When Place Names Make Us Blush

When Place Names Make Us Blush: A World Tour of Unintentionally Naughty Geography

Every culture has words that sound perfectly ordinary at home but raise eyebrows elsewhere. When those words become place names, the results can be unintentionally hilarious, especially in our hyperconnected, English-speaking world.

Over the years, travelers and armchair geographers have compiled lists of towns and villages whose names trigger giggles, double-takes, or outright disbelief. Yet behind almost every one of these names lies a serious linguistic, historical, or cultural origin, not a joke.

Let’s take a respectful and amusing tour. This is a repost and update of my posting on the same subject I first wrote in 2013. It was inspired from a recent inquiry from a friend about the Chocolate Hills of Bohol.💚

🇵🇭 The Philippines: Meaning Lost in Translation

• Sasmuan, Pampanga (formerly Sexmoan until officially changed in 1990)
  The original name had nothing to do with English meanings; it came from Kapampangan roots tied to wetlands and fishing. The rename simply spared future generations of students and passport holders.

• Tinurian, Iloilo
  Derived from local language usage, long before English speakers arrived with raised eyebrows. Tinurian- In  Ilonggo means Places for Circumcision Rituals.   

• Landi, Santa Cruz, Marinduque
  While landi in Filipino slang can mean flirtatious, the place name itself predates modern connotations.

These examples highlight a common theme: local meaning first, global misunderstanding later.

🇪🇺 Europe: Centuries Old, Internet Famous

• Condom, Gers, France
  From a Gallo-Roman term Condatomagus, meaning “market town.” No latex involved.

• Fucking, Austria (renamed Fugging in 2021)
  Documented since the 11th century, the village finally surrendered to sign theft and tourist jokes.

• Pennis Wood, UK
  Likely derived from Old English words describing woodland boundaries.

• Three Cocks, Wales
  Refers to a historic coaching inn sign, not anatomy.

• Bra, Italy
  From Celtic roots, centuries older than modern English vocabulary.

• Agay, France
  A beautiful coastal area whose name means nothing scandalous—unless you force it to.

🌍 Elsewhere Around the World

• Blowhard, Australia – A windswept geographic description.

• Dikshit, India – A respected Brahmin surname with deep religious roots.

• Titless, Switzerland – Likely from Alemannic dialects describing terrain.

• Long Dong, Guangxi, China – A transliteration artifact, not an English phrase.

• Weener, Germany – From Frisian origins.

• Cocktown, Wexford, Ireland – Named after a family or landholder.

• Onancock, Virginia, USA – From Native American language roots.

• Seman, Alabama, USA – A surname-based settlement name.

Why This Keeps Happening

Three reasons explain nearly all of these cases:

1. Languages evolve differently
   Words drift in meaning across centuries and borders.

2. Colonial and transliteration effects
   Local sounds are forced into foreign alphabets.

3. The internet never forgets
   What once passed unnoticed now goes viral in seconds.

A Personal Reflection

Having lived long enough to see the world grow smaller, I find these names less offensive but rather endearing. They remind us that language is local, history is layered, and humor often says more about the listener than the speaker.

In a time when outrage is instant and global, these place names invite something gentler:
a chuckle, a curiosity, and maybe a moment to learn where words really come from.

Sometimes, the map teaches us humility.

A Closing Reflection Across Generations

Having lived long enough to watch the world change from local to global, I’ve come to see these unintentionally amusing place names as something far more meaningful than internet humor. I was born into a time when names were spoken more than they were written, and long before they were searched, shared, or mocked online. A town’s name belonged to the people who lived there. Its meaning was understood in context, not filtered through slang from another language or another era.

Over the decades, the world has shrunk. A village name in Pampanga, Wales, or rural Alabama can now be circulated worldwide in seconds, stripped of its history and reduced to a punchline. That shift doesn’t make younger generations careless, it makes them global. But it also reminds me of something my generation learned early: words deserve patience. Meanings are shaped by time, culture, and lived experience, not by how they sound to an outsider scrolling past.

When I look at these names today, I don’t see vulgarity. I see layers of humanity, languages colliding, cultures overlapping, and history stubbornly holding its ground while the world rushes ahead. These places were named long before modern sensibilities, and they carry stories far older than the jokes they now inspire.

If these names teach us anything, it is the value of slowing down. Of asking where a word came from before deciding what it means. In an age of instant outrage and instant laughter, that quiet pause may be one of the most important lessons an older generation can offer the next.

Sometimes, even a map can remind us to be a little more humble and a little more curious, about the world we share.

Meanwhile, here are two Places with My Personal Connections

1, Catague, Bohol, Philippines

Catague is my fathers' surname. When he was in high school he changed it to Katague. Catague is a small town in Central Bohol, near the town of Sevilla/Valencia, very near to UNESCO Heritage Sites-The Chocolate Hills of Bohol.💚

 💚  The Chocolate Hills in Bohol, Philippines, are a renowned natural monument consisting of 1,260 to 1,776 near-symmetrical, cone-shaped limestone mounds spread over 50 square kilometers. During the dry season, the green grass covering them turns brown, resembling thousands of massive chocolate  drops. Its one of the Philippines popular tourist destination.     

2. Balleza, Chihuahua, Mexico 

Balleza is my mother's maiden name.  Balleza is a town in Northern Mexico in the province of Chihuahua. The town is named after Fr. Mariano Balleza, a priest from Bilbao, Spain. Bilbao, Spain is the Place of my Mothers's Spanish Ancestry.

Finally, Here's the AI Overview of the Places called CLIMAX in the US:  

There are multiple places named Climax in the United States, with the most notable being a historic, high-altitude ghost town and mine site in Lake County, Colorado

. Other locations include cities/communities in Georgia, Minnesota, North Carolina, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Texas, Oregon, and New York. 

Key Locations of "Climax":

• Climax, Colorado: An abandoned mining town located at 11,341 feet on Fremont Pass, famous for its massive molybdenum deposit.
• Climax, Georgia: A small city (population 276) in Decatur County, named for being the highest point on the railway line between Savannah and the Chattahoochee River.
• Climax, North Carolina: An unincorporated community in Guilford/Randolph counties, near Pleasant Garden.
• Climax, Minnesota: A small city in Polk County (population 243).
• Climax, Michigan: A village in Kalamazoo County.
• Climax, Kansas: A city in Greenwood County. 

Additional, smaller unincorporated communities or locations exist in Kentucky, Oregon, Texas, and New York. 

I hope this posting made you smile and brightens your day, as it Did Mine.  

Here's the top five News of the Day:  

1. Dangerous storm slams California — A powerful storm is bringing life-threatening floods, mudslides, and up to 8 feet of snow across California, prompting travel disruptions and severe weather warnings. 

2. Major national and global headlines roundup — Across the U.S. and world, a series of key developments are unfolding (details include politics, economy and international affairs). 

3. Political race shake-up in Kentucky — The contest to replace long-time Senate leader Mitch McConnell sees GOP candidates distancing themselves while aligning with former President Trump. 

4. Russia accused of killing Navalny with rare toxin — European allies allege the late Russian opposition leader was killed with a toxin linked to dart frog poison, drawing international criticism. 

5. Rare “Ring of Fire” solar eclipse announced for Feb. 17 — A rare annular solar eclipse will occur tomorrow with a narrow visibility path, a notable astronomical event.