Nebraska is full of quirky, puzzling, and downright bizarre town names that might leave your GPS (and you) scratching its head. Here are ten of the most existentially challenging:
1. Worms
This small community’s name is as odd as it gets, conjuring up images of squiggly creatures rather than a Midwestern town.
2. Weeping Water
The poetic and slightly melancholy name comes from a Native American legend and is a translation of the French “L’Eau qui Pleure”.
3. Boys Town
Famous for its charitable history, Boys Town is an actual incorporated village, not just a nickname or institution.
4. Funk
Named after Civil War veteran C.P. Funk, but it’s hard not to wonder if residents are especially groovy.
5. Rising City
The name suggests a place on the move—upwards, perhaps, or just with high aspirations.
6. Assumption
This town’s name is open to interpretation and might leave you wondering what, exactly, is being assumed.
7. Broken Bow
Supposedly named after a settler finding a broken bow in a field, this town is both literal and mysterious.
8. Wahoo
Whether named for the arrow wood plant or the wahoo shrub, this town’s name is as fun to say as it is to ponder.
9. McCool Junction
Is it a place, a state of mind, or just a really chill intersection? Either way, it’s a name that stands out.
10. Inland
A town named simply “Inland” raises the question: inland from what, exactly? The answer remains elusive.
Honorable Mentions
- Ninth and a Half Street (Nebraska City): Not a town, but a street name so odd it deserves a mention. It exists due to the merging of three cities with mismatched street grids.
- Wee Town: A tiny place with a name that’s both cute and confusing for navigation systems.
- Enola: “Malone” spelled backwards (minus the “m”), a name that’s as cryptic as it is clever.
These Nebraska names range from the delightfully literal to the head-scratchingly abstract, each with a story or mystery behind it. Whether your GPS can handle the existential weight is another question entirely.
Sources:
- https://www.worldatlas.com/cities/8-bizarrely-named-towns-in-nebraska.html
- http://reallyweirdplacenames.blogspot.com/2013/05/nebraska.html
- https://www.raygunsite.com/blogs/news/funny-midwestern-town-names-slogans
- https://www.rd.com/list/funniest-street-names/
- https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=englishunsllc
- https://www.pinterest.com/pin/53409945559946447/