20 Funny Town Names You Won’t Believe Are Real

Across America, there are dozens of famous cities that entertain tourists from around the globe. Cities like New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Chicago are iconic locations that should be on everybody’s travel bucket list. Along with these amazing locations are other parts of America where you can find small quaint towns that are memorable for other reasons. Mainly due to the funny town names these places have been given. New York City might impress tourists, but the small town of Buttzville in New Jersey will have them crying with laughter.

There are more funny town names than you can imagine dotted across America. Some towns combine two ordinary words that sound like dirty swear words while other cities are named after the town’s founder or the first resident who was born with an unfortunate last name that makes 12-year-olds and immature adults laugh for days. Some towns even took the name of a famous person or fictional character with hilarious results. So join us on a road trip across America as we locate the funniest town names. 

1. Buttzville, New Jersey

In 1839, Michael Robert Buttz founded the small quaint town of Buttzville in White Township in Warren County, New Jersey. Buttz even named the town after his son, Liam Oakes Buttz. Little did Michael know that his family would be the butt of jokes for all eternity. 

2. Yeehaw Junction, Florida 

Nestled away in Osceola County, Florida, is Yeehaw Junction. The small town has a population of 240 according to 2010 data, and while the city is famous for its unusual name, it’s better than previous versions, such as Jackass Crossing and Jackass Junction. The original town name came from local ranchers riding donkeys to the brothel, what is now the present-day Desert Inn.

With the Florida Turnpike running through the town, the locals changed the name to something more dignified, Yeehaw Junction. Some theories suggest the name emanates from the Creek language word “wolf.” Others assume it comes from the simple fact that locals enjoy yelling, “Yeehaw!”

3. Whynot, North Carolina

A small town in North Carolina asks a critical question, “why not?” The quaint town of Whynot is in an unincorporated community in Randolph County, North Carolina Whynot is easily one of the most unusual town names on this list. The only thing funnier than the town name is the story behind it.

English and German settlers first arrived in the 18th century but the townspeople couldn’t agree on a city name. The debate continued until a man finally said, “Why not name the town “Why Not” and let’s go home?” Problem solved. 

4. Joker, West Virginia 

The unincorporated community and Batman rival, Joker, sits in Calhoun County, West Virginia. The small community actually gets its name from local merchant Joker Sewel and not the notorious comic book villain. 

5. Bat Cave, North Carolina 

Bat Cave in North Carolina is best known for its unusual town name and famous tourist attraction. The town began taking shape in late 1798 within Hickory Nut Gorge. The town’s name comes from the historic bat cave on Bluerock Mountain.

Since the 1920s, tourists have traveled from around the world to visit the famous bat cave. One 186 acres are devoted to the Bat Cave Preserve to protect the cave and bats, notably the endangered Indiana Bats that reside there. 

6. Butternuts, New York

Tucked away in the southwestern part of Otsego County, New York, is the small town of Butternuts. With a population of over 1,700, settlers first arrived in 1787. The hilarious town name comes from three white walnut trees or “butternut trees” growing from a single stump. It marked the corner of the present-day Morris, Pittsfield, and New Lisbon townships.

7. Booger Hollow, Arkansas

Booger Hollow in Arkansas is best known for the popular tourist attraction, Booger Hollow Trading Post. The trading post was 12 miles from the town near Pope County. The tourist attraction opened in 1961 but was left abandoned in 2004. Another popular attraction was the famous two-story outhouse, primarily used as a photo prop.

The town’s unique name comes from a local legend. As the story goes, the boogie man, or booger man, haunts a road in the area that runs between two cemeteries. 

8. Booger Hole, West Virgina

The idyllic unincorporated town of Booger Hole sits in the Rush Fork Valley in West Virginia. The city is famous for its unusual name and series of infamous murders.

In 1917, a grand jury and a local mob investigated a string of murders in the town. According to legend, the violence inspired the city to take on the name Booger Hole, a reference to the boogie man. The name appears to predate the crimes, leaving the origin of the town’s name a mystery.

9. Coward, South Carolina

The peaceful and quaint town of Coward hides in Florence County, South Carolina. With a population of 752, it doesn’t get too crowded in Coward. Despite having a unique town name, the townsfolk refuse to reveal the origin or inspiration for Coward. 

10. Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

Truth or Consequences in New Mexico is famous for its unusual town name and the story behind it. The city initially took the name Hot Springs because of the stunning hot springs throughout the area. In 1950, the host of the NBC Radio quiz show Truth or Consequences, Ralph Edwards, promised to host the 10th-anniversary program from any town that would change its name to Truth or Consequences.

On March 31, the former city of Hot Springs renamed itself Truth or Consequences and the rest is history. Edwards hosted the program in the first week of May, establishing a tradition known as Fiesta that continues to this day.

11. Santa Claus, Indiana 

Travel to the remote and peaceful town of Santa Claus, Indiana, where it’s Christmas all year round. Initially, the city was known as Santa Fe, but a town with the same name already existed with the Post Office. So in 1856 the town held a series of meetings and renamed itself after the famous fictional character, Santa Claus.

Due to the town name, the Post Office receives thousands of letters addressed to Santa Claus yearly. The town is also famous for its Christmas-themed attractions like Lake Rudolph Campground & RV Resort, Frosty’s Fun Center, and Santa’s Candy Castle. 

12. Random Lake, Wisconsin

Many towns in America seem to have random names. For instance, the village of Random Lake randomly sits in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. With a population of 1,594, it features the Nowack House, Village Hall, and Random Lake High School. Random Lake is also famous for its Welcome to Random Lake sign. 

13. Flasher, North Dakota

Believe it or not, a nudist colony was not the first settlers of the North Dakota town of Flasher. It was actually German families from Russia who established Flasher in the early 1900s. In 1902, the city named itself Flasher after resident Mabel Flasher. During the entire time the city has been functional there hasn’t been a single incident of a flasher.

14. Handsome Eddy, New York

New York is famous for its unusual town names and many handsome guys named Eddy. The small hamlet of Handsome Eddy, New York, sits in Sullivan County and is famous for its unusual town name. With a tiny population, there is very little information available about how the town got its name. One can only presume that Handsome Eddy founded the town or he was its main attraction. 

15. Ding Dong, Texas

The history of the unincorporated town of Ding Dong dates back to the 1930s when Zulis Bell and his nephew, Bert Bell, opened up a store in Central Texas. It sat at McBryde Crossing along the Lampasas River. They hired an artist to create a sign featuring a logo with two bells.

Soon, a community grew around the famous store, taking on the name Ding Dong. In 1962, the town added two distinct bells to the store. The town’s unique name even caught the attention of Ripley’s Believe it or Not. 

16. Big Bottom, South Dakota 

At one time, Big Bottom, South Dakota, was on the verge of shaking its money maker all the way to the bank. Instead, it turned into an eerie ghost town that bottomed out.

In 1878, Thomas D. Pryor founded the city by building a two-story house. He then added a saloon and dance hall, making it the ultimate watering hole in Big Bottom, attracting patrons from far away places. In 1880, the town added a post office and school, but unfortunately, the new railroad bypassed the city, making Big Bottom obsolete and leading to its downfall. 

17. Greasy Corner, Arkansas 

The unassuming Arkansas town of Greasy Corner sits at the intersection of Arkansas Highways 149 and 50. Before acquiring its odd name, the unincorporated St. Francis County community went by the name Mack’s Corner after B.M. McCollum.

McCollum was a local owner who ran an automobile repair shop, local store, and restaurant in the same building. The town changed its name after a farmer dining out at the restaurant had a grease stain on his plate. He commented that the city should rename itself Greasy Corner and the townsfolk agreed. 

18. Dummer, New Hampshire 

In Coös County, New Hampshire, sits the town of Dummer, with a population of 306. Aside from the unusual and mean town name, Dummer is best known for the Pontook Reservoir, a popular tourist attraction.

In 1773, Governor John Wentworth granted the land of Dummer to a group of investors. Wentworth had high hopes for the town and named it after Massachusetts Governor William Dummer. Dummer had successfully defeated the French and Native Americans during Dummer’s War. 

19. Spread Eagle, Wisconsin 

The unincorporated village of Spread Eagle sits peacefully in Florence County, Wisconsin. Like many cities on this list, the unusual name isn’t the only attraction. The town is best known for its famous lake chain. When viewed from above, the lakes resembles an eagle with its wings spread, hence the town name Spread Eagle. 

20. Pee Pee Township, Pike County, Ohio

There’s a good chance that the 7,776 residents living in Pee Pee Township in Pike County, Ohio, hear endless urine jokes, toilet humor, and pee-pee puns. In 1798, the Pee Pee Township started taking shape, with the town’s name derived from the nearby Pee Pee Creek. The creek’s name comes from an early settler who carved his initials “P.P.” on a tree near the river.