Toponymy - The Study of Unusual Names

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Toponymy - The Study of Unusual Names

The study of unusual place names is called Toponymy. Have you ever lived in a place with a strange name? What happens is that everyone who lives there becomes oblivious of the names amusing connotation.

Another common occurrence is that people in the area refer to the place with a strange pronunciation. For example, I stayed for a while in charming village in Cornwall called Mousehole. Did the people who live nearby pronounce it Mouse Hole? No, they refer to it as 'Mousle', the aitch is silent.

Here are Will and Guy's favourite examples of toponymy, we hope that at least one makes you smile:

Funny Place Names Located in the USA

Paradox, strange as it may seem, is in New York
Crapo, unfortunately for them is in Maryland
Boogertown, is happily in North Carolina
Hellhole, is depressingly to be found in Idaho
Purgatory, is sadly in Maine
Volcano, an explosive place in Hawaii
Needmore, is in the greedy state of Arkansas
Hardup, is in the poor [you must be joking] state of Utah
Rudeville, surprisingly perhaps is in New Jersey
Boring, can be found in Oregon [I wonder if it is?]
Hell, is in Michigan [Some other places too, I suspect]
Hooker, can be found in California [And other places too]
Virgin, is a place in Utah
Dulls Corner, is in Maryland [Do they wear pointy hats there?]
Bowlegs, is amusingly in Oklahoma
Beersville, is a fine town in Pennsylvania
Fleatown, is an itchy place in Ohio
Two Guns, famously in Arizona
Toad Suck, is a found in Arkansas
A Monkey's Eyebrow, is based in Arizona

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More Funny Place Names - Toponymy in the UK

Ugley in Essex [There is also an Ugley Women's Institute, and even an Ugley Landfill site!]**
Pratts Bottom in Kent [Even more so]
Great Snoring in Norfolk
Little Snoring in Norfolk [which would you prefer to live in?]
Giggleswick in Yorkshire
Great Cockup in Cumbria
World's End can be found in Berkshire and again near Birmingham [Lovely pub/restaurant in the place near Denmead, Hampshire]
Blubberhouses in Yorkshire [Visited there once says Will]
Crank in Merseyside [Probably more than one]
Hole in the Wall near Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire [Visited a pub named that in Caernarfon, North Wales, once or twice say Guy and Will]
Idle near Bradford, Yorkshire [Fancy belonging to the Idle Men's Working Club]
Lilliput near Bournemouth, Dorset [Full of little people?]
Mumps in the Greater Manchester area [Sounds painful]
Piddlehinton in Dorset [There are several names like this based around The River Piddle - true]
There is also a Wyre Piddle in Worcestershire.
And a Lickey End near Bromsgrove Worcestershire.
Lower Dicker and also, Upper Dicker both in East Sussex
There is the tiny 'Slack Bottom' near Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire
Pity Me in Durham [OK]

** Yes there is, they’re in the Essex Federation of Women’s Institute ! I used to live nearby.
The village also has a newspaper, Ugley Village Magazine Indeed, the Ugley Friendship Club meets there. Thanks to Hannu Ylioja for the extra information.
Update, A.N. reports there is an Ugley Landfill Site. He points out the derivation of the word / village is from the Saxon description of Ugga's Meadow .

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Funny Place Names - Food for thought

Eaton Bishop near Hereford
Ramsbottom, Yorkshire
Catbrain near Bristol
Maggots End in Hertfordshire [Ugh]
Burnt Corn, can be seen in Alabama
Beer in Devon [Possible retirement place for Will?]
To round it off: Puke in Albania

Please send us any good examples of funny place names (Toponymy) from your part of the world.

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