Place Names

[Esther Knapicius]

Esther, there are many British town names in America, most of which were probably given by the first settlers from Britain.

Would imagine so. I know there is one south of me named after Oxford in England. We also have lots of towns named after American Indians. I imagine given our "melting pot' situation it would be an interesting topic to explore where/why/how towns names come from.

 

[zigs]

Would imagine so. I know there is one south of me named after Oxford in England. We also have lots of towns named after American Indians. I imagine given our "melting pot' situation it would be an interesting topic to explore where/why/how towns names come from.

There's a mountain range in Wales that translates as "Your finger you fool."

 

[Esther Knapicius]

humm. OK. Town near me named "Intercourse" (no translation) And we have a "Blue Ball" again no translation. @zigs

 

[zigs]

Nice one

There's a sign saying Hell Corner on one of the roads near here

In the UK we've got quite a few composite names for rivers. Most towns didn't have a name for the river, it usually being the only one, they just called it river or water.

So when new invaders turned up they'd add their word for river or water.

So the River Avon means river river.

Quite a few River Wey's or Wye's - just means river water.

Not many Roman town names survived thru the Saxon period, Londinium being the exception.

 

[Becky]

My favourite set of place names are in Dorset here in the UK, around the Piddle Valley, which has the River Piddle running through it. There is Tolpuddle, Affpuddle, Piddlehinton, Piddletrenthide, and Puddletown. All the 'puddles' were previously 'piddles', since they were named after the river, but they were changed in the Victorian era to appear more refined...!

 

[Esther Knapicius]

well looks like Google has it all.
http://www.rd.com/funny-stuff/24-funniest-town-names-in-america/

 

[Becky]

well looks like Google has it all.
http://www.rd.com/funny-stuff/24-funniest-town-names-in-america/

I wouldn't mind having a trip here:

 

[Becky]

This lot is well worth a look: Britain's silliest place names

 

[marlingardener]

Texas seems to specialize in the weird--Utopia is just down the road from Hell; Ding Dong is in Bell County; Noodle is near Oatmeal; and we even go spacey with Earth, Texas and Venus, Texas.

 

[maxjones011]

i think its austin

 

[sixxup]

Other place names came from physical features eg valleys and mountains. I have also heard about place names named after famous people. Some place names came from the activities which were being undertaken by the inhabitants.

 

[LouisFerdinand]

Ashtabula is in Ashtabula County in Ohio.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

When we used to take the kids to the zoo they always got a laugh when we passed Upper Dicker. There is a lower Dicker too.

 

[LouisFerdinand]

Places in New York:
Oquaga
Nanticoke
Onodaga

 

[LouisFerdinand]

Cities in Pennsylvania named after places in England:
York
Dover
Hanover