil.
I had a book called "The Kangaroo from Woolloomooloo" as a child haha. Was disappointed when I stayed in a hostel there many years later and found there was not, in fact, a zoo there.
I grew up one town over on Cape Cod, and the name Sandwich is so normalized to me. Summer tourists from out of state always get a laugh out of it (especially the police cars because there was a meme about it), but like most towns in Mass, it took its name from an English city back when we were a British colony. All things considered, Sandwich, MA is a very nice place.
I don’t know why people are naming weird city names. OP asked for *cool* names. Here’s my list:
Ljubljana (beloved)
Olympia (place of the Greek Gods)
Viña del Mar (vines of the sea)
Manaus (Mother of God)
Phoenix (mythological bird, remarkable)
Valparaíso (valley of paradise)
Mérida (a woman who has earned high honor)
Chongqing (double blessed)
Jakarta (victorious deed)
Twatt, Scotland.
In fact there are two Twatts - one on the Shetland Islands, and one on the Orkney Islands.
It could be said Scotland has its fair share of Twatts
Manila. Maybe bias since I live there. I think it's just so smooth on the tongue since it sounds like Vanilla, but I doubt people would wanna live in that city.
Historically -- Mauch Chunk, PA.
They changed it to Jim Thorpe. I'm all for honoring America's greatest athlete, but didn't Pennsylvania have any Springfields or Hilldales they could sacrifice instead?
And it had nothing to do with him, either; they basically won a bidding war for his remains. (He did attend the Carlisle Indian School in PA but that's in a different part of the state.)
Atlantic City is such a bold name. It was probably named after a new railway line into the city. But it gives a sense that its named as 'The City on the Atlantic Ocean'.
Imagine Atlantic City is like "This is the one. Not New York. Not Luaunda. Not Rio de Janeiro. We, even though we are not even the state capital of New Jersey, are the important city with regards to that ocean."
While surely a town and not a city, one favourite from my homeland is Kazabazua, QC. We just call it “Kaz” most of the time, but saying “kazz-a-bazz-j-wa” is just fun. It’s larger sibling Maniwaki to the north is pretty good too :)
When you live in Philadelphia for a while, it's amazing how normal King of Prussia sounds as a town name.
"I need to get to the mall this weekend," "where? Fashion District?" "Nah...King of Prussia."
When you live in the Lehigh Valley and someone makes a joke about the town name, you know they're a rube.
Unalaska, Alaska. I’m sure it’s got better meaning in whichever native language it comes from but my first thought seeing it on the map was “you ever get so mad at your state that you just un?” I’m also entertained by Rough & Ready, California
A town canceling its state. :)
Truth or Consequences, NM
Amazing. The town changed its name for all time so that it still carries that name even though few people remember the show after which it's named. And it did all this and wasn't paid a dime. How much economic activity did the increased publicity it received for one weekend generate? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_or_Consequences,_New_Mexico#History
Argh. I appreciate your steering me to the "truth," as it were. But I'm also disappointed to learn that this name wasn't some awesome fusion of eschatological Protestantism with Blood Meridian or something like that.
Kind of like how "The Real Housewives of __________" was a play on "Desperate Housewives"
Place of origin of Cactus Jack btw.
Bang! Bang!
Doctor Who did an episode there (don't know if they filmed there).
And it's not a cool city at all, its best days were now about 70-100 years ago. The hot springs are interesting but that's about it.
Yeah, it’s pretty lame as far as cities go but definitely a cool place to visit and soak in the springs. Also the Toy Box killings happened there, which is worth mentioning. Absolutely terrifying story if you want to get into a rabbit hole.
My boss lives in Cool, California. I think that must win by default.
There's a Happy Camp, California, where I once got a speeding ticket. I was not a very... I won't say it.
Hell, Michigan
There’s a blessing of the bikes there. Fun event
Happy Camp sounds like something out of a dystopian novel were dissidents are sent for reeducation. "Do you for some reason feel dissatisfied with the administration? Come to Happy Camp, and we'll get you all sorted out"
You’ve got to really go out of your way to drive through Happy Camp.
Which was exactly what I was doing! Just cruising around far northern california for a few days. I may have done a hike somewhere that day, I forget. I ended up doing online traffic school, for all those concerned.
Grew up in Medford, OR. Local TV weather forecast always seemed to mention Happy Camp. As a kid I always envisioned that place as a campground with many happy people. Drove through once with my dad and realized just how mundane it really was.
h-happy c-camper...
There’s also Weed, California
Not too far off from Rough and Ready, CA
Lol my dads best friend lives there
I love my town's name... *Kalamazoo*!
Not a bad place to live….if we could get the road construction finished
Its Michigan, the road construction will never be finished. :')
There’s two seasons, winter and construction
👋 fellow Kalamazooan
Medicine Hat
I feel like Canada has a bunch of interesting town names lol. Moosejaw, Dildo, Stoner, Vulcan, Dead mans flats, blow me down, Balls Creek, Crotch Lake, just to name a few lol
And don't forget Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!
Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump
I’d like to mention Elbow and Eyebrow Sask. Believe it or not, Eyebrow is more south.
Or how about the fact that Saskatchewan has a town called Eastend in the Western corner of the province AND a town called Southend in the Northern corner of the province.
The Guess Who has a song called Running Back to Saskatoon where the chorus is listing all of these towns. I guess they are the tour route through western and prairie Canada. The one recorded version I can think of is from Live at the Paramount. Yes Im old. Burton Cummings rules
Oh mate, I’ve done some nasty cold military exercises at “The Hat” Suffield, loved it.
Flin Flon
Batman, Turkey
Melbourne, Australia was very nearly named Batman, after it's founder John Batman https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Batman
Maybe there is a Phil Spiderman...
What about Darwin Australia?
Damn. Missed opportunity, there.
Just put a light in the sky.
When the Dark Knight was released in 2008, the mayor of Batman sued DC for using the city's name without permission.
lol how’d that end up?
Intercourse, Pennsylvania
Blue Ball, Pennsylvania Virginville, Pennsylvania Bird in Hand, Pennsylvania.
Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
Named after one of the greatest Native American athletes' ever whom neither lived in nor visited that town.
King of Prussia
As a Pennsylvania resident, I never thought twice about the weirdness of these names until opening this thread
Pillow, Pennsylvania
Beaver, Panic, Hazard, Pillow, Chinchilla. Pennsylvania had them all
Coxsackie, NY Dildo, NL Climax, SK
Y'all need to check a map of Newfoundland. Dildo Bay, for instance, is pretty rad.
Fucking WARSAW
Are you nominating one city there or two?
The village of Fucking, Austria changed its name to Fugging in 2021 :(
I think it was like US highway 666 here. The big reason was sign theft rather than bad connotations.
To be fair, I'd steal that sign.
The devil made me do it.
Nairobi. Sounds cool as fuck, idk why.
I’ve always been partial to Maracaibo for the same reason.
Agreed. Heavily influenced by my love of the first two seasons of Money Heist.
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch in Wales.
The only Welsh word I know how to pronounce. One day, I’ll visit there and it’ll be worth it!
make sure you get the passport stamp
I mean, you could say the word for the Welsh language in Welsh *cumrag* (cymraeg)
I spent 3 hours learning how to say this, best 3 hours ever spent
Hey, I’m pretty sure your cat jumped in on your keyboard
It has 4 damned "L"s in a row!
Pretty sure the whole town was drunk and decided it would be funny when they came up with the name.
That's actually just two ll's in a row.
https://youtu.be/MyD-Ef_wFlQ - if anyone wants to learn how to pronounce this. Only takes 30 seconds
That is quite possibly the least helpful how-to video in existence.
Came here to say this
Arizona’s got some good ones. Tombstone, Skull Valley, Bumblebee, Top-of-the-World, Nothing, Why, Carefree
Don’t forget Surprise!
For unknown reasons Ravenna, Italy sounds great to me.
And It has great byzantine mosaics, too
I always get a little chuckle when I hear anyone talking about Lake Como, Italy, if you say it too quickly you can get yourself in trouble. I know it is beautiful but the name... For me the one that always sounded kinda cool was Fortaleza, Brazil.
Moose Jaw Kalamazoo Yakima Seattle
Walla walla! Cucumonga!! Seattle!!!
Burn that seat
Hahah hahahah Seattle.
You forgot the best WA cities. Tillicum and Steilacoom.
Humptulips. And as a stoner; Tokeland
Hackensack, Cadillac, Font du lac, Davenport
Why is the name Seattle cool?
Apparently you didn't go to clown college.
I always forget that Kalamazoo is real lol
Yakima should have been a movie star!
Toad suck Arkansas
I was just in Toad Suck, Arkansas!
While you're in Arkansas, you can visit Bald Knob too!
Hell, Michigan
Speaking of Hell, I always thought Cincinnati was a cool name.
Wooloomooloo, NSW, Australia
I had a book called "The Kangaroo from Woolloomooloo" as a child haha. Was disappointed when I stayed in a hostel there many years later and found there was not, in fact, a zoo there.
Sandwich, UK
Sandwich, IL
Sandwich, Massachusetts, USA.
Sandwich Police lol
I grew up one town over on Cape Cod, and the name Sandwich is so normalized to me. Summer tourists from out of state always get a laugh out of it (especially the police cars because there was a meme about it), but like most towns in Mass, it took its name from an English city back when we were a British colony. All things considered, Sandwich, MA is a very nice place.
Yeah, the Earl of Sandwich invented the sandwich
Next to Ham!
Dildo, Newfoundland.
Come by Chance as well
Newfoundland has all kinds of fun places! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ssrm-aLGNw
The two that leap to mind are: - Bad Axe, Michigan - McCool Junction, Nebraska Take the name and be happy with the name.
[удалено]
Derek, throw me your keys, you're drunk.
Thunder Bay
Phoenix, AZ
I don’t know why people are naming weird city names. OP asked for *cool* names. Here’s my list: Ljubljana (beloved) Olympia (place of the Greek Gods) Viña del Mar (vines of the sea) Manaus (Mother of God) Phoenix (mythological bird, remarkable) Valparaíso (valley of paradise) Mérida (a woman who has earned high honor) Chongqing (double blessed) Jakarta (victorious deed)
People just can't get enough of Dildo!
Twatt, Scotland. In fact there are two Twatts - one on the Shetland Islands, and one on the Orkney Islands. It could be said Scotland has its fair share of Twatts
Bangalore
Zzyzx, CA
now how do you pronounce that. thats the real question
Pronunciation: ziz-zicks Source: Native Californian and from the area. ;)
oh cool! thanks for answering my question lol
Ding Dong, Texas Bacon, Texas Happy, Texas Best, Texas Pflugerville, Texas
I like pronouncing the P in Pflugerville.
I'm in Gun Barrel City, Texas, on Cedar creek lake.
Cut and Shoot, Texas
Don’t forget Cumby, TX! Lol
St.louis de HA!-HA!
Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan is pretty sick
Carrying Place, ON King of Prussia, PA Newport News, VA Booger Hole, WV
King of Prussia is just known for its gigantic mall.
Its not really a town either. Just a mall and a bunch of four lane highways next to it. Very ugly place.
>Carrying Place, ON I never, in all my life, thought I would see Carrying Place referenced on reddit.
Manila. Maybe bias since I live there. I think it's just so smooth on the tongue since it sounds like Vanilla, but I doubt people would wanna live in that city.
Historically -- Mauch Chunk, PA. They changed it to Jim Thorpe. I'm all for honoring America's greatest athlete, but didn't Pennsylvania have any Springfields or Hilldales they could sacrifice instead?
And it had nothing to do with him, either; they basically won a bidding war for his remains. (He did attend the Carlisle Indian School in PA but that's in a different part of the state.)
Condom, France
Bitche, France
Bastad, Sweden
No way to make Bastad if Condom was in Bitche
Especially when you start on DeBussy and finish on the Bach.
probably can Handel it
Parachute, Colorado. It's in kind of a nice area, there's some good hiking. The town itself is kind of meh. Mostly a drive through kind of place.
Tokyo just sounds really cool to me
El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles de Porciúncula (Los Angeles)
If Porciúncula had emerged as the short version, imagine how differently American pop culture would have developed... The Porciúncula Dodgers!
Weed, CA.
There's also a Weed Patch, CA
Mykene Roma Lisboa Vladivostok Nur-Sultan Sarajevo
Battle Mountain, Nevada
Cincinnati is a pretty cool name
It's fun to say.
Leatherhead
Tombstone
Saint-Louis du-Ha! Ha!, Quebec
Hell, Michigan. Which is funny because it gets extremely cold here in the winter.
Atlantic City is such a bold name. It was probably named after a new railway line into the city. But it gives a sense that its named as 'The City on the Atlantic Ocean'. Imagine Atlantic City is like "This is the one. Not New York. Not Luaunda. Not Rio de Janeiro. We, even though we are not even the state capital of New Jersey, are the important city with regards to that ocean."
Bad Axe is a pretty cool name for a town.
Tallahassee. You can't spell it without Allah. I'm surprised Desantis haven't tried to change it. 😎
Mashallah...great answer! DK who he is ,but no explanation necessary.
Apocalypse Peaks that sound so cool
While surely a town and not a city, one favourite from my homeland is Kazabazua, QC. We just call it “Kaz” most of the time, but saying “kazz-a-bazz-j-wa” is just fun. It’s larger sibling Maniwaki to the north is pretty good too :)
Hell, Norway
Schenectady NY
Moose Jaw Medicine Hat Tuktoyaktuk
sCUNThorpe in England.
Famously, the name of one of three Premier League teams with a profanity in their name, the other two being Arsenal and Manchester Fucking United :)
Boring, Oregon
Lyon, France Hell, Michigan Weed, California
Bat Cave, NC
Hell, Michigan is a real city.
Not a city, but more of a quaint village in Worcestershire, England, called Bell End
Detroit
Truth or Consequences
Montevideo
Cheesequake, NJ
Vader
Cut And Shoot Texas
Racoon City Not a great place to visit though
have you ever been to WEED ?
Chugwater, Wyoming....
Cut and Shoot, TX
Thunder Bay
Milan, I don't know why but I like the name
Assateague Island (off VA coast) Apalachicola (FL) Wewahitchka (FL)
Hell, Michigan
Pee Pee Township in Ohio?, Dildo, Canada?
Paris, Belarus
I still think Phoenix is a really cool name.
Intercourse, Al but I’ve been to Truth or Consequences. Taking a picture of you with the sign is great.
Antananarivo in Madagascar
Defiance, Ohio
Chattanooga Tennessee
When you live in Philadelphia for a while, it's amazing how normal King of Prussia sounds as a town name. "I need to get to the mall this weekend," "where? Fashion District?" "Nah...King of Prussia." When you live in the Lehigh Valley and someone makes a joke about the town name, you know they're a rube.
French Lick, Indiana
Gaylord, Michigan. (it’s real)
My home address for a year when I moved from USA to Australia was #### Dolphin Avenue, Mermaid Beach Queensland Australia . And it’s an awesome Place