Have you ever wondered where (or what) your town got its name from? In most cases it often dates back to where it's located, or maybe even to an event that happened in the area hundreds of years ago. However, in the case of these 10 towns, we're pretty sure somebody was just having a good laugh.
Intercourse, Pennsylvania
You probably just snickered as much as I did at this name, but its origins are decidedly more tame than its name would suggest. The town was originally called Cross Keys, and it changed its name in 1814. Some say it's because of the "Enter Course" sign that was above its old racetrack, while others say it's for the original meaning of "intercourse" - which meant "everyday social and business connections and interactions."
Idiotville, Oregon
Sure would hate to say you came from there, wouldn't you? It's an abandoned ghost town that formed around the Ryan's Camp logging camp. Because of its remote location, it was often said that only an idiot would move there.
Toad Suck, Arkansas
This one dates back to the days of riverboats. The town sits on the edge of the river, and its tavern was a frequent stop for the sailors, who would apparently "suck on the bottle [of alcohol] until they swelled up like toads."
Ding Dong, Texas
So, for starters, the town is located in Texas's Bell County, and was the home of general store owner Zulius Bell and his nephew Bert. One day they Bells commissioned a sign for their general store, which ended up being of two bells with "Ding Dong" written underneath. The name stuck as the town expanded.
The names just get more ridiculous from here...
Saint-Louis-du-Ha!-Ha!, Quebec, Canada
This name kind of makes sense if you know old French, and even then only barely. A "haha" is an archaic French term for an obstacle or dead end, which in this case (for explorers in the area) was Lake Témiscouata.
Hot Coffee, Mississippi
Travelers on their way to Mobile in the 1800s would often stop into the "Hot Coffee Inn," where owner Levi Davis would offer them ginger cookies and, of course, a cup of its eponymous drink. As a town sprouted up around the inn, the name stuck.
Cookietown, Oklahoma
This ghost town that now just consists of a few residents and a church got its name in the early 1900s, after general store owner Marvin Cornelius gave a cookie to a young boy, who exclaimed, "I don't want to leave Cookietown."
Crapstone, Devon, England
This village in southwestern England was used to house members of the Royal Air Force during World War II. Author Christopher Hitchens actually lived there in his youth, and laments the town's unfortunate name in his autobiography.
Dildo, Newfoundland, Canada
This town dates back all the way to as early as 1711, and its name can likely be traced to a phallus-shaped pin stuck in the edging of a row boat to act as a pivot for the oar. Fun fact: Dildo Island is just off the coast!
Hell, Michigan
While those who suffered through the water crisis would probably just describe the entire state as "Hell," there actually is a town bearing that name (only 294 miles from Paradise no less!) Soon after Michigan gained statehood, founder George Reeves was asked what he thought the town he helped settle should be called and replied, "I don't care, you can name it Hell for all I care." The name became official on October 13, 1841.
