16 Famous Place Name Origins That Are Crazy Weird

There are so many interesting places around the world that I want to visit and explore. It always blows my mind how many different cultures and experiences there are to be had, but it doesn’t often cross my mind that these places could have a deep and quirky history. 

I remember visiting Budapest and talking to one of the women at the desk about the history of the city. She was explaining to me that Budapest was once three smaller towns, Obuda, Buda, and Pest. With growing populations in all three towns, the boundaries eventually became blurred between the three but especially Obuda and Buda. They eventually became a city, which left only Buda and Pest which were divided by the Danube River. When those two cities came together they decided to keep both names, thus the city is called Budapest. 

I thought that was really interesting, and it turns out it isn’t the only instance of unusual origins for place name.

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1. Times Square. 

Our first stop is in New York, and as one of the most famous places in the world, it is absolutely iconic. Interesting fact about Times Square: it isn’t a square shape at all but rather more of a bow tie! The name, though simple, is one that is known all over the world. So where did it come from? 

While the history of Times Square is a long and interesting one, the name change is simple. 

Formerly known as Longacre Square, the “heart of the world” changed its name when The New York Times moved its headquarters into the new and beautiful Times Building that was built right in the heart of Longacre Square in 1904. 

2. Electric Avenue. 

If you are anything like me, you just started singing Eddy Grant’s hit of the same name. Electric Avenue is situated in the heart of Brixton, a district in London, England. Electric Avenue is a bustling market street. It is most famous for its Brixton market, which specializes in Caribbean, African, South American and Asian products. But as such a busy market street, how did it get such a flashy name? Electric Avenue was built in 1800 and was the first market street to be lit by electric lights. 

3. Wall Street. 

We all know it from movies, books, and conspiracies theories as well as the way to refer to anything financial. Wall Street is an icon as well as the reason New York has become one of the most economically powerful cities in the world. But where did the name Wall Street come from?