11 New York Town Names That’ll Make Your GPS Have an Existential Crisis

New York state is home to a staggering number of towns, villages, and cities, and some of them have names so quirky, long, or downright confusing, that even the most advanced GPS might hesitate to get you there.

If you’ve ever tried navigating through the state, you know that not all New York towns are as straightforward as you might hope. Here are 11 New York town names that will definitely make your GPS question its life choices.

1. Intercourse

No, you didn’t accidentally type in the wrong search bar. There really is a town called Intercourse, though it’s technically in Pennsylvania, but there’s a neighboring village in New York, too. Either way, saying “Intercourse, New York” while driving through will surely give your GPS (and you) a moment of pause.

2. Ticonderoga

Located in the Adirondack Mountains, Ticonderoga is a stunning town with a name that could easily send your GPS into a tailspin. With five syllables and a whole lot of vowels, don’t be surprised if it takes a second for your device to catch up. Just try saying it fast: “Tie-CON-der-OH-gah”.

3. Cicero

Cicero sounds simple enough, right? But it’s easy to confuse with other towns across the country that have similar-sounding names. Whether you’re in the mood for a trip to Cicero in New York or one of the many Ciceros elsewhere, you’ll find your GPS asking: “Wait, which one did you mean?”

4. Miochinskin

Okay, we may be making this one up, but with a name like “Miochinskin,” you’d be excused for doubting that your GPS could even attempt to find it. In reality, New York’s endless combinations of letters and consonants could make you question whether Siri has even been to this place before.

5. Kiskatom

Say what? Located in the town of Catskill, Kiskatom sounds like something you’d need a secret decoder ring to understand. With its combination of vowels and consonants, it’s almost guaranteed that your GPS will trip up trying to pronounce it correctly.

6. Spuyten Duyvil

The name Spuyten Duyvil has the rare honor of being both a geographic location and a tongue-twister. This small section of the Bronx is famous for its river and, of course, its unpronounceable name. “Spuy-ten Duy-vil” is a classic case of a GPS throwing its virtual hands up in confusion.

7. Oneonta

Oneonta is a college town in upstate New York, but don’t let the simplicity of the letters fool you — saying Oneonta is trickier than it looks. It’s pronounced “Oh-nee-ON-tah”, but we bet your GPS will try to make it sound like “One-on-ta.” Either way, you’ll need a few tries to get it right.

8. Poughkeepsie

Ah, Poughkeepsie, a name so infamous it’s often used as the perfect example of a difficult-to-pronounce New York town. It’s a historical city in the Hudson Valley, and no matter how many times you hear it, saying “Puh-KIP-see” correctly still feels like a minor miracle. Your GPS will definitely need a moment here.

9. Chappaqua

Home to a former president (Bill Clinton), Chappaqua is an affluent town in Westchester County. The name can confuse anyone unfamiliar with it — even locals sometimes stumble over the pronunciation, which is “Chah-pah-kwah”. Good luck to your GPS trying to figure that one out!

10. Yaphank

Located in Suffolk County, Yaphank is another one of those places where you might start doubting your GPS’s ability to decipher reality. Often mispronounced as “Yap-hank,” it’s actually pronounced “YAH-pank.” Whether your GPS can get this one right is anyone’s guess.

11. Haverstraw

Haverstraw is a lovely town located in Rockland County, but it’s a bit of a tongue-twister for newcomers. Haverstraw tends to get tripped up by GPS systems, and it’s usually pronounced “HAY-ver-straw” by those in the know. But expect your GPS to add a few extra syllables just to mess with you.

Navigating through New York can be an adventure — not just because of the traffic or beautiful scenery, but because of the endless stream of town names that seem determined to give your GPS a mental breakdown.

From Poughkeepsie to Ticonderoga, New York’s quirky town names are bound to make you second-guess whether you’re on the right path. But don’t worry, your GPS will eventually figure it out… eventually.

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