10 of the funniest village and town names you'll ever see

1. Shitterton

No need for a translation here... Locals seem to be quite happy to live in Shitterton, Dorset (UK) and have welcomed a surge in tourist numbers who flock there to be photographed next to the sign! The name came about as this small community once used the hamlet's river to remove human waste. Since it's become famous, its residents raised enough money to have a marble sign made in honor of their hamlet's 'intestinal' name.

2. Gotham

© Asterion / wikimedia

Gotham is a small village in Nottinghamshire, England that literally means 'the house of goats'. So is there any link with crime-fighting Batman? Well, apparently during the Middle Ages, the village of Gotham was home to a 'lunatic' population - a ploy the residents used to keep the then-king of England at bay so they could lead a quiet, happy, peaceful life. As a result, the village became synonymous with mad, dangerous people - so much so that the American writer Washington Irving used 'Gotham' as his nickname for NYC in 1807. So no, you won't bump into Batman, but you'll learn more about this village's quirky roots!

3. Toad Suck

If you're wondering why on Earth a town would be called Toad Suck, then pick up the local tourist guide that explains how long ago, steamboats traveled the Arkansas River when the water was at the right depth. When it wasn't, the captains and their crew tied up to wait where the Toad Suck Lock and Dam now spans the river. While they waited, they refreshed themselves at the local tavern there, to the dismay of the folks living nearby, who said: "They suck on the bottle 'til they swell up like toads!" Hilarious!

4. Chicken

Chicken is an isolated mining town in Alaska that doesn't have internet access, telephone lines, sewerage systems or electricity. Once upon a time miners arrived in droves in their quest to find gold and decided to name the town Ptarmigan, after a common, local bird. Unfortunately they couldn't decide how it should be spelled, so they settled for the far less glamorous 'Chicken'!

5. Crapstone

Imagine ordering a home delivery and telling the company you live in Crapstone... But as locals in this Devon (UK) village will tell you, its name has nothing to do with going to the toilet, but is derived from the surname of a local family who played a significant role in building its church and golf course.

6. Boring

There's nothing boring about this Portland, Oregon neighborhood. It gets its name from a soldier, William Harrison Boring, who settled there with his family in 1856. It recently twinned up with 'Dull' in Perthshire, Scotland and 'Bland' in Australia - proving that Scots and Aussies also have a great sense of humor!

7. Dull

And if you don't believe us, here's Dull! Dull is actually derived from the ancient Pict language and simply refers to the fields and hills that surround the village.

8. Middelfart

This small Danish town isn't smelly... Originally called 'Maethaelfar' - the Danish for 'middle road' - its name changed over the years to become Middelfart.

9. No Name

No Name in Colorado got its name by accident. When the state undertook a census, it asked the residents of this hamlet to register where they lived. As the hamlet didn't have a name, they wrote 'No Name' in the respective column. When the census reached the desk of the person required to register place names, they unwittingly assumed that 'No Name' was indeed the hamlet's official name. This name has stayed and today it's a thriving hamlet thanks to all the outdoor activities that can be enjoyed in the area.

10. Obama

No this town isn't named after Barack Obama, although the 44th President of the United States does share his name with this town in Japan! Obama means 'little beach' in Japanese and this port dates back to ancient times - long before Barak Obama was born!