Top Ten Thursday – Strangely Named Places

If you think living in Dannhauser is bad, imagine living in a town called Condom or Horneytown.

Yes, as unbelievable as it may sound, there are many places around the world that have unfortunate names. Even South Africa has a few.

In today’s top ten list, we look at some of the strangely named places around the world.

TIETIESBAAI:

With a name like Tietiesbaai (Boobs Bay in English), it’s no wonder tourists flock to this beach in the Western Cape. But, despite its hilarious name, the area wasn’t named after women’s breasts. Instead, it gets its name from Jacques Titius, a Frenchman was a trader in the area.

TWEEBUFFELSMETEENSKOOTMORSDOODGESKIETFONTEIN:

You may have some trouble pronouncing the name of this farm in the North West Province, and with good reason. It’s the longest named place in South Africa and the fourth longest named place in the world.  Tweebuffelsmeteenskootmorsdoodgeskietfontein can be translated to meaning, literally, “Two Buffalos Shot ‘Totally’ Dead with One Shot Fountain”.

PUTSONDERWATER:

Situated in the Northern Cape, Putsonderwater is now a derelict ghost town. All that remains from the glory days is an abandoned railway station and the remains of what were once modest structures. There are many unconfirmed theories as to how the town got its name. However, the most commonly accepted is that it was named after a farmer, David Ockhuis. The story goes Mr Ockhuis and his two sons found water in the dry area and dug a well. When visitors would ask Ockhuis if they could use his well, he would reply:

“Ja meneer, ek het ‘n put, maar dit is ‘n put sonder water.” (Yes, sir, I have a well, but it is a well without water.)

SATAN’S KINGDOM:

Many  living in small towns would argue that they live in hell. But none of those towns are actually named after the Devil. Satan’s Kingdom derives its name because of the terrain and wildlife in the area which made it hard for colonials to settle there. They also came under constant attack from the Native Americans, making the area hell to live in.

PUNKEYDOODLES CORNERS:

Situated in Canada, this hamlet is known for its unusual name and frequent sign theft. Yes, sign theft. It seems everyone wants to steal the sign board that reads ‘Punkeydoodles Corners’.
There is some controversy about how the settlement was named. One of the more intriguing stories suggests that the German-speaking inn-keeper there was given the name Punkey Doodle after he mispronounced the words of the song “Yankee Doodle”. Punkeydoodle was also a Victorian nursery word that means to fool around or fritter away time. There have also been suggestions that pumpkins were an early crop locally and that a farm wife referred to her lazy husband as an old punkeydoodle. Whatever the origin, the name intrigues people.

BATMAN:

The town of Batman can be found in the Southeastern region of Turkey and is the capital of the Batman Province. Its former mayor threatened to sue Christopher Nolan and Warner Bros. for their use of its name in the films Batman Begins and The Dark Knight (film). Apart from oil, which is by far the dominant commodity of the region, Batman produces beverages, processed food, chemicals, furniture, footwear, machinery and transport equipment.

MIANUS:

Mianus, or if you’re dirty minded, My Anus, is a neighbourhood situated in Greenwich, Connecticut. Mianus was also home to the Mianus Motor Works, a marine-engine manufacturer. The area gained notoriety when Jackass cast members visited, shooting scenes while asking resident’s what they ate in ‘my anus’ and whether there were a lot of people in ‘my anus.’

INTERCOURSE:

There are actually two places called Intercourse, one in Pennsylvania and the other in Alabama. Intercourse in Pennsylvania is situated in ‘Amish country’ and has also been plagued with constant sign theft. Residents in Intercourse, Alabama, have asked that the town’s name be changed to Siloam.

CONDOM:

Condom, situated in France, may be one of the safest places t live, if it lives up to its name. However, the town’s name Condom doesn’t have the same meaning as the English word. In fact, Condom comes from the Gaulish words condate and magos combined into Condatomagos, which means “market or field, of the confluence”. Condatómagos evolved into Condatóm and then into Conddóm.

HORNEYTOWN:

The last on our list is the unfortunately named Horneytown in North Carolina. The town was named after the Horney family who were early settlers in the area. So while the name has nothing to do with the common assumption, thieves have still taken to regularly stealing the town signage.
Coincidentally, Hookerton is a three hours drive from Horneytown.

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