STRANGEST City Names In The World!

 

From a town name that makes you want to dance to a place that probably always smells like popcorn, here are some of the strangest city names in the world: 15.

 Disco, TN

 Who wouldn’t want to live in a town reminiscent of the 1970s party lifestyle?

 Well, contrary to its name, Disco, Tennessee wasn’t actually inspired by the mirror-covered balls and dance craze that comes to mind.

 In fact, this town’s post office closed all the way back in 1903 before bell-bottoms and platform shoes were in fashion.

 An article was published about Disco, Tennessee in The Spartanburg Herald Journal in February 1989 that discussed the strange names of many cities.

 They interviewed a historian named Inez Burns for the paper, who said, “It’s probably a made-up name.

 It’s sure not anything that is native to this section.

 It may be one of those railroad stations.

 They came up with some real weirdos.” Nevertheless, Disco is a town name that’s sure to stir up some curiosity and conversation.

 14.

 Atlantis, FL

 This city’s name is quite deceiving.

 Opposed to what you might think after hearing it, this is not the lost civilization that Plato wrote about in Critias and Timaeus or the one depicted in Disney’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire.

 No, this one is found in Palm Beach County, Florida.

 It was named after the mysterious city, but they don’t have much in common.

 Former Florida senator, Philip D. Lewis, had a ranch called Mulberry Farms, and they raised cattle on the land.

 In 1958, the area was purchased by real estate developers, who built a country club and gated golf community where the ranch used to be.

 It was eventually renamed Atlantis.

 13.

 Why, AZ

 Every time someone that lives here gives their address, it sounds like they’re asking “Why Arizona?”

 That seems pretty frustrating… so the real question is, “Why would anyone want to live here?”

 Well, we’re not sure, but we’re going to stop with the “why” jokes and give you a little history.

 Although you might think that the name of this town has some significant meaning, you’d be wrong.

 Apparently, the people who founded this town had a sense of humor.

 Two major highways used to intersect in a “Y” shape in this spot.

 So, when it was time to name the town, they chose an obvious name.

 However, the Arizona government requires them to be at least three letters long, thus “Why” was born.

 12.

 Batman, Turkey

 This place isn’t vengeance, and it isn’t the night; but, it is a city in Turkey.

 Up until the 1950s, this city was a village called Iluh.

 But, after oil fields were discovered in the area, a significant rise in development took place.

 It was renamed Batman because it lies around where the Batman and Tigris rivers meet.

 The origin of the river’s name isn’t entirely known.

 However, many believe that it might be a shortened version of the Bati Raman mountain, which is within its vicinity.

 So, sorry folks, Batman, Turkey has nothing to do with the superhero we all love.

 But, the mayor of the town sued Christopher Nolan, the director of The Dark Knight, in 2008 for using the name in his film… the case wasn’t sent to court, however.

 11.

 Whynot, NC

 We already talked about Why, so now, let’s talk about Whynot.

 I mean, why not?

 Get it?

 Alright, enough of that; let’s move on to the history of this town.

 This oddly-named city is in Randolph County, North Carolina.

 It was originally settled in the eighteenth century by English and German people, and Whynot was two separate words.

 But, how did they come up with this name?

 To be honest, you’ve probably already guessed at this point.

 One of the town’s first residents allegedly said, “Why not name the town ‘Why Not’ and let’s go home?” I guess he was just tired of discussing it.

 10.

 Double Trouble, NJ The Double Trouble Historic Village is in New Jersey.

 It used to be a cranberry farm, and the Double Trouble Company also sold millwork products and timber.

 In the village, there are various historic structures that have been restored and cranberry bogs.

 These date back to the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

 Some of the buildings include a schoolhouse, general store, and residential houses.

 But, this doesn’t explain why the town is “Double Trouble.” This place got its name when a local dam was breached by muskrats two times in a single week.

 The Double Trouble Historic District has also been a part of the National Register of Historic Places since February 1978 because it was significant to industry and agriculture.

 9.

 Fearnot, PA

 In 1892, a post office was established in this town, but it was eventually discontinued in 1920.

 However, that doesn’t tell you how Fearnot got its name.

 Although you might think it means “don’t be afraid of living here” or something similar to that, you’d be incorrect.

 “Fearnot” is actually a statement regarding the town’s old residents, who were overtly unafraid.

 According to The Origins of Unusual Place Names by Armond Moyer, “...the settlers here had a penchant for starting brawls with residents of neighboring communities, frequently traveling there with the express purpose of starting fights.

 They were not afraid of any gang from any other community; so, being fearless, the post office was so named.” 8.

 Burnt Corn, AL

 This town is in Alabama near Monroe County.

 There are a couple of theories to how Burnt Corn acquired its interesting name, and they both include… you guess it… burnt corn.

 One idea suggests that while some people were passing through the area, they noticed a pile of scorched corn, thus naming it after the toasted crop.

 However, the families that live there have a theory of their own that has been passed down orally from generation to generation.

 Apparently, the name simply arose after the fields of corn were burned due to the scorched earth policies that coincided with the Creek War during the early 1800s.

 7.

 Brilliant, AL

 It seems that Alabama is a state with a lot of peculiar town names.

 This place is found in Marion County.

 It was originally called the “Town of Brilliant” and was incorporated into Boston, Alabama in 1927.

 However, thirty years later, Brilliant took over, and the name “Boston” was lost.

 The Town of Brilliant got its name in the late nineteenth century after the Aldridge brothers began operating a coal mine in the area.

 It was originally called Aldridge Mining Company, but they later renamed it Brilliant Coal Company.

 But, why?

 It was because the coal they mined looked glossy and shiny, aka brilliant.

 6.

 Beer, Devon, England This town is really old and was even specified in the 1086 Domesday Book.

 You’ve probably assumed that this place is named after the bubbly beverage; however, you would be incorrect.

 It actually comes from the word “bearu” in Old English, which means “grove,” because it was initially surrounded by forest.

 Its main sources of income back in the day were lace production and fishing, and there is still fishing there today.

 However, the town makes most of its money nowadays through tourism.

 There is also a cave system there called the Beer Quarry Caves that Beer stone was harvested from.

 This stone has been highly coveted since Roman times and was used to build twenty-four cathedrals throughout the United Kingdom.

 5.

 Cool, CA

 This town is located in El Dorado County, California.

 The Penobscot Public House was established here in 1850, and it was a stagecoach stop and way station during the Gold Rush.

 The Penobscot Ranch is still there and is a historic site that includes a house and barn.

 Although the reason for Cool’s name hasn’t been determined, there are some theories regarding how it acquired the unique title.

 Some of the residents think that a free-spirited man named Todd Hausman coined it in 1947 while he was on a cross-country trip.

 But, other people think that it was named during the Gold Rush after someone named Aaron Cool.

 However, there are no records about this so-called cool dude.

 4.

 Mörön, Mongolia

 Yes, it seems like you’re calling this town stupid when you first read “Moron, Mongolia.” However, despite its spelling, this town isn’t pronounced how it looks to us English-speakers.

 It is pronounced “Mor-un” and is also spelled “M-U-R-U-N.” The word in Mongolian means “river,” and it is located on the banks of a river.

 This area has its roots in a monastery that was founded in 1809.

 By the twentieth century, the monastery had grown to encompass about one thousand three hundred people.

 In 1937, it was destroyed, and a new monastery was constructed.

 3.

 Truth Or Consequences, NM This town was originally called Hot Springs, and the first bath was built there in the late 1800s at John Cross Ranch.

 There was no major settlement there until 1912 when the Elephant Butte Dam and Reservoir was constructed.

 However, this place got its unique name in March 1950 after Ralph Edwards, the host of Truth or Consequences, a radio quiz show, announced that the program’s tenth-anniversary episode would air from the first town that was renamed after the show.

 Hot Springs beat the competition and changed its name on the last day of March that year.

 After they won, Edwards retained a tradition of visiting the town the first weekend of May for fifty years.

 They held a huge event called “Fiesta,” which included a parade, beauty contest, and a show.

 The movie Truth or Consequences, NM, starring and directed by Kiefer Sutherland, is also set in this town.

 2.

 Great Snoring, North Norfolk, England This village is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as well, in which it was called “Snaringa,” its Saxon title, after a resident named Snear.

 It wasn’t until 1611 that the manor was sold by its owner, Sir Ralph Shelton, to Lord Chief Justice Richardson.

 Apparently, the name came from Shelton declaring, “I can sleep without snoring.” In 1836, a workhouse with four wings was constructed that could hold up to two hundred fifty people.

 After it was closed, the structures were used for various purposes, including a smallpox hospital.

 1.

 Accident, MD

 There is no exact history of how this town acquired its name, but there is a theory.

 If it’s correct, then the name suits this place perfectly.

 Many people believe that around the time of the 1786 land survey, William Deakins Jr.

 and Brooke Beall were conducting independent surveys when Deakins claimed Beall’s already-assessed land “by accident.” Deakins obtained the land via a patent that February.

 It was one of the earliest settlements in western Maryland and is only about half of a square mile.

 As of 2010, there were about three hundred thirty people living in Accident.

 What are some other strange city names that you’ve heard of?

 Let us know in the comments below!