Exploring unusual toponyms

Enjoy a ha-ha moment with the 10 funniest town names around the world

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Do you see yourself visiting Accident or spending a few days skiing in Drama? How about a long weekend in Boring, or a nice vacation in Hell? Check out these 10 towns and cities with the most curious names in the world, including one impossible to pronounce and another, well, let's just say non-existent.

Image: US government, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Accident is a small town located in the plateau region of the Appalachian Mountains in Maryland. Two different accounts explain the curious name of this Garrett County town of less than 350 inhabitants. Both versions involve a man named Deakins and date back to the mid-18th century when the lands of the United States were open for settlement.

The more widespread story indicates that, after King George II of England granted Deakins 600 acres of his choice, he commissioned two groups of engineers to determine the best site. To his surprise, and "by accident", both selected the same plot of land. Accident was officially incorporated in 1916 and if you ever visit, you should know that any person from this town is called an "Accidental."

Image: MTI

It may sound funny, but it's no joke. Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!, a parish municipality of the Bas-Saint-Laurent region of Quebec, Canada, sits on a hill in the Appalachian Plateau, 400 meters above sea level. It was named in 1874 and in 2017 was granted the Guinness World Record for being the only city in the world with more than two exclamation points in its name.

The origin of the Ha! Ha! has been the subject of various interpretations. However, the Quebec Toponymy Commission solved the mystery. In reality, ha-ha is a French archaism that designates a dead end or an unexpected obstacle. In this case, the obstacle in question was Lake Témiscouata, which had to be crossed to reach the village. Time took care of distorting the word and granting us this peculiar toponym.

Image: Kenny Eliason

Contrary to what you might think, this town in northwestern Osage County, Missouri was not named after the famous monster created by Mary Shelley. It is believed that the origin of the name of this unincorporated community located just 12 miles from Jefferson City is a tribute to a pioneer citizen named Gottfried Franken who donated land in 1890 for the construction of a church.

At the time, the donated area was popularly known as Franken Hill, although a post office called Frankenstein was established in 1893. So, how did it end up being called that? One possible explanation may be related to the fact that many of the early settlers of Frankenstein came from the Westphalen area of Germany. The full toponym probably derives from the German stein, which in English means "rock."

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No, it's not a computer error and you're not having a vision problem. Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is the full name of a village located on the island of Anglesey in Wales and is probably the weirdest name on this list. With 58 characters, this charming destination has the longest name in Europe and the second-longest one-word place name in the world.

It was given this name in 1869 for the sole purpose of attracting tourists. However, unless you are fluent in Welsh, it is unlikely that you’ll be able to pronounce it correctly; it is a real tongue twister! Translated to English, it means: "St Mary's Church in the Hollow of the White Hazel Near to the Rapid Whirlpool of Llantysilio of the Red Cave." But don't worry, you don't have to memorize it all, to make things easier the locals call it Llanfairpwll or Llanfair PG for short.

Image: Yannik Mika

There is no consensus regarding the origin of the unusual name of this unincorporated community in Jackson County, Tennessee. As is always the case in these situations, there are a few rumors going around. One theory suggests that when residents applied for a post office they forgot to fill in the name field. The U.S. Post Office Department didn't give it a second thought and in 1866 just returned the application with "Nameless" stamped on the form.

In his book Blue Highways: A Journey Into America, travel writer William Least Heat-Moon offers another version. He recounts that the locals finally decided to call their town Nameless because they couldn't agree on a name: some suggested patriotic themes, others preferred something related to nature. Apparently, a fellow who was fed up with the discussion said: "This here's a nameless place if I ever seen one, so leave it be." And that's just what they did.

Image: Tollef Salemann, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

"Welcome to hell," writes someone in the caption of their Instagram post of a selfie next to a blue sign. Although the name of this Norwegian village probably finds its origin in the word hellir, which means "cave" in Old Norse, travelers from all over the world love to take pictures of themselves at the Hell train station and make jokes like "See you in Hell," or "I have been to Hell and back."

The town of Hell is located in the province of Trøndelag, in the central part of the country, very close to the Trondheim Fjord and the Norwegian Sea coast. However, instead of fire and sulfur, this quiet town is home to cold temperatures and ice-covered streets. Yes, there's a place on Earth where hell freezes over!

Image: Panos Deligiannidis

Unlike the ancient Greek tragedies, in which Prometheus rebels against the gods and Oedipus kills his own father, the peaceful city of Drama surprisingly does not live up to its name. In fact, it was named after Hydrama —meaning "rich in water"—, a city with excellent water resources believed to have been in the same place in classical times.

Located in the Macedonian region of northeastern Greece, Drama is surrounded by green hills, breathtaking waterfalls, and miles of pristine nature to explore. The area is known for having the lowest temperatures in the country, which offers the unusual opportunity to ski on Mount Falakro, just an hour's drive away.

Image: Dark Avenger at German Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

With a name like Kissing, you might expect this town to be full of loving couples walking hand in hand in the sunset. Located just outside of Augsburg, one of Germany's oldest cities, Kissing is home to beautiful small churches and large green spaces, perfect for romance and courtship. However, while it is true that it has a lot of charm, you don't have to be a romantic to enjoy this bucolic Bavarian village.

In fact, the first certain mention of this municipality goes back to the year 935 when it was called Chissingun. This toponym probably derives from the Old High German male name Kiso/Cisso. Fun fact: the surname Kissinger —as in Henry Kissinger— means inhabitant of Kissing. Did you know?

Image: everett mcintire

Boring is anything but boring. This town in the state of Oregon does its best to get rid of that negative connotation and invites visitors to take funny pictures at the entrance sign. Not only that, in 2012 it was paired with the village of Dull, Scotland. Along with Bland, Australia, the three towns are informally —and humorously— called the "Trinity of Tedium."

The town of Boring, located in the foothills of the Cascade mountain range, is named after a former Civil War soldier named William Boring who donated land for the first school. But, as you might imagine, few pay attention to this little detail. As with the Norwegian town of Hell, all sorts of witty phrases come up. "I had fun in Boring, OR" is one of our favorites.

Image: Clément Falize

Nameless places, accidents, monsters, the longest name: this list has it all. That's why we couldn't say goodbye without adding a superhero to the mix. In southeastern Turkey, there is a large city called Batman, home to almost 500,000 people. Although there is no link between the fictional character and this urbanization, the history of its name is full of curiosities.

Turkey's third-largest city actually got its current name a few years after artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger created the Dark Knight. This place, formerly called Iluh, changed its name in 1957, in homage to an eponymous river called Batman since the 19th century. And why is the river called that? There is a simple explanation: In Turkey and Persia, a batman is an ancient unit of measure.

A mouthful of facts

What does the tongue say about you? 12 clues hidden in our mouth!

Image: Clem Onojeghuo

Our mouths do so much more than help us chat, chew, and chuckle. This hardworking part of the body is home to a whole host of weird, wonderful, and sometimes wacky facts. From surprising saliva stats to your teeth’s secret life, a lot is going on behind your smile. And the best part? You don’t need a medical degree to appreciate these bite-sized bits of trivia. Let’s sink our teeth into some fascinating mouth facts!

Image: Nick Fewings

Taste buds are important, but without saliva, your taste buds wouldn't be able to detect much of anything. Saliva helps break down food particles and dissolve the chemicals that make up flavors, sending them to your taste receptors. That’s why food tastes bland when you're dehydrated. Hydration equals better flavor!

Image: Joey Nicotra

Believe it or not, the inside of your mouth is teeming with life. Wanna hear the numbers? Around 8 billion bacteria live there! That’s roughly the population of the entire planet, all crammed into your smile.

Most of these microbes are harmless, and some are even helpful. But when they get out of balance, that’s when things like cavities and gum disease can set in. Brushing and flossing aren’t just cosmetic, they help keep the peace in this microscopic community.

Image: Diana Polekhina

This might surprise you, but skipping floss can affect more than just your gums. Studies have shown a strong link between poor oral health and major diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and even osteoporosis.

Inflammation from gum disease may contribute to problems in other parts of your body. Your mouth is like a window into your overall health, and red flags here could signal trouble elsewhere. Keep the dental checkups going! Your whole body benefits when your mouth is in top shape.

Image: Brian Matangelo

Taking a dip in the pool is refreshing, but make sure you keep your mouth closed. Chlorine, used to disinfect pool water, can be tough on your teeth.

Frequent exposure may weaken enamel and lead to increased tooth sensitivity. That means swimmers, especially those doing laps daily, should be extra cautious. If you’re one of them, just know rinsing with clean water after a swim can help wash away any residue.

Image: Caroline LM

Plaque isn’t just a little fuzzy feeling on your teeth, it’s a mix of bacteria, food particles, and saliva. If left alone, it hardens into tartar, which only a dentist can remove.

Plaque is the main cause of gum disease and cavities. Brushing twice a day and flossing help kick it to the curb. Mouthwash can give an extra layer of protection, too.

Image: Fernanda Greppe

Of all the muscles in your body, the tongue is the only one that doesn’t need skeletal support to do its job. It’s a muscular marvel that helps with speaking, swallowing, and tasting. Despite its flexibility, it’s incredibly strong for its size.

Plus, no two tongues are the same; each has a unique print, just like fingerprints. Bet you didn’t know your tongue was such a multitasker!

Image: Kamal Hoseinianzade

You might only see the top two-thirds of your teeth, but the rest is hiding below the gumline. That hidden portion includes the roots, which anchor your teeth in place. Healthy gums are essential for keeping this foundation strong.

Gum disease can cause that support to weaken, leading to tooth loss over time. So yes, we said it one too many times, but flossing is about way more than fresh breath. A deep clean leads to a deep-rooted smile.

Image: Na visky

Green tea is full of powerful antioxidants and natural antibacterial agents. These can help reduce inflammation in your gums and keep harmful bacteria at bay. Studies suggest it may even lower your risk of periodontal disease.

Unlike sugary drinks, it doesn’t feed the bacteria that cause decay. And it’s a pretty soothing way to wind down after a meal. Swap one of your daily cups of joe for green tea, and your mouth will thank you.

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You’ve got about 10,000 taste buds scattered around your mouth, but most live on your tongue. They detect sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami flavors, working together like a culinary orchestra.

Now, here’s the fascinating fact: Taste buds regenerate every 10 to 14 days, so you’re always getting a fresh batch. However, aging, smoking, and illness can dull your sense of taste over time.

Image: Lesly Juarez

Just like fingerprints, no two people have the exact same set of teeth. Their size, shape, alignment, and even bite pattern are all uniquely yours. That’s why dental records are so helpful in forensics.

Your teeth are part of your identity, and once you lose them, they don’t grow back. Protecting them is a lifelong investment!

Image: LexScope

Get ready for this one: The average person produces over 37,000 liters of saliva in a lifetime. That’s enough to fill two entire swimming pools!

Saliva plays a vital role in digestion, taste, and keeping your mouth clean. It helps neutralize acids and wash away food particles, protecting against decay. Without it, your mouth would be a desert. Yes, this fact was kind of gross, but equally helpful!

Image: Nik

Over the course of a lifetime, the average person spends 38.5 days brushing their teeth. That’s more than a month with nothing but you, your toothbrush, and the mirror.

It may sound like a lot, but your smile’s worth every second, don’t you think? Regular brushing keeps plaque away, prevents bad breath, and saves you from future dental bills. Just keep brushing, you’re doing mouth maintenance like a pro!