From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This list is a sublist of
List of irregularly spelled English names .
List
List
Place
Pronunciation
Note
Respelling
IPA
Aberdeen, Washington
Also the city in Maryland
Abiquiú, New Mexico
Acequia, Idaho
Achilles, Kansas
Advance, North Carolina
Also the place in Missouri
Alachua, Florida
Albany, Georgia
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Aloha, Oregon
Amherst, Massachusetts
Arab, Alabama
Also the place in Missouri
Arkansas
Arkansas City, Kansas
Arkansas River
[1]
Arriba, Colorado
AIR -ibb-uh
Armada, Michigan
Athens, Kentucky
Also the places in Illinois and Vermont
Au Sable River, Michigan
Austwell, Texas
Avon, New York
Ayer, Massachusetts
Bahama, North Carolina
Balmorhea, Texas
Bangor, Maine
Banquete, Texas
Baraga, Michigan
BAIR -ə-gə
Barre, Vermont
Beatrice, Alabama
Also the place in Nebraska
Beatty, Nevada
Beaufort, South Carolina
Bedias, Texas
Belen, New Mexico
Bellefontaine, Ohio
Belle Fourche River
Benld, Illinois
Bergen, New York
Berlin
Name of multiple places
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
[2]
Bexar County, Texas
Billerica, Massachusetts
Biloxi, Mississippi
Bingen, Washington
Biscay, Minnesota
Boca Raton, Florida
Boerne, Texas
Bogata, Texas
Bogota, New Jersey
Bois D'Arc, Missouri
Boise, Idaho
in Idaho; elsewhere [
citation needed ]
Boise City, Oklahoma
like
Boyce
[3]
[n 1]
Bolivar, Missouri
Name of multiple places
[n 2]
Bolivar Township, Indiana
Bosque County, Texas
Bossier City, Louisiana
Bowie, Maryland
Also the place in Texas
Buena, New Jersey
Buena, Washington
Buena Vista, Colorado
Name of multiple places
Buck Creek, Indiana
Buddha, Indiana
Buhl, Idaho
Bulverde, Texas
Burgundy Street,
New Orleans , Louisiana
Burien, Washington
Burnet, Texas
Burthe Street,
New Orleans , Louisiana
Cairo, Georgia
Also the place in Mississippi
Cairo, Illinois
Also the places in New York and Ohio
Cahuenga Pass
Calais, Maine
[n 3]
Also the place in Vermont
Calliope Street,
New Orleans , Louisiana
Camano Island
Canaan Valley
Casa Grande, Arizona
Camp Hill, Pennsylvania
Canajoharie, New York
Canyon de Chelly National Monument
Canyon de
SHAY
Castile, New York
Cathlamet, Washington
Celina, Texas
Chartres Street,
New Orleans , Louisiana
Charlevoix, Michigan
Charlotte, Vermont
Also the place in New York
Chatham, Massachusetts
Also the places in New York and New Jersey
Chauncey, Ohio
Chehalis River, Washington
Chelan County, Washington
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cherryville, North Carolina
Chewelah, Washington
Chicago
Chickasha, Oklahoma
Chili, New York
[4]
Also the place in Indiana
Clatskanie, Oregon
Clinton, South Carolina
Coahoma, Mississippi
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Concord, New Hampshire
Also the place in Massachusetts
Conneaut, Ohio
Conneautville, Pennsylvania
Conetoe, North Carolina
Connecticut
Copalis Beach, Washington
Copiague, New York
Coquille, Oregon
Cordele, Georgia
Cordele, Texas
Cotulla, Texas
Coupland, Texas
like
Copeland
Courtois Creek
Coventry, Connecticut
KOV -ən-tree
Also the place in Rhode Island
Coxsackie, New York
Creve Coeur, Missouri
Cudahy, California
Dalton, Ohio
Damariscotta, Maine
Darien, Connecticut
dair-ee-AN
Delhi, California
Name of multiple places
Del Norte County, California and
Del Norte, Colorado
Demonbreun Street,
Nashville, Tennessee
[5]
Dequindre Cut ,
Detroit ,
Michigan
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Washington
Deschutes River, Oregon
Duarte, California
DuBois, Pennsylvania
[n 4]
Dubois County, Indiana
[n 4]
Duenweg, Missouri
Duffau, Texas
Dungeness River
[n 5]
Eau Claire, Michigan
aw-CLAIR
[n 6]
El Dorado, Arkansas
Multiple placenames
El Dorado Springs, Missouri
Elbe, Washington
EL -bee
Elizabethton
Elkhart
EL -kart
Name of multiple places
Embarras River, Illinois
Ephrata, Washington
[n 7]
Estacada, Oregon
Faneuil Hall, Boston
Floydada, Texas
Forked River, New Jersey
Fort Duquesne, Pittsburgh
Fremont, California
Freret, New Orleans
Fries, Virginia
FREEZ
Galice, Oregon
gə-LEESS
Gallipolis, Ohio
GAL -ə-pə-LEESS
Galveston, Indiana
[n 8]
Geauga County, Ohio
Genoa, New York
Ghent, Ohio
JENT
Gloucester County, New Jersey
[n 9]
Name of multiple places
Gnadenhutten, Ohio
Gogebic County, Michigan
Greenwich, Connecticut
[n 10]
Greenwich Village
Gruene, New Braunfels, Texas
Harlingen, Texas
[n 11]
Haverhill, Massachusetts
Havre, Montana
Havre de Grace, Maryland
Helena, Alabama
Hereford, Texas
Also a place in Pennsylvania
Hindman, Kentucky
[n 12]
Hochheim, Texas
Hockessin, Delaware
Holcomb, Missouri
Houston, Delaware
Also places in Georgia and Ohio, and the New York City street
Houston, Texas
[n 13]
Houston Street, New York City
Hualapai
Huger, South Carolina
Humble, Texas
UMB -əl
Hurricane, Utah
[n 14]
[n 15]
Also places in Mississippi and West Virginia
Illinois
Ilwaco
[n 16]
Inez, Kentucky
[n 17]
Iowa, Louisiana
Iraan, Texas
Ironton
Ischua
Isla Vista
Iselin
Isle au Haut
Islip
Italy, Texas
[n 18]
Jourdanton, Texas
Juab County
Julian, Pennsylvania
Kalaloch
Kamay, Texas
Kamela, Oregon
Kamiah
Kearney
Various places
Keechelus Lake
Keuka Lake
Keweenaw County
Kissimmee
Kleberg County, Texas
Kosciusko
Kosciusko County
Kountze, Texas
KOONTS
Kure Beach
La Fayette
La Grande
La Jolla
Lac Courte Oreilles
Lafayette
La Plata
Lake Orion
Also other places named "Orion"
Lake Oswego
Lake Pend Oreille
Lalor Street,
Trenton
Lamesa, Texas
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
LANG -ki-stər
Lapwai
Latah
Also
Latah County
Leakey
Lebam
Lebanon, Pennsylvania
,
Also the city in New Hampshire
Leicester, Massachusetts
like
Lester
[n 19]
Leicester, Vermont
Lemhi County
Lemoore
Colloquial pronunciation
Official pronunciation
Leominster
Levy, South Carolina
Lewes
Lima
Limon, Colorado
LYE -mun
Livernois Avenue ,
Detroit
Lodi
Lompoc
Los Angeles
Louisville
Most places besides the one in Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Lowville, New York
LAO -vil
Mabank
Makinac Island
Madras, Oregon
Madrid, Alabama
Name of various places
Malad River
Malheur River
Manchaca, Texas
Manor, Texas
MAY -nər
Mantua, Utah
MAN -uh-way
Marathon, Texas
Marquam
Marquez, Texas
Marseilles, Illinois
Also a place in Ohio
Martinez, Georgia
mahr-ti-NEZ
Maryland
[n 20]
Mattapan
Maury County
MUR -ee
Mazatzal Mountains
McGaheysville, Virginia
Meagher County, Montana
MARR
Mebane, North Carolina
Medina, Ohio
Also places in Washington and New York
Melpomene Street,
New Orleans , Louisiana
Mentor, Ohio
Mesa, Washington
Methow
Mexia, Texas
Miami, Oklahoma
[n 21]
Also a place in Texas
Micanopy
Michigan
Milan, Illinois
Name of multiple places
Minam, Oregon
Minot, North Dakota
Missouri
Mobile, Alabama
Mogollon Rim
Monson, Massachusetts
Montague, Texas
Montpelier, Vermont
[n 22]
Pronunciation used for the other places with this name
Montpelier, Virginia
Moscow, Idaho
[n 23]
Also a place in Tennessee
Mount Desert Island
[n 24]
Munday, Texas
Mulino, Oregon
Mukilteo
MUK -əl-TEE -oh
Nacogdoches
NAK -ə-DOH -chis
Nahant
Nahma Township
Naselle
Natchitoches
NAK -ə-tish
Nederland, Texas
Nehalem
Nenana River
Neodesha
Nespelem
Netarts
Nevada (state)
[n 25]
Nevada (cities)
Nevada County
Newark, Ohio
NURK
[n 26]
New Athens
New
AY -thənz
Name of multiple places
New Berlin
New
BUR -lin
Name of multiple places
New Orleans
new OR -linz
[n 27]
New Madrid, Missouri
New
MAD -rid
New Prague, Minnesota
New
PRAYG
New Tripoli, Pennsylvania
New
tri-POH -lee
Noel, Missouri
NOHL
Norfolk, Nebraska
Norfolk, Virginia
[n 28]
Ochelata
Ochiltree County
Ojai
OH -hy
As per the Spanish
Olathe
Ontonagon River
Orcas Island
Ouray
YOO -ray
Palacios
Palermo, North Dakota
Palestine, Texas
[n 29]
Palo Gaucho Bayou, Texas
Palouse
Paso Robles
Pass Christian
[n 30]
Patchogue
Pawtucket
Peabody, Massachusetts
[n 31]
Pearrygin Lake
Pedernales
Pend Oreille River
Peoria, Iowa
PEER -ee
Peru, Indiana
PEE -roo
Picabo
like
peek-a-boo
Piceance Creek
Pierre, South Dakota
PEER
Pittsburgh
PITS -burg
Placer County
PLASS -ər
Placerville
PLASS -ər-vil
Plano
[n 32]
Plymouth
Point Mugu
Pojoaque
[n 33]
Pompeii, Michigan
[n 34]
Port Bolivar
Port
BOL -iv-ər
Port Hueneme
PORT
wy-NEE -mee
Poth
POHTH
Poughkeepsie
Poulsbo
Poway
Prague, Oklahoma
PRAYG
Puget Sound
Pulaski, New York
Purgatoire River
Puyallup, Washington
pew-AWL -əp
Local pronunciation
pew-AL -əp
Quincy, Massachusetts
KWIN -zee
Quitaque
KIT -ə-kway
Qulin
KYOO -lin
Raleigh
RAH -lee
[n 35]
Refugio, California
Name of multiple places
Refugio, Texas
Rensselaer
Name of multiple places
Rhea County
RAY
Riga, New York
RY -gə
Rio
RY -oh
In Florida and Wisconsin
Rio Grande, Ohio
RY -oh
GRAND
Ronkonkoma
ron-KONG -kə-mə
Ruch
ROOSH
Russia, Ohio
ROOSH -ee
Russiaville
ROOSH -ee-vil
Rutherfordton, North Carolina
RULF -tən
Saguache, Colorado (town and county)
sə-WAHTCH
Salide, Colorado
sə-LY -də
Saline, Michigan
sə-LEEN
Samish Island
SAM -ish
Sammamish
sə-MAM -ish
San Jose, Illinois
san-JOHZ
San Luis Obispo, California
Middle word
LOO -ihss
San Pedro, Los Angeles , California
san PEE -droh
San Rafael, California
san-rə-FEL
San Xavier, Arizona
san-HAH -vee-ay
Sangre Street,
Stillwater, Oklahoma
ZANG -ər
Sault Sainte Marie
SOO
SAYNT
mə-REE
Schaghticoke
SKAT -i-kuuk
Schuylkill River
SKOO -kəl
Scituate
SICH -oo-it
Sebring, Florida
SEE -bring
Sedro-Woolley
SEE -droh
WUU -lee
Sekiu
SEE -kyoo
Semiahmoo Bay
sem-ee-AH -moh
Sequim
SKWIM
Shawangunk Ridge
SHON -gum
[n 36]
Shawano
SHAWN -oh
Shoshone, Idaho
shoh-SHOHN
Sigourney, Iowa
[n 37]
Siuslaw River
sy-YOO -slaw
Skagit
SKAJ -it
Various places
Skamokawa
Skaneateles Lake
Sol Duc River
like "
Soul
Duck River"
Spokane
spoh-KAN
Staunton, Virginia
like
Stanton
Stehekin
Steilacoom
Strait of Juan de Fuca
Strait of
HWAHN
də
FYOO -kə
Study Butte
STYOO -dee
BYOOT
Suisun City
si-SOON
Swarthmore
SWAHTH -mor
Swansea
SWAHN -zee
Tahawus
tə-HAWZ
Taliaferro County
Tallmadge, Ohio
Tanana River
Tchoupitoulas Street ,
New Orleans
CHOP -i-TOO -ləs
Tekoa, Washington
TEE -koh
Telocaset
Terre Haute
Tewksbury
TUX -bə-ree
Thames River, Connecticut
THAYMZ , not
TEMZ
, not
The Dalles
The
DALZ
Thibodaux
TI -bə-doh
Thoreau, New Mexico
thə-ROO
Throop
TROOP
Tieton
TY -ə-tən
Tigard
TY -gərd
Tillamook
Tok
TOHK
Tooele
too-IL -ə
Topsail Beach
TOP -səl Beach
Topsham
TOP -səm
Touchet River
TOO -shee
Tow, Texas
TAO
Towaoc, Colorado
TOY -yock
Towson
TAO -sən
Tripoli, Iowa
tri-POH -lə
Tualatin
TOO -ah-lə-tin
Tucson
TOO -son
Tulare
tuu-LAYR -(ee)
Tuolumne River
TOO -ol-um-ee
Tygh Valley
TY
Uhland
YOO -lənd
Utley, Texas
YOOT -lee
Valatie
və-LAY -shə
Valdez, Alaska
val-DEEZ
Vallejo
və-LAY -(h)oh
Vedauwoo , Wyoming
VEE -duh-voo
Veneta
vi-NEE -tə
Venetie
VEEN -i-ty
Verdi
VUR -die
Vergennes
vər-JENZ
Versailles
vur-SAYLZ
Various places
Vici
VY -sy
Vienna
vy-AN -ə
In Illinois, Ohio, and South Dakota
Visalia
vy-SAY -lee-ə
Waelder
like
welder
Wahkiakum County
wə-KY -ə-kəm
Wallowa Mountains
wə-LAO -ə
Waltham
WAWL -tham
[n 38]
Waukesha
WAW -ki-shaw
Waupun
WAW -pawn
Waxahachie
wox-ə-HACH -ee
Waynoka
wə-NOH -kə
Wayzata
wy-ZET -ə
Weippe
WEE -eyep
Weiser
WEEZ -ər
Whitemarsh Island
WHIT -mahrsh
Wilkes-Barre
BARR -ə
like
Barry
BARR
Willamette River
wi-LAM -it
Willapa River
WIL -ə-pah
Woburn
WOO -bərn
[n 39]
Wooster
WUUS -tər
[n 40]
Worcester
WUUS -tər
[n 41]
Various places
Wyandanch
WY -ən-danch
Wytheville, Virginia
Yakima
YAK -ə-mah
[n 42]
Yachats
YAH -hahts
Yaquina Bay
yə-KWIN -ə
Yocona River
YOK -nee
Youghiogheny River
yawk-ə-GAY -nee
Ypsilanti
ip-si-LAN -tee
Yreka
wy-REE -kə
Zabcikville
ZAHB -chik-vil
Zuehl, Texas
ZEEL
Zzyzx, California
ZY -ziks
Notes
^ The "s" sound generally merges with the same sound in "City."
^ In contradistinction to the surname, by convention, these rhyme with "Oliver"
^ The town of
Calais in France was for centuries also pronounced in English; today , with initial
stress in British English and final stress in American English are the normal pronunciations.
^
a
b Cf the surnames Du Bois and De Bois, which are often
^ cf. English low-lying point (without a middle syllable).
^
Eau Claire, Wisconsin is pronounced more closely to the French pronunciation: (
oh-CLAIR )
^ cf. intuitive Borough of
Ephrata, Pennsylvania , which is pronounced
^ cf. intuitive for larger
Galveston, Texas
^ As per traditional English town, county and
nursery rhyme
^ Beginning defies traditional English rules (cf. green) But
Greenwich, New Jersey is pronounced as if it were "green-witch"
[1]
^ cf. intuitive for
Harlingen, Netherlands
^ Intuitively is sometimes used outside Eastern Kentucky
^ Named via
Sam Houston after
Houston, Scotland , a concatenation of "Hu's town"'
^ The last syllable is standard in the
British pronunciation of
hurricane , but not in American English, whereas the first syllable is counterintuitive and muted compared to hurricane in either.
^ Anecdotally, locals of Hurricane say that the proper pronunciation rhymes with that of the neighboring town
La Verkin .
^ cf. various Waco towns
^ locally
^ with two syllables only
^ As per English town and county
^ Uncommon, rare, or dialectal pronunciation
^ cf. the obvious final syllable of
Miami, Florida
^ All derived from
Montpellier , France
[mɔ̃pɛlje]
^ equivalent to the
British English pronunciation of
Moscow, Russia .
Other Moscows in America are , the
American English pronunciation of the Russian city.
^ Homophone to the dining course, dessert
^ The pronunciation , while fairly common (particularly in the eastern United States), is stigmatized locally.
^ cf.
Newark, New Jersey , and
Newark, Delaware or
Newark, New York generally
^ Traditionally locally with a very light /w/ is used, i.e. between the local and national.
^ Identical to the English county of
Norfolk , and intuitive given the common word folk. Popular navy wordplay notwithstanding, the vowel in the last syllable is unstressed, very short, and closed, as in foot. Locals born in or after the last half of the 20th Century, who have partly or wholly adopted the
American Broadcast Accent , often pronounce it with the r substituted for /ɻ/
^ cf.
Palestine :
^ cf. the regular American pronunciation of "Christian",
^ Not intuitive
^ cf. common and well-known Spanish approximations elsewhere.
^ Or intuitively per Spanish among Hispanics
^ Italian ruined city pronounced )
^ cf. Raleigh surname and brands traditionally said like Wall
^ Locally.
^ cf. given name Sigourney:
^ Same as examples in England such as
London Borough of Waltham Forest . cf. greatly US well-known comparators.
^
Woburn, Bedfordshire and
Woburn, Toronto are simply
^ Mispronounced as
^ As per traditional English town, county and
sauce
^ Though the pronunciation is also heard. The Native American people for whom the river, city, and county are named now prefer the spelling
Yakama .
References