Places with unusual names
Photo: Tiger8, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Whether they're unusually short, unusually long, sound like a naughty English word, or are just plain silly, places with unusual names can be fun destinations.
UnderstandBoth in English-speaking countries and elsewhere you can find places that have names that sound weird to English speakers.
See and doAll but the smallest destinations on the list usually have other attractions, but given that you are in a place with a funny or unusual name, why not take a photo of road, street and perhaps even business signs with the…
BuyIn some cases the place has indeed turned the name into a tourist attraction and therefore there are funny souvenirs you can buy, like the "Hell frozen over" postcards.
ConnectOften, these places offer a unique postmark for postcards, seasonal greetings from North Pole or love notes from Valentine. North Pole, Alaska has been known to sell "a letter from Santa" with the town's postmark.
RespectThe locals are probably tired of hearing jokes about the name of their city.
Africa
AsiaThe bird was named after the country, not the other way around. The official name of the country was changed in 2022 to avoid the embarrassment.
EuropeDubbed in various surveys and polls throughout the years as the "happiest country in the world", here you can find Lol-land and Fun-en, as well as many more towns we could have Listed.
Islands of the Atlantic Ocean
North AmericaAmerican cities and settlements often copy their name from other existing cities or even countries, so don't be surprised if your home town/country becomes the name of a U.S. city.
Oceania
South America
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Places with unusual names" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Tiger8, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons