Alabama is famous for its long past, wide range of cultures and lively towns. But even people who have lived there their whole lives can need help pronouncing some of the place names properly. Even the most experienced people often get these names wrong. They come from Native American roots or have a unique Southern twist. Here are the Alabama places people most often say wrong when talking about them. Are you sure you got them right?
Arab, AY-rab
Unlike the name of the Arabic-speaking ethnic group, this Marshall County municipality is pronounced Ay-rab. It all began with a minor misunderstanding at the post office.
When city officials proposed the name to the United States Postal Service in 1882, they chose “Arad” after Arad Thompson, the son of early settler and first postmaster Stephen Tuttle Thompson. Arad is pronounced Ay-rad and is used in the Bible to refer to both a man and a town. So, when the postal service accidentally labeled the town as “Arab,” it was pronounced “Ay-rab” from that point forward. Arab has a population of around 8,000 people and is near another Marshall County town named after the Bible: Boaz.
Wedowee, Wee-DOW-ee
This Randolph County village of approximately 800 inhabitants is named after a Muscogee Creek Indian chief. Interestingly, despite its name meaning “old water,” Lake Wedowee, the area’s tourist draw, is a man-made lake built to generate hydroelectric power. Construction of the dam began in 1974 and was finished in 1983.
Tallassee, Tae-luh-see
When you read carefully, the name of this town that straddles two counties, Elmore and Tallapoosa, is not difficult to pronounce. However, it is sometimes confused with the bigger and more well-known Tallahassee, Fla., and many people fail to notice the lack of a “hass” syllable.
Tallassee, home to approximately 4,800 people, is located on the Tallapoosa River and in the Emerald Mountains, which are part of the Appalachians. Before the Creek Wars, it was home to the Creek capital city, Tuckabatchee, and has a rich Native American heritage.
Conecuh, Cah-NECK-ah
Like many Alabama names, it is derived from Creek Indian terms. It translates as “cane-land.” The county is located in south-central Alabama, only one county away from the Gulf Coast. Conecuh Sausage, one of the county’s most prominent enterprises, maintains a note on its Facebook page for the uninitiated: “The name “Conecuh” is pronounced ‘cah-NECK-ah’ emphasizing the second syllable.”
Cairo, KAY-row
This unincorporated town in Limestone County is pronounced differently than the Egyptian capital, for which it was most likely named, but rather like white cooking syrup. Cairo, population unknown, is a small crossroads near Sandlin Cemetery that houses multiple churches.
Flomaton, Flow-ma-tahn
This Escambia County town of around 1,400 inhabitants is located on the Alabama-Florida border and derives its name from combining “Florida,” “Alabama,” and “town.” It was established in 1869 as a railway town and incorporated in 1908.
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Notasulga, Note-uh-sul-guh
Zora Neale Hurston was born in Macon County, which has a population of around 900 people. According to the Encyclopedia of Alabama, the name comes from the Creek word many, which means “many teeth.”
LaFayette, La-FAY-it
This Chambers County village of around 3,000 people is famous as the birthplace of boxing legend Joe Louis. Although it was named after the Revolutionary War hero Marquis de Lafayette, people prefer to emphasize the second syllable. It is also written with a capital “F.”
Loachapoka, Low-cha-poke-ah
This Lee County community of only around 165 people was named after the Muscogee Indian phrase for “turtle-killing place.” It is well-known for producing syrup from sorghum and ribbon cane, and it celebrates an annual Syrup Sopping Day. It also contains various historical sites.
Pintlala, Pent-la-la
This oddly named unincorporated hamlet in Montgomery County has also been called Colquitt (pronounced Call-quit) and is often spelled Pint Lala. It is called after adjacent Pintlala Creek, which is derived from Creek Indian language for “dragging canoe.”
Pintlala was located along the Old Federal Road. During the Creek War, the town was extensively burnt.
Cleburne, KLEE-burn
This county on the Georgia border is named for Maj. Gen. Patrick R. Cleburne, who died in 1864 at the Civil War’s Battle of Franklin, Tennessee. Although some people pronounce the name “Clay-burn,” in Alabama it is pronounced “KLEE-burn.”
Talladega, Tal-uh-day-guh
Talladega, both the county and its seat, is one of those that lacks unanimity. As one of Alabama’s most well-known cities, home to the Talladega Superspeedway and the film “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,” you might assume everyone has agreed on a pronunciation. While Tal-uh-day-guh is widely used outside of Alabama, many residents pronounce it Tal-uh-dig-ah or Tal-ug-dee-guh.
Guin, Gyoo-win
Guin, a community of approximately 2,400 people in Marion County, is named for a pioneering family in the area. The first syllable is often mispronounced as “goo” or “jew.” Gu-Win, a nearby town, is named for its location between Guin and Winfield. On April 3, 1974, an F5 tornado ravaged the little town of Guin, killing 23 people.
Opelika, Oh-peh-like-uh
Opelika serves as the county seat for Lee County and is adjacent to Auburn, home of Auburn University. It has a population of approximately 28,000. The name is taken from the Creek term for “large swamp.”
Helena, Huh-LEEN-ah
This town has two pronunciations since it is located in both Jefferson and Shelby counties. Locals speak “Huh-LEEN-ah,” but visitors say “Huh-LAY-nah.” According to history, the town, which has a quaint historic center known as Old Town Helena, was named after the fiancée of an engineer for the Louisville and Nashville Railroad who created the stop there.
Source: AL.com
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