Crazy atlas

8 Demonyms That'll Leave You Shaking Your Head

Image: Dariusz Sankowski

Prepare for a linguistic rollercoaster as we dive into the peculiar world of demonyms —terms used to describe people from a specific place. While some are straightforward, others take unexpected and intriguing turns, reflecting the rich diversity and idiosyncrasies of cultures worldwide. Join us on a linguistic journey as we uncover unusual demonyms that are bound to leave you shaking your head in bewilderment.

Image: Liv Cashman

Stemming from "Oxonia," the Latin name for Oxford, this curious demonym seems to go hand in hand with the city's enduring intellectual legacy and academic prominence, home to one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world. The city, initially settled by the Anglo-Saxons, was called Oxnaford in Old English and Öxnafurða in Old Norse. The name literally originated from "oxen's ford," signifying a shallow river crossing for cattle.

Image: karimjy LOULOUA

Venture to the captivating island of Madagascar, and you'll discover the term Malagasy used to refer to its diverse inhabitants. This demonym is derived from the Malagasy language, spoken by the islanders, and a part of the Malayo-Polynesian language family.

The local language is also known for having incorporated loanwords of African and Arabic origin, brought over the years by traders and new settlers.

Image: Tobias Negele

In Halifax, Canada, residents proudly go by the moniker Haligonians. While the city was originally named after George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax, the demonym is actually older, combining the root Hali- with the suffix -onian, likely influenced by the medieval Latin name Haligonia of Halifax, England. The Native American name for Halifax is Kjipuktuk, and means "Great Harbour" in the Mi'kmaq language.

Image: Joe Cook

The city of Phoenix in Arizona lends its name to a rather surprising demonym – Phoenician. While it might evoke images of the ancient maritime civilization, today's Phoenicians in Phoenix are more likely to be found enjoying the sun-soaked southwestern lifestyle than navigating the seas. Furthermore, the term used for the inhabitants of the city of Phoenix is not related to the Mediterranean civilization but to the mythical phoenix bird. In the 19th century, American settlers envisioned their new town rising from the ashes like the legendary creature, giving rise to the unique demonym used today.

Image: Neil Martin

Nestled by the River Mersey, Liverpudlians embrace a unique identity woven not just by geography but also by their atypical demonym. The term Liverpudlian surfaced playfully in the 1830s during a sports team name alteration, replacing "pool" with "puddle" and adopting the -ian suffix. They are also known as Scousers, derived from "lobscouse," a traditional stew rooted in the city's maritime history.

Image: William McCue

The denizens of the vibrant city of Manchester proudly carry the demonym Mancunian, a term that echoes back to its Roman roots. The city's ancient history begins with the founding of Mancunium, a Roman fortification strategically positioned on a rocky cliff near the convergence of the rivers Medlock and Irwell in AD 79. While rooted in antiquity, Manchester's rich history is equally marked by the rapid pace of development during the Industrial Revolution, propelling it to the distinction of being the world's first industrialized city.

Image: Tom Jur

It might be hard to believe, but the demonym Bajan is directly derived from the word Barbadian. In the local language, the word sounded more like ‘Barbajan’ and it was eventually shortened to just Bajan.

Barbados is a true melting pot of cultures, shaped by diverse influences. Initially inhabited by Kalinago and Arawaks from South America, Barbados saw Spanish raids in the 16th century, prompting Kalinago to migrate to other Caribbean islands. The arrival of English colonists and Africans during the slave trade further enriched the cultural mosaic of present-day Barbados.

Image: JR Harris

Venture to the northeast of England, and you'll find Novocastrians —the lively inhabitants of Newcastle. As with many English cities, the term is derived from the Latin Novum Castrum, meaning "New Castle." Interestingly, this demonym also extends its reach to inhabitants of various cities named Newcastle, including the one in New South Wales, Australia.

Don’t go around poking bears

These animal facts are just popular myths

Certain animal facts are just a given: Everyone knows that bats are blind, bulls hate the color red, and that touching a toad will give you warts. But are these things really true, or are they just wives' tales that have been passed down through generations? Let’s have a look at some of these myths and see if they have some truth in them, or if they are just a folkloric invention.

The first misconception here is the meaning of ‘hibernation’ —a state where an animal drastically lowers its body temperature, appearing lifeless, and sleeps through the cold season. While most bears are less active through the Winter, they don’t hibernate. They enter a state called ‘torpor’, where they reduce their temperature and drop their heart rate, but they are lethargic, not sleeping. They will react to external stimuli, meaning you can still come across these furry fellows during a winter hike.

In popular tradition, the color red is associated with anger, but this has nothing to do with bulls, as they are partially colorblind and, as such, unable to see red. This common misconception stems from bullfighting, where the matador uses a brightly colored—usually red—muleta (a cloth hanging from a stick) to provoke the bull. What angers the bull is the whipping of the muleta, not its color. Why do they use a red cloth? To disguise blood spatters.

"If you don’t wash your hair, you will catch lice.": You must have heard this old wives’ tale. Another popular belief claims that lice actually prefer clean heads, as they can move more freely in a clean scalp. As a matter of fact, lice don't care about your personal hygiene, nor about your hair type; they just want a warm scalp and blood to feed on. Your chances of catching pediculosis are tied to close contact with an infested person, nothing else.

Another myth, most likely popularized by the anti-bat lobby. A bat’s vision can vary according to their species, but no bat is 100% blind, though some do better in low-light conditions. Some of them actually have excellent eyesight! The myth of the blind bat comes from their use of echolocation for hunting in the dark, and their sometimes erratic movements when following insects.

This one is a partial truth: dogs can’t see the same color spectrum as humans, but this doesn’t mean their world is black and white. While the human eye has three color-detecting cone cells, dogs have only two, which would make them ‘partially colorblind’. They are unable to distinguish shades of red, green, and orange, which they perceive as yellowish-brown or grayish, but they see other colors, such as blue and yellow.

Toads might not have the loveliest appearance, but they have nothing to do with any wart you might have. Warts in humans are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is transmitted from person to person. What looks like warts on a toad’s skin are actually glands, used to secrete a toxin that deters predators. This toxin might irritate human skin, so remember to wash your hands if you touch a toad.

Penguins have the reputation of being one of the most faithful animals in the world, even when their partner dies. While some penguin species have a high fidelity rate compared to other animals, none of them mate for life. Some penguin species are known to form long-term bonds with their mates, while others are serial monogamists, but they can actually change partners if they have an unsuccessful mating season.

Ostriches and their alleged head-burying behavior have become a symbol of ignoring one’s problems, but this is based on a myth. This confusion, which some said dates back to Ancient Rome, stems from the ostrich’s shallow nests. When they turn the eggs with their beak, it might look like they are burying their heads in the ground from a distance. When an ostrich feels threatened, they either run away or completely flatten their body to the ground.

Most birds have a weaker sense of smell compared with other animals, so they rely on their vision and hearing to recognize their young. In addition to this, they tend to have strong parental instincts, so human touch and scent are not enough to make them reject their offspring. But, as a rule of thumb, it is always advisable to leave baby birds alone, unless they are injured or in immediate danger.

Camels are able to go for weeks without water, and sometimes even months. This has led to the belief that they store water somewhere in their bodies, mainly in their hump, but this is mainly a myth. What they do store in the hump is fat, which works as an energy reserve when food is scarce, and that can, in certain situations, be metabolized into water. Storing fat in their hump instead of in the rest of their bodies also allows them to keep cool in warmer climates.