65 Funny Town Names Across the U.S.

Booger Hole? Ding Dong? Hot Coffee? In America, you can visit them all.

65 Hilarious Town Names Across the U.S.

You’ve surely heard the phrase, “When Hell freezes over.” Well, that’s not such a far-fetched proposition if you’re from the town in Michigan actually named Hell.

And that's not much better than Bitter End, Tennessee, or Hurt, Virginia, whose names make most people want to avoid them. There's also Ding Dong, Texas, and Monkey's Eyebrow, Kentucky.

What about other places across the U.S. where people get laughs and maybe even some odd looks when they tell others where they live? We’ve scoured the country to find the wackiest, zaniest, funniest town names in America.

Accident, Maryland

Rumor has it that this Maryland town got its name because a land speculator marked it off by accident.

Still, if you're superstitious, stay far away. You wouldn't want to risk suffering a freak accident while in Accident and then having to deal with your friends making that joke for the rest of your life.

Aladdin, Wyoming

"Come on down stop on by, hop a carpet and fly, to another Wyoming night."

Is that not how the lyrics went? There is no known reason for a former mining town in Wyoming to be named Aladdin and yet, thankfully, we're not making this up. What we will make up, however, is that the population of 15 is obsessed with the Disney classic (and the Will Smith version).

Bacon Level, Alabama

Let's be honest, if there was one state where we would expect a town to have this name it would be Alabama.

How the name of Bacon Level came about is uncertain, but we'd like to assume that it was literal and that the towns people simply loved high levels of bacon.

The unincorporated community is near Roanoke and has its own Bacon Level Baptist Church.

Bat Cave, North Carolina

Sounds like a place for Batman and Robin to hang out, but in reality, this unincorporated community in Western North Carolina got its name from the variety of bats that make their home in a cave on Bluerock Mountain. And it’s not just any cave — it’s North America’s largest known granite fissure cave, protected by The Nature Conservancy.

Public hiking has been discontinued on the property in an effort to prevent the spread of white nose syndrome in the bats. But if you’re looking for a silly photo-op, it may still be worth hitting up this town within a half hour’s drive of Asheville, N.C.

Bigfoot, Texas

Sadly, you won't find Bigfoot in this Texan town, despite what its name may have you believe.

Rather, you'll find plenty of commemorations to a Texas ranger named William Alexander Anderson "Bigfoot" Wallace. A tall man, Wallace earned the nickname and gave it to the town where he eventually settled after participating in several violent campaigns against Mexicans and Native Americans.

We're not sure he was the type of guy you'd want your town named after.

Bitter End, Tennessee

We want to imagine a lonely blues singer making up the lyrics to a song by this name and deciding to name his plot of land like this.

Sadly, nobody knows how this melancholic name came to be or whether a blues singer was involved.

Bitter End is located near Smoky Mountains National Park, so there's a chance it's not all bitterness in this town.

Booger Hole, West Virginia

It seems that the town name of Booger Hole morphed out of the term “boogieman.” People used that nickname in the early 1900s to describe athank you mysterious figure responsible for a spate of murders and disappearances.

Townspeople who were weary of the fear and trepidation in their community formed the Clay County Mob and posted notice in the newspaper stating they intended to drive murder and mayhem out of their community.

The announcement said, in part, “We have pledged our lives to drive these people from our county or kill them… If before you leave, there is any stealing, killing or burning, we will get the blood-hounds and detectives and run you to the ends of the earth.”

That put an end to the violence, but the mysterious tales and the town’s name remain.

Boring, Oregon

Even though there is also a town named Boring in Maryland and Tennessee, this Oregon town takes the price for taking its unfortunate name with stride.

The town uses the tagline, “An exciting place to live.” It is also a sister city to Dull, Scotland, and Bland, Australia.

Despite what you may infer, the town wasn't named because of its lack of things to do but instead was named after Union soldier William Harrison Boring, who owned land here.

Breeding, Kentucky

We don't doubt that the people who founded this town wanted to motivate everyone to procreate as much as possible.

Given that there are only around 280 people, we'd say that their attempt at subliminal messaging failed epically.

Bugtussle, Kentucky

Bugtussle may have the most country name in the U.S. — and let's just say the competition for that honor is tough.

As the story goes, the town got its name because seasonal workers who came to help farms during harvest slept in stacks of hay that were infected by doodlebugs. (Trust us, they are not nearly as cute as their name would suggest.)

The workers are rumored to have complained that the bugs were getting so big, they were having to tussle with them for sleep space. If this story makes you never want to visit Bugtussle, we don't blame you.

Burnout, Alabama

Do you think you're suffering from bad burnout? Try living in a town where everyone is reminded of this 21st-century malady on the daily.

There is actually a reason for this weird name, and it goes back to the Civil War. The story goes that a group of Union Soldiers camped out at a church and accidentally burned it down when one of them knocked over a lamp. They reconstructed the church and named it "Burnout Chruch" — since they had just finished fighting one of the bloodiest wars in U.S. history, we'll give them a pass for the lapse in judgement.

Carefree, Arizona

If you're suffering from burnout, you may want to relocate to Carefree in Arizona. Founded as a planned community in the 1950s, the town's name is no coincidence but rather a marketing ploy meant to convince people to move here.

The town was the home of Southwestern Studios, where hits like "The Dick Van Dyke" show and Orson Well's "The Other Side of the Wind" were filmed.

Center of the World, Ohio

Given that the world is a sphere, there is no real center, though places like Ecuador and Turkey like to lay claim to the title.

But what is for sure is that Ohio is nowhere near the center of the world, no matter how you look at it. The town's name was aspirational, as its founder Randall Wilmot wanted it to be a center of commerce.

His plan obviously did not pan out and the name just comes off as either pretentious or geographically ignorant.

Chicken, Alaska

Gold miners settled here in the late 19th century, and it remains one of the few gold rush towns in Alaska.

When the town was incorporated in 1902, someone suggested calling it Ptarmigan, which was the name of a bird found in the area that looks like a chicken. It later became the state bird. Trouble was, no one knew how to spell Ptarmigan, so they used Chicken instead.

You won’t find many residents here. The 2010 census listed 7 people, but flocks of miners still come into the area during the summers. It’s a place without electricity, phones or internet, if you can imagine, but the town does have a post office, bar, gift shop and café.

Coke County, Texas

Sometimes, things simply don't age well. When this county was named in 1889 after Governor Richard Coke, no one batted an eye. In the early part of the 19th century, when Coke was just the name of a popular soda, jokes may have been more innocent.

But after the drug rage of the 1980s, this town had no chance at escaping mockery. We're not condoning all the endless jokes that must be made about the town, but they're sort of inevitable.

Cookietown, Oklahoma

Now, this is a wacky town name we can get behind — as long as the town delivers on its promise of free cookies for all!

The town is said to have been named after a generous store owner who would give cookies to kids. He was clearly a hero who deserved to be commemorated for all eternity.

Correct, Indiana

Don't even try to win an argument with anyone from Correct; they'll never accept being in the wrong.

In fact, the people of the town are so keen on never owning up to mistakes, that they kept the town name even after officials incorrectly spelled "Comet."

Cut and Shoot, Texas

Is there a more Texas name than this? Local lore says that the town's name came about after a heated dispute broke out surrounding the single church in town. A local boy, probably following the lead of the terrible adults, claimed he was going to "cut around the corner and shoot through the bushes in a minute!"

Instead of reflecting on what they were teaching their children, the town's people loved the boy's claim so much they decided to name their home after it.

You really can't make this stuff up.

Ding Dong, Texas

According to legend, a practical joke led to this town’s name. Bert and Zulis Bell founded the town in the 1930s and operated a country store. They needed a sign, so they hired a painter to create one for their store.

Another store owner urged the painter to play a joke. He suggested painting two bells on the sign with Bert’s name on one and Zulis’s name on the other, and adding the words “Ding Dong” underneath.

The painter followed his lead, finished the sign, and the Bells put it up. From then on, townspeople called the place Ding Dong.

The unincorporated community is situated on the Lampasas River eight miles south of Killeen in Central Texas.

DISH, Texas

How much would you be willing to do for a free satellite TV? For this Texas town, the price was its name.

Formerly known as Clark, the town changed its name to DISH (all capitals) in exchange for free TV from Dish Network in 2005.

Seeing how little more than a decade later streaming would throw satellite TV off its throne, we're curious to know if the people of the town still think it was worth it.

Early, Iowa

Punctuality is of the utmost importance to the 587 people who live in this Iowa town. If you can't be early, don't expect to be welcome here.

The town was named after the man who founded it, D.C. Early, but that's not nearly as fun as imagining a small town filled with human versions of the rabbit from "Alice in Wonderland."

Earth, Texas

We were under the impression that Center of the World thought too highly of itself, but Earth, Texas, takes egocentrism to a whole new level.

The town doesn't even claim to be the focal point of Earth but to be the entire Earth itself. This certainly doesn't help the stereotype of Texans thinking they're bigger and better than everyone.

Fifty-Six, Arkansas

If the town name you propose is rejected by the unfair powers that be, you'd try to find a better one, right?

Not in Fifty-Six, Arkansas, where town leaders responded to rejection with laziness and simply named the town after its school district number.

Hey, at least it put the town on the map.

Frankenstein, Missouri

Let's get one thing out of the way first: Frankenstein is the scientist, not the Monster.

The last name is not too uncommon in Germany, where it is a derivative of another surname, Franken. In 1890, Godfried Franken donated land so that a new town could be built. The town was later named in his honor.

Still, "Frankenstein" was published in 1818, so we'd like to believe that part of the naming process was done by a big fan of Mary Shelley's masterpiece.

French Lick, Indiana

French Lick sounds like either a horrible hairstyle that requires a lot of gel or a weird spin on the French kiss.

In reality, the town is named so because it was a French trading post that had a salt lick, a place where animals go to lick salt to get minerals. The town also has other things, like sulfur springs, so we would've personally gone with "French Springs." To each their own, we guess.

Funk, Nebraska

We'd like to report that this town got its name because its funk simply could not be contained.

Sadly, the reality is much less interesting, as it was simply named after early settler Phillip C. Funk.

Still, we can only hope that the residents of the town take the opportunity to walk down the street listening to "Uptown Funk," "Funky Town" or any funk song.

Good Grief, Idaho

The tiny community of Good Grief resides near the Canadian border. Its one claim to fame is receiving a salute on the vintage TV show “Hee Haw” for “having a population of three with two dogs and one old grouch.”

As the legend goes, there was a general store that basically made up the entire town. In the 1950s a man named Paul Springs bought it without telling his wife, who exclaimed "good grief!" when she found out.

The story may not be exciting, but at least it gave us a hilarious town name.

Greasy Corner, Arkansas

As strange as this town's name is, the story of how it came about is even weirder. The town was originally named Mack's Corner after a businessman in the area whose last name was McCollum.

McCollum owned several businesses in the same building, including a restaurant and an auto shop. As anyone could've predicted, this wasn't the cleanest environment, and when one customer received a plate of food with a car grease stain, he bitterly joked that the town should be called Greasy Corner instead.

Somehow, everyone thought this was a great idea, and the town has never been able to live down that fateful day of the greasy plate.

Half Hell, North Carolina

You'll see the town of Hell soon enough, but on your way there, make sure to stop at Half Hell.

One theory about the town's unusual name is that settlers couldn't get past the area's dense and dangerous swamps and marshes, so they decided to stay and build a home in a place that was "half hell."

Sure, we can believe that. But why haven't they changed the name since then?

Hell, Michigan

It turns out Hell isn't in the underworld but a mere 15 miles from Ann Arbor. We can't really decide if this town is trying to be metal or if it's trying to warn you to turn back and run away as fast as you can.

The townspeople also don't seem to know. Theories about the origin of the name go to both extremes. One says it comes from the German word for "bright." Another says that Western settlers hated it because of the mosquitoes and impenetrable forests of the area.

We may never know the truth.

Hot Coffee, Mississippi

You have to love a town that has a history of love for a good cuppa Joe. In the late 1800s, storekeeper L.N. Davis hung a coffee pot as a form of advertising on the outside of his store along with the words, “the best hot coffee around.”

He didn’t just brew coffee beans with spring water, he also put in a touch of molasses, which made his coffee distinctive and memorable. The coffee was so good that people would come back to town — located between Natchez and Mobile — for another hot cup of his delicious concoction. And thus, a silly town name was born.

Hurt, Virginia

If you ever find yourself in the midst of a terrible can't-sleep-can't-eat heartbreak, head to this Virginian town where your emotional state will be externalized. The fact that Virginia is for lovers will only make the pain more bittersweet.

In all seriousness, the town's name comes from an early settler, Colonel John R. Hurt. Why so many early settlers with weird last names decided to name towns after themselves nobody will ever know.

Hygiene, Colorado

Allegedly, the people of this town were shaken when they heard about germ theory. That or they just picked a very random name for their home.

Is Hygiene cleaner than other towns? All accounts point to this being false advertising. But, hey, the name is much more enticing than "Hell" or "Booger Hole," so the town's got that going for it.

Intercourse, Pennsylvania

This town has had to invest in additional signs throughout the years, as it is often the target of thieves who think the name is funny. Originally called Cross Keys in the mid 1700s, the name changed to Intercourse in 1814. But townspeople didn’t consider it a sexual term at that time.

They may have chosen the name because the town was located at the intersection of two major roads. Or it could have reflected the original meaning of intercourse, which described fellowship and social interaction in a community of faith.

Modern-day travelers to the area think it’s especially humorous that Intercourse is located about eight miles from the town of Blue Ball, Pennsylvania, named after the Blue Ball Hotel (torn down in 1997).

Ketchuptown, South Carolina

You'd think that Ketchuptown was named as such because it's the birth place of ketchup, or because its residents were abnormally fond of the condiment. But the name actually has absolutely nothing to do with ketchup.

Instead, it morphed from "catch up town" since a store in the area was where farmers would go on weekends to "catch up" on news and town gossip.

We think the origin of the name is much more interesting than if it had been related to ketchup.

Knockemstiff, Ohio

There are many legends about brawls and fights that try to explain how this town in Ohio received its rowdy name.

The most believable theory, however, is that it was named after a slang word for moonshine, which was once popular with locals.

Donald Ray Pollock's book, "The Devil All the Time" and its movie adaptation — which stars Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson — are partly set in Knockemstiff.

Monkey’s Eyebrow, Kentucky

Apparently, this unincorporated community got its moniker because people said that from the air, Ballard County resembled a monkey’s head, and this town is where the eyebrow would be. Another theory posits that the town itself looked like a monkey’s eyebrow when viewed from a nearby hill.

However it got its name, it rates a lot of laughs from visitors and locals alike. Distance-wise, you’ll find it about a half hour from Paducah.

Kentucky is a treasure trove of amusingly named towns, including Pig, Hippo, Chicken Bristle, Mud Lick and Krypton.

Neutral, Kansas

This Kansas town desperately wanted to be the Switzerland of North America, publicly declaring its neutrality on all conflicts in the region.

We actually have no idea where the town got its name. But given that its post office was discontinued in 1907, we're guessing it doesn't have much influence on its surroundings.

No Name, Colorado

As you may have guessed, the original intention was never to keep this name. Instead, officials used it as a placeholder while legal transactions were underway.

But the people of the area thought the name was absolutely hilarious. So much so, that they petitioned for it to stay this way.

We can imagine that whenever they leave the small town they get giddy when someone asks where they're from, just so that they can reply "No Name" and see the reactions.

We dare not even think of how terrible the dad jokes must be here.

Normal, Illinois

By all account, this Illinois town really is normal. Still, when it has to go out of its way to assert itself as such, it makes you wonder if you're not getting into a "Hot Fuzz" situation.

The unusual name came from the Illinois State Normal University, which later had the indecency of changing its name to Illinois State University.

The university acted like that friend in middle school that convinces you to get a weird hair color together and then re-dyes it back to normal without telling you.

Nothing, Arizona

You know how sometimes you hear someone's ugly name and wonder why their parents would do that to them? That's also how we feel about this poor town, whose founders clearly did not love it very much.

In all fairness, there really is nothing in Nothing, as it is an uninhabited ghost town. And the people who named it, according to local legend, were a group of drunks who thought it would be funny to bully the abandoned town.

Peculiar, Missouri

Coming up with an acceptable town name proved frustrating in one Missouri town in the 1800s. Townspeople came up with three different names and the postmaster submitted them, but all were rejected because they were already in use.

The postmaster sent a letter to the Postmaster General saying, “We don’t care what name you give us so long as it’s sort of Peculiar.”

The Postmaster General responded, “In all the land it would be difficult to imagine a more distinctive, a more peculiar name than Peculiar.” And so it was. Peculiar became the official town name.

Pee Pee, Ohio

Some early-day graffiti led to this town’s comical name. As the story goes, a man by the name of Peter Patrick carved his initials into a tree — P.P . — and over the years it became known as Pee Pee as well as Pee Pee Creek.

The area was tied to the Underground Railroad, with Pee Pee Settlement known as a free African-American community.

Some residents will say they live in the neighboring town of Waverly to avoid the jokes that follow when you tell someone you live in Pee Pee.

Pfafftown, North Carolina

Allegedly, any time you try to say something in this town, people will mockingly reply to your absurd suggestions with "pfaff!"

Not really, but that's a much more entertaining version of reality. The truth is that the founder of the town was named Peter Pfaff Sr.

But maybe if enough people go with our version we'll make it an urban legend to replace the boring truth.

Plastic, Colorado

The unincorporated community of Plastic probably thought its name was innovative and reflected the future of the world. It couldn't have known that that future would associate it with one of the worst culprits of pollution.

Thankfully, the town isn't overrun by plastic. Still, we're surprised environmental groups haven't tried to donate money to it in exchange for changing its name to "Biodegradable."

Poverty, Kentucky

Someone needs to sit this town down and lecture it on self-esteem and the power of manifestation.

You can thank a physician named William Short for the name. Apparently, he wanted to spite his snobbish neighbors by making them live in a town called "Poverty." We actually kind of love his pettiness.

Random Lake, Wisconsin

We all have rough days at work where we are simply just not feeling it. So we can understand why the first surveyors may have simply wanted to get the naming of this town over and done with.

What we don't understand is why nobody has thought to change it yet.

Romance, Arkansas

Calling all hopeless romantics!

It's undeniable that Arkansas has a lot of natural beauty, which is what prompted a school teacher to name the town "Romance." Locals have not been shy about capitalizing on their name, which brings a lot of attention to it on Valentine's Day. Some people even go to the town to get married or postmark their invitations from the post office.

Rough and Ready, California

This town would be the kind of person you would want to avoid on dating apps. Back in the days of the Gold Rush, the people in this mining town wanted the government to know they were not OK with the new mining taxes that were being proposed.

Their solution? To declare independence and name their new town after a mining company that strangely decided the name was appropriate.

The town rejoined California three months later but kept its name, and residents today still celebrate the declaration of (short-lived) independence every June.

Santa Claus, Indiana

Name a town after the Jolly Old Elf and mail will come — lots of it.

The Santa Claus, Indiana post office opened officially in 1856. James Martin, the town’s 14th postmaster, began mailing response letters from “Santa” at his own expense in 1914.

But the letter-writing didn’t really take off until Robert Ripley of Ripley’s Believe it or Not published a cartoon featuring the town’s post office in the 1930s.

This town was originally called Santa Fe, but there was already a town in Indiana by that name. It was a cold December night as townsfolk gathered to discuss a name. Children shouted “Santa Claus!” when they heard jingle bells, and that became the moniker.

Today, the town is home to many Christmas-themed businesses, making this a great, kitschy road-trip stop.

Satan's Kingdom, Massachusetts

To completely contrast Santa Claus, there's a town named Satan's Kingdom in Massachusetts.

Though the name sounds like human sacrifices are common here, it really reflects an interesting coincidence. A man whose name has been lost to history once came out of a church sermon that talked about the fires of hell. As he stepped out, there was a forest fire right near where the town now stands, so he called it Satan's Kingdom.

The story is nice and all, but it doesn't explain why the name hasn't been changed or why there is another town with this name in Vermont.

Slaughterville, Oklahoma

Forget the Texas Chainsaw massacre, it pales in comparison to the Slaughterville killings.

Fortunately, we're just kidding. Unfortunately, history once again fails to entertain. There was once a grocery store run by a man named James Slaughter. Why America loves naming towns after grocery store owners is a mystery — but at least in this case, the result makes your ears perk up.

Hilariously, PETA once unsuccessfully tried to get the town to change itself to "Veggieville." It would've still landed on here, but it would've squashed our hopes that someone will one day make a horror movie set in Slaughterville.

Scratch Ankle, Alabama

People here were often seen scratching their ankles to relieve itching from mosquito, flea or black-gnat bites, leading to a very literal town name.

A few years ago, one resident was quoted by the local TV station as saying, “If you roll up your pants and sit out in the afternoon, you’d call it Scratch Ankle too.”

The town of some 200 residents is located about 80 miles southwest of Montgomery.

Success, Missouri

This town probably believes in practicing daily affirmations so it can get everything it wants and deserves.

No, but really, the founders gave it this name because they wanted to attract people to a mineral spa that was built here. Assumedly, they hoped people would think that bathing in the spring would bring them success.

What kind of success is not specified though.

Tombstone, Arizona

Tombstone is one of the best-known towns on this list. That's because it was the site of the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

The Wild West fight has been depicted in film numerous times, most famously in the 1957 Kirk Douglas film, "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral," and the 1993 film, "Tombstone," starring Kurt Russell.

As a main frontier town, the name was probably quite accurate during its founding. Today, it helps it attract Old West tourism.

Top-of-the-World, Arizona

Like Center of the World, Top-of-the-World falls very short of its name's promise. The town has an elevation of 4,528 feet — a hardly noteworthy altitude. The name apparently comes from a recreation facility that overpromised and underdelivered.

That said, Arizona is one of the most naturally beautiful states in the country, and while you won't be anywhere near the top of the world here, you'll find some very impressive lookout points and canyons.

Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

In the 1950s, there was a radio/TV quiz show called “Truth or Consequences.” Contestants tried to answer trivia questions before “Beulah the Buzzer” sounded. If they were wrong, they had to pay the consequences, such as performing a zany stunt.

On one show, the announcer, Ralph Edwards, said the 10th anniversary show would be broadcast from the first town that renamed itself Truth or Consequences. Officials in Hot Springs, New Mexico quickly said “We will!”

The town’s name was officially changed on March 31, 1950, just in time for the live broadcast on April 1.

Turkey Scratch, Arkansas

The origins of this town name is anyone's guess. Not even its few residents know.

This leaves plenty of space for making up wild stories that will hopefully become legends one day.

Let's imagine that one of the founders had a pet turkey that liked to be scratched. When the turkey died of old age, the owner buried it and named the land after his beloved animal. Rumor says the ghost of the turkey sometimes wakes up townspeople, asking for a scratch.

Two Egg, Florida

The Great Depression left many marks in the American conscience. This town's name is one of them.

According to lore, the name came from this difficult time when a local store would let people pay for goods with two eggs instead of money. The store eventually earned the nickname, which spread to the rest of the town.

We don't mind an unusual name, but why does it have to be grammatically incorrect?

Wealthy, Texas

This name is already ridiculous enough as it is. But what's even more hilariously absurd is the story behind it.

Once upon a time, the town's original name was Poor. That's right, someone actually named their town this. After some time, the townspeople decided they needed to manifest better things for themselves so they voted to change the name to ... Wealthy.

Why, Arizona

Geographic locators often play a role in how a town is identified. In this case, people referred to the place as “Y” because it was at a Y-shaped intersection of two roads.

This was changed to the word “Why” when Arizona law required the names of places to be a minimum of three letters.

Why is located 30 miles from the Mexican border and just north of the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, a gorgeous desert preserve worth visiting.

Whynot, North Carolina

Sometimes finding the right town name can be tiring and even exasperating. That’s what happened in the Piedmont region of North Carolina when residents debated what to call the place.

One person would say “Why not call it this.” Another would say “Why not call it something else.” Growing frustrated, one man said, “Why not call it ‘Why Not’ so we can go home.” It stuck.

Originally it was two words, but it changed to one word over the years. It’s located on N.C. 705, also called “North Carolina Pottery Highway.” The road is known for its community of potters and historic outposts like Jugtown Pottery, founded in 1921 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Yum Yum, Tennessee

With a name that's either delicious or creepy, Yum Yum got its name because a senator was too lazy to think of something less wacky.

Yum Yum was a type of candy that was popular in the 19th century. When Senator Kenneth McKellas asked the town's storekeeper what to name the town, he stated that Yum Yum would be original.

The story has two morals: one, storekeepers really have shaped the story of America from the shadows, and two, some politicians really should not be in power.

Zigzag, Oregon

Located in the Mount Hood Corridor, the town of Zigzag is named after the nearby Zigzag River.

The river, in turn, was named so because it zig-zags its way through the landscape. (Pioneers were not the most imaginative namers.)

About 11,000 people call Zigzag home, and visitors can enjoy Oregonian nature and a couple of historic structures like the Zigzag Ranger Station, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Zzyzx, California

Quack doctor Curtis H. Springer and his wife claimed the land for Zzyzx by filing a mining claim for 12,800 acres of public space in 1944. They then enticed tourists and those seeking better health to their “Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Resort.”

The name was chosen for the marketing campaign “last word of health,” so it would literally be last in any directory listing.

After running his business for 30 years, the federal government finally realized Springer didn’t have a legitimate claim to the land and evicted him in 1974. He was also sent to jail for a short period for bogus health claims. He had been dubbed “King of Quacks” by the American Medical Association.

Zzyzx is currently the site of the Desert Studies Center, which is a field station of the California State University.

As for how to pronounce it? That would be Zye-Zex.