1

Monkey's Eyebrow, Kentucky

Image: Jonny Belvedere

A name like "Monkey's Eyebrow" begs an explanation. One assumes there is a very particular story behind it. This is an unincorporated community in Ballard County, rural Kentucky, and the origin of its name is disputed. One of the theories suggests that, when seen from the air or on a map, the landscape in Ballard County looks like a monkey’s head, and this community has formed where the eyebrow would be .

Kentucky is, after all, no stranger to towns with odd names. Some of them include Rabbit Hash, Bachelor’s Rest, Sparta, and Oddiville itself.

2

Whynot, North Carolina

Image: Tammi Nowack

Yet another unincorporated community with an unusual name is Whynot, from Randolph County, North Carolina. Founded in the 18th century, the name was originally spelled separately: "Why Not."

The legend holds that, undecided about what name to pick for the town, the residents started throwing at one another "Why not this?" and "Why not that?" Until one bored resident said: "Why not name the town ‘Why Not’ and let's go home?" Joke or not, that ended up being the official name for the land. Today the community has an estimated 100 inhabitants.

3

Fries, Virginia

Image: Dzenina Lukac

One would expect a big monument of golden fries to be erected in some square within Fries, Virginia. But you would be misled to imagine that. When pronounced correctly, this town’s name rhymes with "breeze." Situated on the New River in Grayson County, Virginia, Fries boasts beautiful natural landscapes, and visitors are encouraged to bike, hike or horse ride around the unspoiled countryside.

The town was named after a prominent cotton mill owner and businessman, Francis Henry Fries. Fries holds music festivals annually and has a strong bluegrass and country music culture.

4

Canadian, Texas

Image: Cedric Fauntleroy

Canadian, Texas is not, in fact, Canadian. Founded in 1887, it is home to around 2,400 residents from the north of Texas, in Hemphill County. It was named after the Canadian River that flows one mile north. The river is a tributary of the Arkansas River, and it was named so in the 1820s when Canadian traders were spotted camping in its borders.

Here is a piece of trivia that you would never guess: The beginning and the end of the movie Cast Away (2000), with Tom Hanks, which occur in Texas, were filmed in Canadian and nearby.

5

Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

Image: Csongor Schmutc

A city with a name that sounds like a threat, Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, is within Sierra County and has a population of a little over 6,000. It is sometimes shortened to "T or C."

The place wasn’t always called this.

Originally, it was named Hot Springs, after the springs it was built over, belonging to the Artesian Basin. However, in 1950, the NBC Radio quiz show called "Truth or Consequences" declared that the 10th anniversary of the program would be recorded in the first town that changed its name to that of the show. Thus, Hot Springs officially became Truth or Consequences to gain the honor, and the show’s host visited the former Hot Springs yearly for half a century after that.

6

Dinosaur, Colorado

Image: Danny Grizzle

Dinosaur is a small town in Moffat County, Colorado, that was once called "Artesia." However, in the 1960s, it was decided to rename it to attract tourists who were traveling to see the Dinosaur National Monument, east of the town. The park contains over 800 archeological sites and unique fossils and was proclaimed a National Monument in 1915 by Woodrow Wilson.

Dinosaurs did once roam the golden fields under the Blue Mountain Range where Dinosaur sits. Beyond the visit of paleontology fans, the town prides itself on boasting stunning natural views and wildlife that includes deer, elk, and antelope.

7

Okay, Oklahoma

Image: STEPHEN POORE

Those who named this Oklahoma town "Okay" weren’t just trying to be funny. Okay, OK had several other names throughout history, including Coretta, Falls City, and Rex. The current one was adopted in 1919. Oklahoma Auto Manufacturing Company had a factory nearby, makers of the "O.K. Trucks." The official postal designation was changed in its honor.

The community had been established in 1806 on the east bank of the Verdigris River and had soon become a trading post for many visitors in the area, which allowed the settlement to grow.

8

Uncertain, Texas

Image: Scott Graham

Imagine the complications of filling out a form indicating that the name of your city is "Uncertain." This probably has happened to several residents, and it is closely related to the origin story of the town’s name.

It is said that, when applying for township, the residents hadn’t yet agreed on a name for the place. They tried to explain this by writing "uncertain" in the form’s blank space for the town name, hoping to resolve it in the future. But the township was eventually granted and the place came to officially be called Uncertain.

Uncertain is located in eastern Texas very near to the border with Louisiana. It sits near the Big Cypress Bayou and the banks of Caddo Lake.

9

Cut and Shoot, Texas

Image: Guðleifur Kristjánsson

The town of Cut and Shoot, Texas, got its unusual name from a confrontation that occurred in July 1912. A local church, meant to be shared by various denominations, became the center of conflict when an Apostolic preacher was invited to hold a meeting. The community split into two sides, those for and against the preacher's appearance, and both arrived armed to enforce their stance.

During the argument, a frightened eight-year-old boy exclaimed, "I'm going to cut around the corner and shoot through the bushes!". The conflict was resolved peacefully that day, but a trial unfolded between the two leading families. When the judge asked the name of the community, someone suggested calling it the place of the "cutting and shooting scrape." Residents eventually took a liking to this term and adopted it.

10

Coward, South Carolina

Image: Yohan Marion

"Coward" sounds like an accusation, but it is also the name of a town in Florence County, South Carolina, with a population of just over 700. One would expect its name to derive from some story of dishonor and shame, but Coward is instead just a surname .

It is unclear and disputed whether the town was named after Capt. Solomon Coward, who owned most of the land, Col. Asbury Coward, a Confederate veteran, or John Wilson Coward, a member of the "Committee of 50." However, the rural farming community was called that many years before it was incorporated in 1963.

1

California - "Eureka"

Image: Chor Tsang

According to legend, after the Ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes discovered his groundbreaking principle, he happily proclaimed, " Eureka! " This expression, which means "I have found it," is almost as famous as Archimedes’ work, so it stands to reason that the State of California chose Eureka as its state motto.

The Golden State’s slogan references the California Gold Rush. It is believed that a miner who finally struck gold was as excited about his discovery as Good Old Archimedes was. While the California State Seal has included the word Eureka since its design in 1850, it was only adopted as the state’s official motto over a hundred years later, in 1963.

2

Kansas - "To the stars through difficulties"

Image: Taylor Hunt

In 1861, the State of Kansas adopted its official state seal which depicted a beautiful prairie at dawn, filled with hardworking Kansans under 34 stars and the Latin motto Ad Astra Per Aspera. Anyone who reads the English translation of this motto will immediately realize how perfectly it describes the industrious and resilient people of Kansas: Ad Astra Per Aspera means "To the stars through difficulties."

Our 34th state chose this phrase alongside its state seal in 1861, only a few months after the first Governor of Kansas delivered the inaugural "State of the State" address. Nowadays, this motto stands as a reminder of both the bravery and diligence of the state’s first settlers, as well as the hardships that Kansas had to go through in order to gain statehood.

3

Indiana - "Crossroads of America"

Image: Steven Van Elk

The phrase "Crossroads of America" has long been associated with the state of Indiana , particularly after a specific intersection in Terre Haute, where U.S. Highways 40 and 41 met. Over time, Indiana itself proudly embraced the title of "the Crossroads of America," eventually adopting it as the state motto in 1937.

Interestingly, while "Crossroads of America" is the state’s official motto, some Hoosier cities have adopted this phrase —or variants of it— as their respective city slogans. For instance, Indianapolis adopted the motto in 1988, to reference how the city serves as a junction of 4 different Interstate Highways.

4

West Virginia - "Mountaineers are always free"

Image: Sara Cottle

Have you ever reached the summit of a particularly steep mountain after hours of arduous trekking? If you had to describe that amazing feeling in one word, what would it be? We’ll leave you to ponder that while we tell you the first word that came into our minds: freedom.

Apparently, we share this feeling with the good people of West Virginia , since its motto reflects the freedom that its magnificent mountains and hills inspire. West Virginia’s motto is the Latin phrase Montani Semper Liberi, which means "mountaineers are always free." Furthermore, since one of West Virginia’s demonyms is "mountaineers," this phrase also speaks to the core of West Virginians’ identity.

5

New York - "Excelsior"

Image: ben o'bro

Any Marvel fan will associate this phrase with comic-book legend Stan Lee, after all, he made this word his catchphrase throughout his many media appearances. However, you might be surprised to learn that "Excelsior" is also New York’s official state motto, and it perfectly describes New Yorkers’ industrious and resilient nature.

"Excelsior" is a Latin word that’s commonly translated as "Ever Upward," but it can also mean "higher" or "superior." It is featured in New York’s coat of arms, which features the representations of Liberty and Justice standing above the state’s motto.

6

Montana - "Gold and Silver"

Image: Trevor Vannoy

Just like West Virginia, Montana pays tribute to its breathtaking mountains and landscapes with its motto. However, it focuses on another key aspect of its geography, more akin to its nickname: Montana’s motto Oro y Plata literally translates to "Gold and Silver," which is a direct reference to The Treasure State’s proud mining history.

Montana first included the phrase Oro y Plata on its State Seal many years before it was adopted as the state’s official motto. Shortly after Montana was declared an official U.S. territory in 1864, the newly formed state honored the gold rush that had led to its territorial status by including its two most precious metals into its State Seal. Finally, the state motto was officialized in 1865.

7

Tennessee - "Agriculture and Commerce"

Image: Nathan Anderson

It’s no secret that state mottos sometimes reference their state’s most prominent industry: As we mentioned before, Montana and California pay tribute to the mining that helped build their economies. In that regard, Tennessee is no exception; its state motto is incredibly straightforward, directly praising the industries that helped the Big Bend State grow.

Tennessee chose "Agriculture and Commerce" in 1987. In turn, this motto was directly taken from the State Seal, which was adopted in 1801. The seal shows both sides of this state’s industry, with "Agriculture" referenced by a bundle of wheat and a cotton plant, while "Commerce" is depicted by a riverboat, presumably trading goods.

8

Texas - "Friendship"

Image: Brandon Zanders

Texas’s state motto may only feature one word, but it singlehandedly describes an essential part of Texan history. Before we can delve into that, though, we have to take a quick look into the etymology of the name of this great state. The word Texas is believed to come from the Caddo word táy:shaʼ , which means "friend." Spanish settlers adopted this word for the area, spelling it as Texas or Tejas.

In that sense, Texas pays homage to its history with the single-word motto "Friendship." Not only that, while Texas is mostly known by the nickname "The Lone Star State," its official slogan is "The Friendly State."

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Vermont - "May the fourteenth star shine bright" & "Freedom and Unity"

Image: Eric Chen

Vermont is the only state on this list to feature two official mottos: "Freedom and Unity" and the Latin phrase " Stella quarta decima fulgeat, " which translates to "May the 14th Star Shine Bright." Interestingly, this last phrase is also the newest slogan to be made official, since it was elected as Vermont’s state motto in 2015.

In any case, both mottos represent Vermont’s individuality, strength, and, perhaps more importantly, its solidarity: "Freedom and Unity" describes Vermont’s mission to create a free and neighborly community, while "May the 14th Star Shine Bright" depicts the search of the common good throughout the entire state.

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Rhode Island - "Hope"

Image: Praswin Prakashan

We’ll end this article with probably the most beautifully simple American state motto. The State of Rhode Island has the single-word motto "Hope," which is also featured in its State seal. In tune with their long maritime history, the seal depicts a golden anchor emblazoned in a dark blue field.

The inspiration behind both Rhode Island’s state motto and seal is probably a biblical quote found in the New Testament, which reads "Hope we have as an anchor of the soul." Considering that this state was founded by a Christian minister seeking to escape religious persecution, this single word expresses a very powerful sentiment: the hope that people could find in this new land a place of refuge and freedom.

1

C-3PO ( Star Wars , 1977)

Few film robots are as easy to recognize as C-3PO. Introduced in Star Wars: A New Hope in 1977, this tall, golden droid was designed to handle translation and communication. Voiced in an unmistakable British accent by Anthony Daniels, his smooth metal surface, rigid stance, and gentle manner make his role in the story immediately clear. C-3PO appears in nearly every main installment of the franchise, and he was even made into toys and theme park attractions.

2

R2-D2 ( Star Wars , 1977)

Not all iconic robots speak in words. C-3PO’s companion R2-D2, first seen in Star Wars: A New Hope (1977), communicates through "beeps and whistles" rather than spoken language. He is a droid designed to assist with navigation, maintenance, and technical repairs. Within the story, he frequently carries information, fixes equipment, or helps characters escape danger. His "trashcan" shape is a masterclass in functional design, and his bravery as a "swiss-army-knife" repair droid made him arguably the most heroic character in the franchise.

3

T-800 ( The Terminator , 1984)

Is it human, or only pretending to be? When The Terminator was released in 1984, the T-800, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in his breakout role, stood apart from earlier robots by appearing human. In fact, he’s more of a cyborg, since it combines an internal metal structure with external living tissue. Thanks to his appearance, he can move unnoticed among people, which is essential to his role in the story. Lines like "I'll be back" and "Hasta la vista, baby" are embedded in pop culture, making the T-800 one of the most iconic in cinema history.

4

Robby the Robot ( Forbidden Planet , 1956)

In 1956, long before sleek digital effects, Robby the Robot arrived on screen. His bulky metal body, exposed wiring, and clear dome head first appeared in the film Forbidden Planet . Robby can speak in full sentences, follow complex instructions, and perform tasks such as cooking, transporting people, and providing protection. After the film’s release, a similar aesthetic appeared in several television shows and movies. He was the first on-screen robot to have both a lovable personality and a complex design.

5

EVE ( WALL·E , 2008)

EVE’s design is iconic for its minimalism: she has no visible joints and no exposed mechanics. She first appears in Pixar’s 2008 animated film WALL·E . Her name means Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator, and she has a limited vocabulary. Her smooth white exterior, compact shape, and floating movement make her very different from her older, more mechanical-looking predecessors. Despite her coldness, she eventually learns the warm emotions of love.

6

Dot Matrix ( Spaceballs , 1987)

With her metallic gold body, upright posture, and humanlike mannerisms, Dot Matrix, introduced in Spaceballs (1987), was designed to resemble a "protocol droid." Yes, she is a clear parody of _Star Wars_’ C-3PO, born from the genius mind of Mel Brooks. Voiced by Joan Rivers, Dot Matrix is famous for her "Virgin Alarm" and her role as a sarcastic, overprotective governess to Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) rather than a technical aid.

7

RoboCop ( RoboCop , 1987)

RoboCop, played by Peter Weller, is introduced as a law-enforcement cyborg, combining human elements with heavy metallic armor. In the story, he carries out police duties such as patrol, investigation, and public order enforcement using advanced technology. The design—a silver-visored helmet and hydraulic movements— symbolized 1980s corporate greed and the loss of individual identity to the machine.

8

Johnny 5 ( Short Circuit , 1986)

Unlike the sleek EVE from WALL·E , Johnny 5 looks like a prototype, with exposed wires and tank treads. He is a small robot built for military testing, with large camera-like eyes and movable arms. After an accident alters his programming, he begins to act independently rather than following commands. He asks questions, observes everyday objects, and interacts closely with human characters. This combination of curiosity, humor, and a non-threatening appearance helped make Johnny 5 an icon of 1980s science fiction.

9

Gort ( The Day the Earth Stood Still , 1951)

Appearing in The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), Gort is a seamless, 8-foot-tall silver sentinel who represents the terrifying potential of nuclear-age technology. He follows instructions precisely and does not engage in conversation with humans. In the film, his purpose is to enforce rules rather than explain them, acting only when necessary. His iconic "visored" eye that fires a disintegration beam and the phrase "Klaatu barada nikto" remain his enduring legacy.

10

Rachael (Blade Runner, 1982)

At first glance, Rachael (played by Sean Young) does not appear to be a robot at all. Introduced in Blade Runner (1982), she is an android created to blend into human society, with natural speech, human behavior, and no visible mechanical parts. Unlike earlier film robots, her design relies on appearance and memory rather than metal or machinery. In the story, she believes her memories and feelings are real. This focus on memory and identity, rather than physical ability or function, is why her role is still discussed in relation to artificial intelligence and what defines a human being.