Towns with a personality
Monkey’s Eyebrow and other most unusual US town names
Image: RDNE Stock project
Some towns have names that demand explanations. Designations like "Uncertain", "Dinosaur", or "Cut and Shoot" are more than just quirky . They imply stories of misunderstandings, mockery, and tongue-in-cheek communities who decided to embrace the funny anecdote. In this article, we decode the names of ten towns and cities that have had people pointing at the map and giggling for several decades. Let’s uncover tales behind 10 of the most unusual town names!
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.
