Names Of Many N.C. Towns Not What They Seem

RALEIGH, N.C. — It has been said that North Carolina is a highway full of pronunciation potholes.

Peruse a map or gazeteer and you soon realize the Tar Heel state is full of unusual names.

If there is one rule to remember about North Carolina pronunciations, it is do not get too fancy. Sometimes it is better to swallow a syllable than to overenunciate.

Here is a guide to some of the most commonly mispronounced towns in the state and a guide to help say them correctly.

Do you have a town to add to our list?

Let us know!

Accented syllable in

CAPS

Forsyth: for-SYTH

Concord: KON-KORD

Beaufort: BOE-furt

Conetoe: kuh-NEE-tuh

Salisbury: SAULS-bair-ee

Bertie: BURR-TEE

Tyrrell: TAIR-uhl

Bahama: ba-HAY-ma

Corolla: ka-RAH-la

Chalybeate Springs: ka-LIB-e-ut

Appalachian: ap-a-LATCH-un

Watauga: wah-TAW-guh

Catawba: kuh-TAW-buh

Kure Beach: KUR-ee

Wendell: WEN-DELL

Stovall: STOE-vuhl

Norlina: nor-LY-na

Fuquay-Varina: FEW-kway vuh-REE-nah

Zebulon: ZEB-yoo-lun

Ahoskie: ah-HOSS-kee

Chowan: CHOE-WAHN

Robeson: ROB-uh-sun

Rodanthe: roe-DAN-the

Bodie Islandd: BOD-ee (like body)

Harnett: HAR-net

Cashiers: KASH-urs

Mebane: MEB-un

Chocowinity: chock-uh-WIN-uh-tee

Cabarrus: ka-BAIR-us

Perquimans: purr-KWIH-muns

Iredell: EYE-ur-dell

More names added:

Moncure: mahn-KURE

Lucama: loo-KAH-ma

Pocomoke: POE-ka-moke

Severn: SEV-ren

Advance: AD-vance

Duplin: DOO-plin

Kerr Lake: KAR (sounds like tar)

Castalia: kas-TALE-ya

Saxapahaw: SAX-pa-haw (locals drop second syllable)

Beautancus: boe-TANK-us

Kittrell: KIT-trull

Leicester: LESS-tur

Topsail: TOP-suhl

Hiddenite: HID-nite (locals drop second syllable)

Chicamacomico: CHICK-uh-ma-KOM-uh-koe

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