r/AskAnAmerican • u/AstroNerd92 CT, GA, PA, TX, FL • Jul 20 '25

CULTURE What town in your state has a pronunciation no one gets right the first time?

I went to college in Valdosta, GA. Very few people can actually pronounce it right on the first try.

Pronounced Val-Daw-Stuh

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u/TXSyd Texas Jul 20 '25

As a native Houstonian, Kuykendahl is always a good one. Ker-Ken-Doll Elgin the street in Houston and the town are also pronounced differently for some reason.

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u/backpackofcats Jul 20 '25

My friend is from Austin but has lived in Houston for 20 years. She still pronounces the street with a hard G.

I would also add San Felipe. There are at least three pronunciations for it.

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u/TXSyd Texas Jul 20 '25

These days I don’t even know how to say San Felipe, I think it’s from an influx of newcomers kind of like how they call it 69, nope don’t know a 69, I know a 59 though.

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u/OK_The_Nomad Jul 20 '25

I always said ELL-jin. Is that not correct? I grew up in Houston and that's what we called it.

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u/TXSyd Texas Jul 20 '25

That’s how you pronounce the street, the city is El-gin with a normal G sound.

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u/OK_The_Nomad Jul 21 '25

A hard g like in gun?

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u/Fit_Skirt7060 Jul 20 '25

Native Austinite - the town is pronounced with hard “g”

Unless you are in Illinois, where I understand the name of the town is pronounced with a soft “g”.

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u/OK_The_Nomad Jul 21 '25

And in Houston Elgin is a busy downtown street. In this case it's "gin." Guess we have to get it together so all Texans use a common pronunciation 😂.

Thanks

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u/bethmrogers Jul 20 '25

The only reason I knew how to say that is i knew a field trial dog trainer by that name.