North Carolina is famous for its collection of town names that are quirky, hard to pronounce, or just plain puzzling—many of which can leave both visitors and GPS systems scratching their heads. Here are 10 North Carolina town names that might just make your GPS have an existential crisis:
1. Lizard Lick
Yes, lizards licking dew off fence posts apparently inspired this name—now famous thanks to a reality TV show.
2. Climax
This town’s name means “high point,” but it’s the cheeky double entendre that really stands out.
3. Frog Pond
An unincorporated community with a name as whimsical as its amphibious inspiration.
4. Big Lick
Named for a natural salt lick that attracted wildlife, this name is bold and memorable.
5. Meat Camp
Originally a site for hunters to process their game, the name is a carnivorous curiosity.
6. Horneytown
Named for the Horney family, but modern sensibilities make this name a source of endless amusement.
7. Whynot
The story goes that locals couldn’t decide on a name, so someone said, “Why not call it Whynot?”
8. Bat Cave
Home to the largest known granite fissure cave in North America, and yes, it’s really called Bat Cave10.
9. Toast
This town’s name is short, sweet, and just plain odd—no one is entirely sure why it’s called Toast10.
10. Fuquay-Varina
Pronounced “FYOO-kway vuh-REE-nuh,” this double-barreled name is a tongue-twister and a GPS nightmare.
These towns are just a sampling of the Tar Heel State’s quirky, memorable, and sometimes downright confusing place names—perfect for sparking conversation or confusing your navigation system.
Sources:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iug1N-HkUg
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTV4z0q9a2U
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB3ZeUwolG8