<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> City<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 6,614<br/></p><p>Having a famous and beloved father may get some people a city named after them. Kermit, a city of about 6,600 people in eastern Texas, was named after Theodore Roosevelt’s son, Kermit Roosevelt. Kermit Roosevelt was frequently hunting in the area. The city has a Kermit the Frog-decorated water tower.<br/></p><p><strong><a style="color: #008000" href="http://247wallst.com/special-report/2017/11/06/the-longest-city-name-in-every-state/?utm_source=tribune&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tribune&utm_content=the-longest-city-name-in-every-state&wsrlui=88458227">ALSO READ: The Longest City Name in Every State</a></strong></p>

Municipal status: City
Population: 6,614

Having a famous and beloved father may get some people a city named after them. Kermit, a city of about 6,600 people in eastern Texas, was named after Theodore Roosevelt’s son, Kermit Roosevelt. Kermit Roosevelt was frequently hunting in the area. The city has a Kermit the Frog-decorated water tower.

ALSO READ: The Longest City Name in Every State

(Howdy from Kermit! (CC BY 2.0) by Matthew Rutledge)

43 of the strangest town names in America

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There are no rules for naming towns. Some are christened, reasonably enough, after their founders or a defining geographical feature. Others have monikers based on other languages or they may pay homage to religious figures. And then there are some places whose names seem completely random, with those naming the towns likely succumbing to boredom, silliness, or simply impatience.

<p>These town names often have intricate -- sometimes amusing, sometimes unlikely -- origin stories. While some names are funny, others are just plain strange. Of course, "strange" is a matter of opinion. <br/></p><p>24/7 Tempo attempted to identify the strangest in each state. Our editors chose the names often because they are just different. Other times, names were chosen because of their odd history or because they're hard to say -- <a href="https://247wallst.com/special-report/2019/08/21/most-americans-will-struggle-to-pronounce-these-50-town-names/?utm_source=tribune&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tribune&utm_content=most-americans-will-struggle-to-pronounce-these-50-town-names&wsrlui=88458221">here are 50 town names most Americans will struggle to pronounce. </a></p>

These town names often have intricate -- sometimes amusing, sometimes unlikely -- origin stories. While some names are funny, others are just plain strange. Of course, "strange" is a matter of opinion. 

24/7 Tempo attempted to identify the strangest in each state. Our editors chose the names often because they are just different. Other times, names were chosen because of their odd history or because they're hard to say -- here are 50 town names most Americans will struggle to pronounce. 

(The City Hall of Cut and Shoot, Texas (CC BY-SA 3.0) by DoyleWelborn)

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Accident, Maryland

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Town<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 244<br/></p><p>In 1786, when land speculator William Deakins, Jr., was granted the patent, or official land grant, to the tract where this town now stands, he called it “Accident.” According to local lore, this was because he and another speculator, Brooke Beall, had accidentally surveyed the same tract simultaneously.</p>

Municipal status: Town
Population: 244

In 1786, when land speculator William Deakins, Jr., was granted the patent, or official land grant, to the tract where this town now stands, he called it “Accident.” According to local lore, this was because he and another speculator, Brooke Beall, had accidentally surveyed the same tract simultaneously.

(Accident, Maryland (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Doug Kerr)

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Arab, Alabama

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> City<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 8,234<br/></p><p>The city of Arab (pronounced “ey-rab”) has no Middle Eastern connections. It got its name through a typographical error. After a village grew up around mid-19th-century settler Stephen Tuttle Thompson’s farm, Thompson asked the federal government to open a local post office. He offered three possible names for it: Ink, Blue Bird, and Arad, the last of these for his son Ranson Arad Thompson. Whoever processed the application chose Arad — but misspelled it “Arab,” and the name stuck.<br/></p><p><strong><a style="color: #008000" href="https://247wallst.com/special-report/2019/03/21/the-least-common-town-names-in-the-us-2/?utm_source=tribune&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tribune&utm_content=the-least-common-town-names-in-the-us-2&wsrlui=88458222">ALSO READ: The Least Common Town Names in the US</a></strong></p>

Municipal status: City
Population: 8,234

The city of Arab (pronounced “ey-rab”) has no Middle Eastern connections. It got its name through a typographical error. After a village grew up around mid-19th-century settler Stephen Tuttle Thompson’s farm, Thompson asked the federal government to open a local post office. He offered three possible names for it: Ink, Blue Bird, and Arad, the last of these for his son Ranson Arad Thompson. Whoever processed the application chose Arad — but misspelled it “Arab,” and the name stuck.

ALSO READ: The Least Common Town Names in the US

(Sunset in arab alabama-before the super blue blood moon (CC BY 2.0) by cynthia collins)

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Bad Axe, Michigan

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> City<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 2,980<br/></p><p>Planning the first state road through Michigan’s Huron County in the early 1860s, surveyors Rudolph Papst and George Willis Pack established a camp site where the city is now. They called it “Bad Axe Camp,” after an old axe they found there. They used the name both in their record of their journey and on a sign on the trail. By the time Papst returned to the area following the Civil War, the name “Bad Axe” was being used officially on local maps.</p>

Municipal status: City
Population: 2,980

Planning the first state road through Michigan’s Huron County in the early 1860s, surveyors Rudolph Papst and George Willis Pack established a camp site where the city is now. They called it “Bad Axe Camp,” after an old axe they found there. They used the name both in their record of their journey and on a sign on the trail. By the time Papst returned to the area following the Civil War, the name “Bad Axe” was being used officially on local maps.

(Bad Axe 1953 (CC BY 2.0) by Martin J. Hogan)

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Bald Knob, Arkansas

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> City<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 2,891<br/></p><p>Local legend maintains that Spanish explorer and conquistador Hernando de Soto was the first to describe the immense rock outcropping above the site of this city as a “bald knob” (though presumably in Spanish). One of the community’s founders, Benjamin Franklin Brown, posted a sign reading “Bald Knob” along the railroad tracks in the early 1870s. Beginning in 1877, the layered stone knob itself was quarried for railroad ballast. The following year, Bald Knob got its first post office, firmly establishing the name.<br/></p><p><strong><a style="color: #008000" href="https://247wallst.com/special-report/2019/03/26/oldest-historic-town-in-every-state-2/?utm_source=tribune&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tribune&utm_content=oldest-historic-town-in-every-state-2&wsrlui=88458223">ALSO READ: Oldest Historic Town in Every State</a></strong></p>

Municipal status: City
Population: 2,891

Local legend maintains that Spanish explorer and conquistador Hernando de Soto was the first to describe the immense rock outcropping above the site of this city as a “bald knob” (though presumably in Spanish). One of the community’s founders, Benjamin Franklin Brown, posted a sign reading “Bald Knob” along the railroad tracks in the early 1870s. Beginning in 1877, the layered stone knob itself was quarried for railroad ballast. The following year, Bald Knob got its first post office, firmly establishing the name.

ALSO READ: Oldest Historic Town in Every State

(Marine2844 / Getty Images)

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Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Town<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 1,462<br/></p><p>The town, founded by William John Howey, was incorporated as Howey in 1925. It got its new name two years later to reflect the rolling hills and lakes, which Howey nicknamed "the Florida Alps.”</p>

Municipal status: Town
Population: 1,462

The town, founded by William John Howey, was incorporated as Howey in 1925. It got its new name two years later to reflect the rolling hills and lakes, which Howey nicknamed "the Florida Alps.”

(Howeyhouse01 (CC BY 2.5) by Ebyabe)

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Bear, Delaware

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Census designated place<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 21,362<br/></p><p>A Colonial-era tavern called The Bear, located somewhere in the area, lent its name to this community. George Washington is said to have stopped at the tavern, which shut down in 1845 and was later torn down. Its name survived on the local railroad station and then the post office.</p>

Municipal status: Census designated place
Population: 21,362

A Colonial-era tavern called The Bear, located somewhere in the area, lent its name to this community. George Washington is said to have stopped at the tavern, which shut down in 1845 and was later torn down. Its name survived on the local railroad station and then the post office.

(WHITE HALL, BEAR, NORTHERN NEW CASTLE COUNTY, DE (CC BY-SA 4.0) by JERRYE &amp ROY KLOTZ, M.D.)

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Bird-in-hand, Pennsylvania

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Census designated place<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 508<br/></p><p>A popular theory about Bird-in-Hand’s name origin has to do with inns. In the early 18th century, the people visiting the area spoke various languages, so locals named their inns after images everyone could understand. One such image was a hand holding a bird. At the time, communities that grew around inns often took the name of the inn because it was the most recognizable place in the area.</p>

Municipal status: Census designated place
Population: 508

A popular theory about Bird-in-Hand’s name origin has to do with inns. In the early 18th century, the people visiting the area spoke various languages, so locals named their inns after images everyone could understand. One such image was a hand holding a bird. At the time, communities that grew around inns often took the name of the inn because it was the most recognizable place in the area.

(KenWiedemann / Getty Images)

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Boring, Oregon

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Unincorporated<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 8,000<br/></p><p>Stifle that yawn. The community of Boring — originally Boring Junction — was named for Civil War veteran William Harrison Boring, who donated the land for its first schoolhouse and lent his name to the local hotel and Grange chapter, among other things.</p><p><strong><a style="color: #008000" href="https://247wallst.com/special-report/2020/06/29/103-american-towns-founded-before-the-american-revolution/?utm_source=tribune&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tribune&utm_content=103-american-towns-founded-before-the-american-revolution&wsrlui=88458224">ALSO READ: 102 American Towns Founded Before the American Revolution</a></strong></p>

Municipal status: Unincorporated
Population: 8,000

Stifle that yawn. The community of Boring — originally Boring Junction — was named for Civil War veteran William Harrison Boring, who donated the land for its first schoolhouse and lent his name to the local hotel and Grange chapter, among other things.

ALSO READ: 102 American Towns Founded Before the American Revolution

(Boring, Oregon, US (CC BY 2.0) by incommunicado)

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Cal-Nev-Ari, Nevada

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Census designated place<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 119<br/></p><p>This site was originally known as Stage Field and was an airfield for World War II army training center Camp Ibis. After the camp was closed, an airport operator, Slim Kidwell, flew over the area and thought it had development possibilities. He and his wife, Nancy, took possession of the property in 1965, naming it in recognition of its home state and its proximity to the California and Arizona borders. They built an airstrip, casino, motel, restaurant, and bar, among other features.</p>

Municipal status: Census designated place
Population: 119

This site was originally known as Stage Field and was an airfield for World War II army training center Camp Ibis. After the camp was closed, an airport operator, Slim Kidwell, flew over the area and thought it had development possibilities. He and his wife, Nancy, took possession of the property in 1965, naming it in recognition of its home state and its proximity to the California and Arizona borders. They built an airstrip, casino, motel, restaurant, and bar, among other features.

(Cal-Nev-Ari, Nevada (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Ken Lund)

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Chunky, Mississippi

<p><strong>Municipal status: </strong>Town<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 415<br/></p><p>Chunkyville was village established before 1848 on the site of a former Choctaw settlement called Chanki Chitto. In 1861, after it was announced that planned railroad tracks would pass several miles north of the village, most of its citizens moved close to where it would pass and called their new town simply Chunky.<br/></p><p><strong><a style="color: #008000" href="https://247wallst.com/special-report/2018/11/02/30-american-ghost-towns-3/?utm_source=tribune&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tribune&utm_content=30-american-ghost-towns-3&wsrlui=88458225">ALSO READ: 30 American Ghost Towns</a></strong></p>

Municipal status: Town
Population: 415

Chunkyville was village established before 1848 on the site of a former Choctaw settlement called Chanki Chitto. In 1861, after it was announced that planned railroad tracks would pass several miles north of the village, most of its citizens moved close to where it would pass and called their new town simply Chunky.

ALSO READ: 30 American Ghost Towns

(Hayride (CC BY 2.0) by James Case)

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Qui-nai-elt Village, Washington

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Census-designated place<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 59<br/></p><p>The community of Qui-nai-elt is located in the southwestern part of the Quinault Indian Nation, roughly 3 miles from the Pacific Ocean. About 97% of the area's population identifies as Native American. The name “Quinault” has been anglicized from “kʷínayɬ,” which was the name of a village on the Quinault River, now called Taholah.</p>

Municipal status: Census-designated place
Population: 59

The community of Qui-nai-elt is located in the southwestern part of the Quinault Indian Nation, roughly 3 miles from the Pacific Ocean. About 97% of the area's population identifies as Native American. The name “Quinault” has been anglicized from “kʷínayɬ,” which was the name of a village on the Quinault River, now called Taholah.

(U.S. National Archives and Records Administration)

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Cucumber, West Virginia

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Census designated place<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 65<br/></p><p>This community takes its name not from the familiar vegetable, but either from the so-called cucumber tree (sometimes written cucumbertree), <em>Magnolia acuminata</em>, which grows in the region, or from Cucumber Creek — itself likely named for the tree.<br/></p><p><strong><a style="color: #008000" href="https://247wallst.com/special-report/2019/03/21/the-least-common-town-names-in-the-us-2/?utm_source=tribune&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tribune&utm_content=the-least-common-town-names-in-the-us-2&wsrlui=88458226">ALSO READ: The Least Common Town Names in the US</a></strong></p>

Municipal status: Census designated place
Population: 65

This community takes its name not from the familiar vegetable, but either from the so-called cucumber tree (sometimes written cucumbertree), Magnolia acuminata, which grows in the region, or from Cucumber Creek — itself likely named for the tree.

ALSO READ: The Least Common Town Names in the US

(Cucumber WV post office (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Coal town guy)

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Cut and Shoot, Texas

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> City<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 1,313<br/></p><p>Local legend has it that the name of this city derives from a disagreement in 1912 at the local church, with churchgoers arguing over land claims, or steeple design, or who the preacher should be. Whatever the source of the dispute, a small boy at the scene is said to have announced his annoyance with the goings-on by saying “I’m going to cut around the corner and shoot through the bushes in a minute.” Exactly when locals decided to name their settlement after the statement is not recorded.</p>

Municipal status: City
Population: 1,313

Local legend has it that the name of this city derives from a disagreement in 1912 at the local church, with churchgoers arguing over land claims, or steeple design, or who the preacher should be. Whatever the source of the dispute, a small boy at the scene is said to have announced his annoyance with the goings-on by saying “I’m going to cut around the corner and shoot through the bushes in a minute.” Exactly when locals decided to name their settlement after the statement is not recorded.

(The City Hall of Cut and Shoot, Texas (CC BY-SA 3.0) by DoyleWelborn)

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Kermit, Texas

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> City<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 6,614<br/></p><p>Having a famous and beloved father may get some people a city named after them. Kermit, a city of about 6,600 people in eastern Texas, was named after Theodore Roosevelt’s son, Kermit Roosevelt. Kermit Roosevelt was frequently hunting in the area. The city has a Kermit the Frog-decorated water tower.<br/></p><p><strong><a style="color: #008000" href="http://247wallst.com/special-report/2017/11/06/the-longest-city-name-in-every-state/?utm_source=tribune&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tribune&utm_content=the-longest-city-name-in-every-state&wsrlui=88458227">ALSO READ: The Longest City Name in Every State</a></strong></p>

Municipal status: City
Population: 6,614

Having a famous and beloved father may get some people a city named after them. Kermit, a city of about 6,600 people in eastern Texas, was named after Theodore Roosevelt’s son, Kermit Roosevelt. Kermit Roosevelt was frequently hunting in the area. The city has a Kermit the Frog-decorated water tower.

ALSO READ: The Longest City Name in Every State

(Howdy from Kermit! (CC BY 2.0) by Matthew Rutledge)

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Dry Prong, Louisiana

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Village<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 502<br/></p><p>A prong, which we usually think of as the tine of a fork or part of an electrical plug, can also be one arm of a forked river. This village most likely takes its name from a creek that powered the local sawmill most of the year but dried up every summer.</p>

Municipal status: Village
Population: 502

A prong, which we usually think of as the tine of a fork or part of an electrical plug, can also be one arm of a forked river. This village most likely takes its name from a creek that powered the local sawmill most of the year but dried up every summer.

(Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons)

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Eek, Alaska

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> City<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 491<br/></p><p>Eek’s name may suggest the sound a frightened person makes, but it’s actually an anglicized corruption of the locality’s Central Yup’ik name, Ekvicuaq — literally "little cliff."<br/></p><p><strong><a style="color: #008000" href="https://247wallst.com/special-report/2019/03/26/oldest-historic-town-in-every-state-2/?utm_source=tribune&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tribune&utm_content=oldest-historic-town-in-every-state-2&wsrlui=88458228">ALSO READ: Oldest Historic Town in Every State</a></strong></p>

Municipal status: City
Population: 491

Eek’s name may suggest the sound a frightened person makes, but it’s actually an anglicized corruption of the locality’s Central Yup’ik name, Ekvicuaq — literally "little cliff."

ALSO READ: Oldest Historic Town in Every State

(Eek, AK from a bush plane (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Porkypinekiwi)

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Embarrass, Wisconsin

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Village<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 548<br/></p><p>The French verb embarrasser can mean “to hamper,” “to stop,” or “to embangle [entangle].” The word is said to have been attached to this place by French-Canadian lumberjacks who found the nearby river almost impassable.</p>

Municipal status: Village
Population: 548

The French verb embarrasser can mean “to hamper,” “to stop,” or “to embangle [entangle].” The word is said to have been attached to this place by French-Canadian lumberjacks who found the nearby river almost impassable.

(Embarrass, WI (CC BY 2.0) by Corey Taratuta)

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Zap, North Dakota

<p><strong>Municipal status: </strong>City<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 157<br/></p><p>One version of the history of the city's name is accepted as true. The city had a coal mine at the edge of town, and the official in charge of naming new areas at the time knew of a town with coal mines in Scotland that was named Zapp. So it only made sense to him to name the city with the same name, dropping one “p” as a way of Americanizing it.<br/></p><p><strong><a style="color: #008000" href="https://247wallst.com/special-report/2019/03/19/the-most-common-town-names-in-the-us/?utm_source=tribune&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tribune&utm_content=the-most-common-town-names-in-the-us&wsrlui=88458229">ALSO READ: The Most Common Town Names in the US</a></strong></p>

Municipal status: City
Population: 157

One version of the history of the city's name is accepted as true. The city had a coal mine at the edge of town, and the official in charge of naming new areas at the time knew of a town with coal mines in Scotland that was named Zapp. So it only made sense to him to name the city with the same name, dropping one “p” as a way of Americanizing it.

ALSO READ: The Most Common Town Names in the US

(Zap, North Dakota (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Andrew Filer)

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Foot of Ten, Pennsylvania

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Census designated place<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 715<br/></p><p>This community takes its name from its position at the base of the Number 10 plane (or incline) of the historic Allegheny Portage Railroad. The railroad was part of the network of canals and railways that made up the Pennsylvania Main Line of Public Works, which connected Philadelphia and Pittsburgh for much of the 19th century.</p>

Municipal status: Census designated place
Population: 715

This community takes its name from its position at the base of the Number 10 plane (or incline) of the historic Allegheny Portage Railroad. The railroad was part of the network of canals and railways that made up the Pennsylvania Main Line of Public Works, which connected Philadelphia and Pittsburgh for much of the 19th century.

(Pubdog / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

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Gas, Kansas

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> City<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 488<br/></p><p>In 1893, drillers discovered natural gas deposits here, which were described by Gas founder E. K. Taylor in local newspaper the Iola Register as “[N]atural Resources that will erect and maintain a City as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar.” Taylor planned the town, which he dubbed Gas City, and started selling residential and business lots in 1898. When he applied for a post office the following year, postal authorities asked him to drop “City” from the name, which he did.</p>

Municipal status: City
Population: 488

In 1893, drillers discovered natural gas deposits here, which were described by Gas founder E. K. Taylor in local newspaper the Iola Register as “[N]atural Resources that will erect and maintain a City as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar.” Taylor planned the town, which he dubbed Gas City, and started selling residential and business lots in 1898. When he applied for a post office the following year, postal authorities asked him to drop “City” from the name, which he did.

(Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons)

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Hideout, Utah

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Town<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 1,123<br/></p><p>Hideout is a new town, established only in 2008. It’s named for an old landmark nearby, Hideout Canyon, which was called that because it was a popular hideout for rustlers and other outlaws in earlier days.<br/></p><p><strong><a style="color: #008000" href="http://247wallst.com/special-report/2017/11/06/the-longest-city-name-in-every-state/?utm_source=tribune&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tribune&utm_content=the-longest-city-name-in-every-state&wsrlui=884582210">ALSO READ: The Longest City Name in Every State</a></strong></p>

Municipal status: Town
Population: 1,123

Hideout is a new town, established only in 2008. It’s named for an old landmark nearby, Hideout Canyon, which was called that because it was a popular hideout for rustlers and other outlaws in earlier days.

ALSO READ: The Longest City Name in Every State

(Hideout Town Hall (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Localdistrict)

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Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Borough<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 4,101<br/></p><p>Where this New Jersey borough gets its name is a matter of some dispute. One theory links it to early Dutch settlers, who may have commented on its hoge eiken (hoge aukers, according to some versions), or high oak trees. More likely, it is a Native American term describing some feature of the local topography, flora, or fauna — possibly a Delaware word usually rendered as "mehokhokus," meaning “red cedar.”</p>

Municipal status: Borough
Population: 4,101

Where this New Jersey borough gets its name is a matter of some dispute. One theory links it to early Dutch settlers, who may have commented on its hoge eiken (hoge aukers, according to some versions), or high oak trees. More likely, it is a Native American term describing some feature of the local topography, flora, or fauna — possibly a Delaware word usually rendered as "mehokhokus," meaning “red cedar.”

(Hermitage-rear (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Dmadeo)

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Hungry Horse, Montana

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Census designated place<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 575<br/></p><p>Hungry Horse and the nearby Hungry Horse Dam were named for two draft horses who got lost in the snow in the winter of 1900-01 and were found weak and starving a month later. They were nursed back to health.<br/></p><p><strong><a style="color: #008000" href="https://247wallst.com/special-report/2020/06/29/103-american-towns-founded-before-the-american-revolution/?utm_source=tribune&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tribune&utm_content=103-american-towns-founded-before-the-american-revolution&wsrlui=884582211">ALSO READ: 102 American Towns Founded Before the American Revolution</a></strong></p>

Municipal status: Census designated place
Population: 575

Hungry Horse and the nearby Hungry Horse Dam were named for two draft horses who got lost in the snow in the winter of 1900-01 and were found weak and starving a month later. They were nursed back to health.

ALSO READ: 102 American Towns Founded Before the American Revolution

(Hungry Horse Volunteer Fire Department (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Royalbroil)

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Jot 'Em Down, Texas

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Unincorporated<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 10<br/></p><p>This unincorporated community has also been known at various times as Mohegan, Muddig Prairie, and Bagley. Jot Em Down (or Jot ‘Em Down, or Jot-Em-Down) is a reference to the store in the old “Lum & Abner” radio comedy series. A local resident, Dion McDonald, opened a real store in town in 1936 and gave it that name, and the town later adopted it.</p>

Municipal status: Unincorporated
Population: 10

This unincorporated community has also been known at various times as Mohegan, Muddig Prairie, and Bagley. Jot Em Down (or Jot ‘Em Down, or Jot-Em-Down) is a reference to the store in the old “Lum & Abner” radio comedy series. A local resident, Dion McDonald, opened a real store in town in 1936 and gave it that name, and the town later adopted it.

(Cooper October 2015 1 (Delta County Courthouse) (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Michael Barera)

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Likely, California

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Census designated place<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 12<br/></p><p>In 1878, locals were asked to find a new name for their post office, after the Post Office Department rejected its old name, South Fork. They suggested three alternatives, each of which was turned down because they duplicated names of other post offices elsewhere in California. When somebody remarked that they would likely never find a name, somebody else supposedly spoke up and said, “It is not likely that there will be another post office in the state called ‘Likely.'” They submitted that, and it was accepted.<br/></p><p><strong><a style="color: #008000" href="https://247wallst.com/special-report/2018/11/02/30-american-ghost-towns-3/?utm_source=tribune&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tribune&utm_content=30-american-ghost-towns-3&wsrlui=884582212">ALSO READ: 30 American Ghost Towns</a></strong></p>

Municipal status: Census designated place
Population: 12

In 1878, locals were asked to find a new name for their post office, after the Post Office Department rejected its old name, South Fork. They suggested three alternatives, each of which was turned down because they duplicated names of other post offices elsewhere in California. When somebody remarked that they would likely never find a name, somebody else supposedly spoke up and said, “It is not likely that there will be another post office in the state called ‘Likely.'” They submitted that, and it was accepted.

ALSO READ: 30 American Ghost Towns

(Likely CA (CC BY 2.0) by Bruce Fingerhood)

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Mexican Hat, Utah

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Census designated place<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 11<br/></p><p>Founded by an oil speculator in 1908, this community is named for a rock formation about two-and-a-half miles to the northeast that is thought to resemble, from certain angles, a sombrero — a Mexican hat.</p>

Municipal status: Census designated place
Population: 11

Founded by an oil speculator in 1908, this community is named for a rock formation about two-and-a-half miles to the northeast that is thought to resemble, from certain angles, a sombrero — a Mexican hat.

(Mexican Hat Lodge (CC BY 2.0) by Tony Peters)

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Coward, South Carolina

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Town<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 711<br/></p><p>It's likely not easy for town residents to say where they're from, and many amusing moments can ensue. The reality is more straightforward. The town was most likely named after the prominent Coward family, which lived in the county.</p>

Municipal status: Town
Population: 711

It's likely not easy for town residents to say where they're from, and many amusing moments can ensue. The reality is more straightforward. The town was most likely named after the prominent Coward family, which lived in the county.

(Courtesy of Florence County)

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Normal, Illinois

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Town<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 54,808<br/></p><p>There’s a joke that this town, originally called North Bloomington, was named for its supposed founder, Abner Normal, known as Ab (get it?). In reality, it was named that because the new state university opened there in 1861 was described as a normal school (an old name for a teachers college).<br/></p><p><strong><a style="color: #008000" href="https://247wallst.com/special-report/2019/03/26/oldest-historic-town-in-every-state-2/?utm_source=tribune&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tribune&utm_content=oldest-historic-town-in-every-state-2&wsrlui=884582213">ALSO READ: Oldest Historic Town in Every State</a></strong></p>

Municipal status: Town
Population: 54,808

There’s a joke that this town, originally called North Bloomington, was named for its supposed founder, Abner Normal, known as Ab (get it?). In reality, it was named that because the new state university opened there in 1861 was described as a normal school (an old name for a teachers college).

ALSO READ: Oldest Historic Town in Every State

(Storm over Normal (CC BY 2.0) by Ross Griff)

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Box, Oklahoma

<p><strong> Municipal status:</strong> Census-designated place<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 187</p>

Municipal status: Census-designated place
Population: 187

(Image courtesy of Rachel J. via Yelp)

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So-Hi, Arizona

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Census designated place<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 216<br/></p><p>So-Hi is another fascinating name of a community in the Grand Canyon State. Geographically, it’s not at a very high elevation -- 3,740 feet. And there's no indication that the name has anything to do with smoking weed either. The name's origin remains a mystery.<br/></p><p><strong><a style="color: #008000" href="https://247wallst.com/special-report/2019/03/19/the-most-common-town-names-in-the-us/?utm_source=tribune&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tribune&utm_content=the-most-common-town-names-in-the-us&wsrlui=884582214">ALSO READ: The Most Common Town Names in the US</a></strong></p>

Municipal status: Census designated place
Population: 216

So-Hi is another fascinating name of a community in the Grand Canyon State. Geographically, it’s not at a very high elevation -- 3,740 feet. And there's no indication that the name has anything to do with smoking weed either. The name's origin remains a mystery.

ALSO READ: The Most Common Town Names in the US

(Image courtesy of Bill N. via Yelp)

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Parachute, Colorado

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Town<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 1,242<br/></p><p>Parachute was so named, it is said, either for the shape of an adjacent creek (called Parachute Creek) or because hunters on the cliffs above the site used to say they need a parachute to get down there.</p>

Municipal status: Town
Population: 1,242

Parachute was so named, it is said, either for the shape of an adjacent creek (called Parachute Creek) or because hunters on the cliffs above the site used to say they need a parachute to get down there.

(Parachute, Colorado (CC BY 3.0) by Jeffrey Beall)

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Peculiar, Missouri

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> City<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 5,006<br/></p><p>This is one of many naming stories that has to do with what was then the U.S. Post Office Department. According to an account written in 1899, the citizenry applied for a post office to be established in their community. They suggested the name Excelsior, but were told that there was already an Excelsior elsewhere in Missouri. They tried again with other names and received the same reply. Frustrated, they asked the department to give them some “peculiar” name (writing the word in quotation marks). Back came a commission calling the post office exactly that, with no further explanation.</p>

Municipal status: City
Population: 5,006

This is one of many naming stories that has to do with what was then the U.S. Post Office Department. According to an account written in 1899, the citizenry applied for a post office to be established in their community. They suggested the name Excelsior, but were told that there was already an Excelsior elsewhere in Missouri. They tried again with other names and received the same reply. Frustrated, they asked the department to give them some “peculiar” name (writing the word in quotation marks). Back came a commission calling the post office exactly that, with no further explanation.

(Peculiar sign, Peculiar Missouri 7-2-2007 (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Marshall Astor)

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Pillow, Pennsylvania

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Borough<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 256<br/></p><p>The borough of Pillow was founded in 1818 by land developer John Snyder. Curiously, it was originally called Schneidershtettle — apparently a Germanicized version of his name, attached to a version of the Yiddish word for a small Jewish village. In 1864, it was incorporated as Uniontown, but as there was another Uniontown in the state, the post office was renamed Pillow, and the town officially took the name in 1965. According to the Pillow Historical Society, this was apparently in honor of the infamous Brigadier General Gideon Johnson Pillow, who was nearly court-martialed for taking false credit for victories in the Mexican-American War, and later, as a Confederate officer during the Civil War, was accused of hiding behind a tree during an important battle. His connection to Pennsylvania is not clear.<br/></p><p><strong><a style="color: #008000" href="https://247wallst.com/special-report/2020/06/29/103-american-towns-founded-before-the-american-revolution/?utm_source=tribune&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tribune&utm_content=103-american-towns-founded-before-the-american-revolution&wsrlui=884582215">ALSO READ: 102 American Towns Founded Before the American Revolution</a></strong></p>

Municipal status: Borough
Population: 256

The borough of Pillow was founded in 1818 by land developer John Snyder. Curiously, it was originally called Schneidershtettle — apparently a Germanicized version of his name, attached to a version of the Yiddish word for a small Jewish village. In 1864, it was incorporated as Uniontown, but as there was another Uniontown in the state, the post office was renamed Pillow, and the town officially took the name in 1965. According to the Pillow Historical Society, this was apparently in honor of the infamous Brigadier General Gideon Johnson Pillow, who was nearly court-martialed for taking false credit for victories in the Mexican-American War, and later, as a Confederate officer during the Civil War, was accused of hiding behind a tree during an important battle. His connection to Pennsylvania is not clear.

ALSO READ: 102 American Towns Founded Before the American Revolution

(Market St, Pillow PA (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Shuvaev)

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Pinch, West Virginia

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Census designated place<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 2,554<br/></p><p>According to an account from 1945, Pinch was named for a creek called Pinch Gut. Gut is a synonym for creek, but there may have been a play on words involved here. According to one account, “white men, hunting here in pioneer times, were attacked by Indians; and so long were they besieged that they almost starved…” Thus, their guts were pinched.</p>

Municipal status: Census designated place
Population: 2,554

According to an account from 1945, Pinch was named for a creek called Pinch Gut. Gut is a synonym for creek, but there may have been a play on words involved here. According to one account, “white men, hunting here in pioneer times, were attacked by Indians; and so long were they besieged that they almost starved…” Thus, their guts were pinched.

(Interstate 77, Sissonville, West Virginia (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Ken Lund)

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Ship Bottom, New Jersey

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Borough<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 967<br/></p><p>This town on the Garden State’s Long Beach Island, incorporated in 1925, owes its name to an incident that took place offshore in 1817. According to local historian John Bailey Lloyd, a schooner piloted by one Stephen Willets came upon a ship that had overturned on the shoals. One of the schooner’s crew heard somebody tapping inside the upturned hull, and Willets chopped a hole in it with an axe, rescuing a young woman who had been trapped inside. The name of the wrecked ship was never discovered, but the locality was dubbed Ship Bottom. In 1925, the community joined with four neighboring towns to form the borough of Ship Bottom-Beach Arlington. In 1947, the second part of the name was dropped.<br/></p><p><strong><a style="color: #008000" href="https://247wallst.com/special-report/2018/11/02/30-american-ghost-towns-3/?utm_source=tribune&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tribune&utm_content=30-american-ghost-towns-3&wsrlui=884582216">ALSO READ: 30 American Ghost Towns</a></strong></p>

Municipal status: Borough
Population: 967

This town on the Garden State’s Long Beach Island, incorporated in 1925, owes its name to an incident that took place offshore in 1817. According to local historian John Bailey Lloyd, a schooner piloted by one Stephen Willets came upon a ship that had overturned on the shoals. One of the schooner’s crew heard somebody tapping inside the upturned hull, and Willets chopped a hole in it with an axe, rescuing a young woman who had been trapped inside. The name of the wrecked ship was never discovered, but the locality was dubbed Ship Bottom. In 1925, the community joined with four neighboring towns to form the borough of Ship Bottom-Beach Arlington. In 1947, the second part of the name was dropped.

ALSO READ: 30 American Ghost Towns

(Doms (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Daniel DAuria)

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Gross, Nebraska

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Village<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 9<br/></p><p>There's nothing disgusting about this small village in Boyd County, not far from the border with South Dakota. It was named after a couple who opened a store there, hoping to capitalize on the flow of people the promised railroad was going to bring. The railroad, however, was never built, and most people left within a few years.</p>

Municipal status: Village
Population: 9

There's nothing disgusting about this small village in Boyd County, not far from the border with South Dakota. It was named after a couple who opened a store there, hoping to capitalize on the flow of people the promised railroad was going to bring. The railroad, however, was never built, and most people left within a few years.

(Gross, Nebraska (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Andrew Filer)

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Seven Devils, North Carolina

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Town<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 304<br/></p><p>Incorporated in 1979, the town was named after, as one legend goes, seven brothers who had a reputation for being troublemakers. The version that's more widely accepted, however, is that the town has got its name from the nearby seven rocky hills that early settlers found difficult to pass.</p>

Municipal status: Town
Population: 304

Incorporated in 1979, the town was named after, as one legend goes, seven brothers who had a reputation for being troublemakers. The version that's more widely accepted, however, is that the town has got its name from the nearby seven rocky hills that early settlers found difficult to pass.

(Courtesy of Town of Seven Devils)

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Toad Suck, Arkansas

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Unincorporated<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 3,300 (est.)<br/></p><p>According to the Toad Suck website, this is the origin of the community’s name: Steamboats used to ply the Arkansas River, but when it temporarily grew too shallow, they’d tie up near a local tavern to await for passable conditions. Their crews apparently imbibed so freely that somebody cracked, “They suck on the bottle ‘til they swell up like toads.”<br/></p><p><strong><a style="color: #008000" href="http://247wallst.com/special-report/2017/11/06/the-longest-city-name-in-every-state/?utm_source=tribune&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tribune&utm_content=the-longest-city-name-in-every-state&wsrlui=884582217">ALSO READ: The Longest City Name in Every State</a></strong></p>

Municipal status: Unincorporated
Population: 3,300 (est.)

According to the Toad Suck website, this is the origin of the community’s name: Steamboats used to ply the Arkansas River, but when it temporarily grew too shallow, they’d tie up near a local tavern to await for passable conditions. Their crews apparently imbibed so freely that somebody cracked, “They suck on the bottle ‘til they swell up like toads.”

ALSO READ: The Longest City Name in Every State

(Toad Suck Arkansas (CC BY 2.0) by PunkToad)

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Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> City<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 5,968<br/></p><p>This spa city southwest of Albuquerque used to be called Hot Springs. In 1950, though, radio host Ralph Edwards, of the popular quiz program “Truth or Consequences,” had the idea of finding a town somewhere in America that would change its name to honor the show in celebration of its 10th anniversary. The New Mexico State Tourist Bureau heard of the idea and passed it along to the Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce. The city held an election to decide the matter and voted to become Truth or Consequences.</p>

Municipal status: City
Population: 5,968

This spa city southwest of Albuquerque used to be called Hot Springs. In 1950, though, radio host Ralph Edwards, of the popular quiz program “Truth or Consequences,” had the idea of finding a town somewhere in America that would change its name to honor the show in celebration of its 10th anniversary. The New Mexico State Tourist Bureau heard of the idea and passed it along to the Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce. The city held an election to decide the matter and voted to become Truth or Consequences.

(Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons)

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War, West Virginia

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> City<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 825<br/></p><p>War takes its name from War Creek, which in turn was named by local Indians for a battle that apparently occurred near its headwaters in 1788. Formerly called Miner’s City, War was incorporated under that name in 1920.<br/></p><p><strong><a style="color: #008000" href="https://247wallst.com/special-report/2019/03/26/oldest-historic-town-in-every-state-2/?utm_source=tribune&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tribune&utm_content=oldest-historic-town-in-every-state-2&wsrlui=884582218">ALSO READ: Oldest Historic Town in Every State</a></strong></p>

Municipal status: City
Population: 825

War takes its name from War Creek, which in turn was named by local Indians for a battle that apparently occurred near its headwaters in 1788. Formerly called Miner’s City, War was incorporated under that name in 1920.

ALSO READ: Oldest Historic Town in Every State

(2017-07-22 12 09 09 "Welcome to the City of War" sign along southbound West Virginia State Route 16 (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Famartin)

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What Cheer, Iowa

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> City<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 773<br/></p><p>There are several theories as to the origin of this city’s name. An account of railway-connected place names published in 1908 attributes it to a Scottish miner who discovered coal in the area and exclaimed “What cheer!” — an old English expression. Another possibility is that a 19th century store owner in what was then called Petersburg, knowing the expression, simply thought it would be a good name for the town’s first post office.</p>

Municipal status: City
Population: 773

There are several theories as to the origin of this city’s name. An account of railway-connected place names published in 1908 attributes it to a Scottish miner who discovered coal in the area and exclaimed “What cheer!” — an old English expression. Another possibility is that a 19th century store owner in what was then called Petersburg, knowing the expression, simply thought it would be a good name for the town’s first post office.

(What Cheer, Iowa - City of What Cheer - Water Tower (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Tony Webster)

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Why, Arizona

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Census designated place<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 151<br/></p><p>This town probably got its name from the simple fact that it was near the Y-shaped junction of two state highways. According to one of the community’s early settlers, though, it was inspired by people driving through who asked, “Why are you living way out here?”<br/></p><p><strong><a style="color: #008000" href="https://247wallst.com/special-report/2019/03/19/the-most-common-town-names-in-the-us/?utm_source=tribune&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tribune&utm_content=the-most-common-town-names-in-the-us&wsrlui=884582219">ALSO READ: The Most Common Town Names in the US</a></strong></p>

Municipal status: Census designated place
Population: 151

This town probably got its name from the simple fact that it was near the Y-shaped junction of two state highways. According to one of the community’s early settlers, though, it was inspired by people driving through who asked, “Why are you living way out here?”

ALSO READ: The Most Common Town Names in the US

(Why, Arizona (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Ken Lund)

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Whynot, North Carolina

<p><strong>Municipal status:</strong> Unincorporated<br/> <strong> Population:</strong> 228<br/></p><p>Whynot was founded in the 18th century by English and German immigrants. The story is that there was a long discussion about what to call the community, and finally somebody asked “Why not name it Why Not and then we can go home?”</p>

Municipal status: Unincorporated
Population: 228

Whynot was founded in the 18th century by English and German immigrants. The story is that there was a long discussion about what to call the community, and finally somebody asked “Why not name it Why Not and then we can go home?”

(Whynot General Store (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Jayron32)

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