We Dare You to Say These 10 Mississippi Places Correctly on Your First Try (Spoiler: You Can’t)

Posted by RCO Team April 17, 2025
We Dare You to Say These 10 Mississippi Places Correctly on Your First Try (Spoiler You Can’t)

Mississippi is notorious for town names that trip up even the most seasoned travelers. Whether it’s French influence, Native American roots, or just good old Southern tradition, these place names almost guarantee a stumble on your first attempt. Here are 10 of the most commonly mispronounced Mississippi places—and how locals actually say them:

1. Biloxi

  • Outsiders often say: Bi-LOCK-see
  • Locals say: Bi-LUCK-see

2. Pass Christian

  • Outsiders often say: Pass Christian (like the religious term)
  • Locals say: Pass Chris-chee-anne

3. Louisville

  • Outsiders often say: LOO-ee-vill (like in Kentucky)
  • Locals say: LEW-iss-vill

4. Gautier

  • Outsiders often say: GO-tee-ay or GO-tee-er
  • Locals say: Go-shay or Go-chay

5. Belzoni

  • Outsiders often say: Bel-ZOH-nee
  • Locals say: Bell-ZONE-uh

6. Tupelo

  • Outsiders often say: Tuh-PEL-oh
  • Locals say: TWO-pel-oh

7. Tishomingo

  • Outsiders might try: Tish-oh-MING-go
  • Locals say: Tish-uh-MING-oh or Tish-a-MING-o

8. Kewanee

  • Outsiders might try: Kew-ah-nee
  • Locals say: Key-WAY-nee (based on common Southern pronunciations; not explicitly in sources, but supported by regional naming conventions)

9. Wier

  • Outsiders might try: Weer or Wire
  • Locals say: Weer (the spelling is confusing, but locals keep it simple)

10. Picayune

  • Outsiders might say: Pick-ay-oon
  • Locals say: Pick-a-YOON3

Why Are These Names So Tricky?

  • French Origins: Names like Gautier and Pass Christian reflect the French colonial history of the Gulf Coast, but locals have adopted their own pronunciations far from the originals.
  • Native American Roots: Tishomingo and others come from Choctaw or Chickasaw languages, making them unfamiliar to outsiders.
  • Southern Twang: Even familiar-looking names like Louisville are pronounced differently in Mississippi than elsewhere, often with a distinctive drawl or syllable emphasis.

Sources:

  1. https://www.rd.com/list/difficult-to-pronounce-towns/
  2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgfSI0JtaNE
  3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgYHVKh9-Lk
  4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdDk6bUKYjc