Every state has its share of strangely named towns, and Kentucky is no different. We have some uniquely named places scattered from border to border. The Appalachians are home to some of the strangest titles, but the rest of the Bluegrass has quite a few as well. Can you think of any weird Kentucky town names? Here are 19 images of funny Kentucky town names, plus a few extra oddly named communities thrown in:

1. Booger Branch is home to some amazing forestry and rolling hills of green. We also have towns named Strunk, Slippa, Paw Paw, Whoopie Hill… and Ruin.

Booger Branch RdKentucky 41844
Tripadvisor/Deb Jacobs
If you think this town name is gross, well, it's snot. Booger is actually a word that came into existence in the late nineteenth century. Believe it or not, Booger is also a surname, and the family has its own coat of arms.

2. Rabbit Hash is one of the most charming small towns in Kentucky where the General Store still gathers a crowd.

Rabbit Hash, KY 41091, USA
Cindy Cornett Seigle/Flickr
It is rumored the name came from a dish that saved the citizens from starvation during a flood.

3. Marrowbone is one of Kentucky’s Appalachian communities that is enduring mountaintop removal, as seen in the image.

Marrowbone, KY 42717, USA
Photo by Matt Wasson, Appalachian Voices/Wikipedia
This area is actually quite lovely and Marrowbone is the kind of community where everyone knows everyone else. After all, you can't help but know your neighbors when there are only 217 of them in total!

4. Big Beaver Lick was a fur trading post from 1780 to 1820. It was initially known as “Beaverlick”, all one word, but is located along Big Bone Creek.

Beaverlick, KY 41094, USA
Pinterest/Marianne Harrison
thus, residents changed the name to Big Beaver Lick and separated it into 3 words.

5. Black Bottom, Kentucky is in the hills of Harlan County.

Black Bottom, KY 40828, USA
Wikimedia Commons/Nttend
The residents are pretty quiet about how the name came about. Some say it’s the ample supply of Black Bass.

6. How did Monkey’s Eyebrow get its name? Legend has it that if you stand on the hill, looking down on the town, it looks just like a monkey’s eyebrow.

Monkeys Eyebrow, KY 42056, USA
Flickr/Joel Abroad
The lore is very non-specific on the type of monkey. There were initially two parts to the town referred to as, “Old Monkey,” and “New Monkey.” Of all the towns with weird names in Kentucky, this one is my favorite!

7. Tyewhoppety is thought to be named for the slang term meaning an “un-kept looking person,” or the Shawnee word for “place of no return.”

Tyewhoppety, KY 42256, USA
Facebook/Arnold Johnston/Tyewhoppety, Kentucky
Truth be told, the origin of this community name is disputed. Nonetheless, one thing remains true: it's a funny word to say. Bonus points if you can say it five times fast!

8. Possum Trot is a quiet, very rural community located in Marshall County. The residents here have a special kind of serenity not tainted by the factories and pollution of the big cities

Possum Trot, KY 42025, USA
Facebook/Possum Trot, KY
The only thing I could find on how Possum Trot got its name … was how they voted down changing it.

9. Cutshin is a quiet town in the Appalachians. For excitement, they tend to do things like Needlepoint, Elk watching, and local church music shows.

Cutshin, KY 41777, USA
Facebook/Lisa Cason/Cutshin, KY
Otherwise known as Cut Shin, this area's nomenclature is as mysterious as many other Kentucky settlements. With a name like cut shin, it's only natural that tales of ax accidents and incidents with rocks and roots would arise. Perhaps in the area's early days, something in the local landscape caused many early visitors to walk away with a few extra scars on their shins.

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10. Thousandsticks is a quiet community in Leslie County that does a lot of activities via the Thousandsticks Methodist Church.

Thousandsticks, KY 41766, USA
Google Maps
Other number-oriented town names include Number One, Three Springs, Seventy Six, and Million.

11. Black Gnat borders Green County and is lush rolling hills of green. This area is a beautiful county community with plenty of farms.

Black Gnat, KY 42718, USA
Flickr/Gene Wilburn
No record of why the town was named, but could be due to the gnats that tend to frequent farming communities.

12. A lick is a salt block given to animals and a word added to a lot of Kentucky towns. We have Mud Lick, Deer Lick, Paint Lick, Sulpher Lick, Bee Lick, Wolf Lick, and a few others.

Flickr/C Hanchey
Lick, like Booger, has an etymological history as a surname. However, this word can also be used to describe a creek, which is the more likely source of most of the names listed above.

13. Dwarf is near Perry County and was named after a man named Jeremiah Combs and his “notably short stature”.

Dwarf, KY, USA
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson, DVM

14. Viper, in the Appalachians, is home to the historic trail known as War Trace, which was used by the Cherokee and other Native Americans during travels.

Viper, KY 41774, USA
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr
The renowned folk singer and dulcimer player Jeanie Richie was also born in Viper. There are also towns named Turkey, Parrot, Spider, Beaver, Terrapin, Raccoon, and… Princess.

15. Pig is a small town in south Edmondson County. The town folk couldn’t decide on a name.

Pig, KY 42171, USA
Flickr/grassrootsgroundswell
The tale goes a resident saw what he thought to be a pig in the road, and they decided to call the town Pig. The people in Pig are pretty private, as photos were elusive. Thus I used a photo honoring how the town was named. Of all the funny town names in Kentucky, this one is certainly peculiar.

16. Many of us jokingly say Kentucky has a vortex that pulls us back. Perhaps it is in the town of Vortex near Paducah.

Pinterest/Deni Rosenberry
The image above is moisture freezing on top of a sewer grate, which looks a lot prettier than it sounds.

17. Oddville is near Cynthiana and despite its name, is a relaxed, country community.

Oddville, KY 41031, USA
Wikimedia Commons/Ed!
Kentucky is also home to Blandville, Shopville and Fearsville.

18. Hippo is in Floyd County and was named after Bee Madison “Hippo” Craft, a local resident.

Hippo, KY 41653, USA
Flickr/Mim
Hippo stood for hypochondriac, and Bee was reported to be a most annoying one. Nonetheless, this figure has become an important part of local history. It's also one of the cutest funny town names in Kentucky!

19. California, Kentucky in Campbell County was so named because part of it lies near a river that runs through California. We also have Paris and London Kentucky.

California, KY, USA
Flickr/Juan Alberto Garcia Rivera


Want to learn how to talk like a local in Kentucky? Take a look at this video by @OnlyInYourState:

Though there are only 19 images, over 40 weird town names in Kentucky are listed in the text above. It would have been easy to keep going. Kentucky people have bestowed some very “colorful” titles to their communities over the years. Chatting with local Elders can provide a wealth of information. Some are quite open about the town name’s origins. If you live in or know of any other unique or funny town names in Kentucky I missed, please feel free to mention them in the comments. The Bluegrass State is a virtual treasure trove of oddly named places.

If you’re looking to stay in any of these quirkily named towns, check out Vrbo for the perfect spot to lay your head!

Think these funny town names in Kentucky are strange? Just wait until you hear the weirdest words and phrases in Kentucky!

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Funny Town Names In Kentucky

Nikki Rhoades | August 02, 2020

What are the most charming small towns in Kentucky?

Many of the oddly named destinations listed above are, in actuality, charming small towns. You'll have to visit these unique places yourself to find out, but there are a few small towns in Kentucky that we can't help but recommend.

  • Midway is like a real-life train town.
  • Owensboro is a haven for lovers of barbecue.

 

What is the smallest town in Kentucky?

  • According to Kentucky demographics, the smallest community in the state is South Park View. This community has only seven residents!

 

What is the largest city in Kentucky? 

  • Louisville is the largest city in Kentucky, boasting over 620,000 residents.

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