Willing to go all the way, they also renamed many streets to things like Tyrannosaurus Trail or Antrodemus Alley. Originally called Artesia, the town changed its name in 1966 in an attempt to capitalize on its proximity to the Dinosaur National Monument. The boring reality: The town was named after colonel Francis Fries, a cotton mill owner who played a key role in the town’s establishment. My theory: At some point during the 19th century, children took over the local government and banished all vegetables in favor of an all-French-fries diet. It makes you think instantly of the word “placenta,” the fancy way to say “afterbirth” - the bloody tissue expelled after the baby is born and eaten by cats or Tom Cruise. The name originates from the Latin word for “pleasant,” but let’s be honest. This means that any American citizen could wake up tomorrow and be a resident of Game of Thrones or The Big Bang Theory. Hot Spring, NM promptly accepted the challenge and became Truth or Consequences. In 1950, popular NBC Radio host Ralph Edwards challenged American cities to rename themselves after his quiz show. Bluff, AlaskaĪlthough the origin of this town’s name remains unknown, my instinct tells me you don’t want to play poker against its inhabitants (who I assume are called Bluffers?). The boring reality: The name came from the presence of many carbonated water springs in the area surrounding the town. My theory: The town was founded by junk food extremists who somehow managed to replace all natural water sources with Coke springs, Pepsi waterfalls and Mountain View ponds. The boring reality: The town was named after Samuel Bangs, a printer during the Texas Revolution who was awarded with the land that later took his name. My theory: All 1,603 inhabitants of this Texan town are obliged by city law to wear a fringe of hair on their foreheads, regardless of their gender or degree of sympathy for Zooey Deschanel. ![]() All I’m going to do is list some of my favorites among the weirdest city names in the U.S. ![]() This is also why I can’t blame distracted Americans for living their lives in certain towns and cities while ignoring that they have very silly names. The weirdest city names become everyday vocabulary when you have them on speed dial. I also don’t burst into laughter every time I visit my friend’s house in Viottolo Peloso (literally, “furry alley”) or act shocked when my mother tells me she’s picking up groceries in Sesso (which, yes, is Italian for “sex”). For example, the fact that my childhood best friend is called Luna (“moon” in Italian) doesn’t impress me much, even though the only other Luna I know of is from Harry Potter. You know that thing where you repeat a word so many times that it loses its meaning? It made me realize that our lives are full of words that aren’t really words anymore, but often faces, places or memories.
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