Delaware may be small, but it’s packed with towns, neighborhoods, and landmarks that can leave even the most confident traveler tongue-tied. From names rooted in Native American languages to ones that just don’t sound the way they look, these tricky spots will test your pronunciation skills. Think you can get them all right on the first try? We’re willing to bet you can’t.
1. Lewes
Looks like “Lew-ess,” but locals say it as “Loo-iss.”
2. Smyrna
You might be tempted to say “Smy-earn-ah,” but it’s actually “Smyr-nah.”
3. Selbyville
Say it smoothly as “Sell-bee-vill,” not “Sell-bye-ville.”
4. Houston
Not like the Texas city. Here, it’s “How-ston.”
5. Viola
It’s not “Vee-oh-la” like the instrument — it’s “Vye-oh-la.”
6. Harrington
Locals keep it simple: “Hair-ing-tin,” not “Hair-ing-ton.”
7. Dagsboro
It’s “Dags-burr-oh,” not “Dag-is-boro.”
8. Marydel
Short for “Maryland-Delaware,” it’s pronounced just as it looks: “Mary-del” — but don’t overcomplicate it.
9. Montchanin
This French-influenced name is said “Mon-shan-in,” not “Mont-chay-nin.”
10. LaFayette
Here, locals say “Lah-fay-et” instead of the French “Lah-fy-ette.”
11. Odessa
Looks straightforward, but you’d be surprised how often outsiders overemphasize it — just “Oh-dess-ah.”
Delaware’s place names are part of its charm — a blend of history, culture, and local tradition. Whether you mispronounce them or master them, trying is part of the fun. And once you get them right, you’ll officially sound like a local… at least until the next tricky name comes along.
SOURCES
[1] https://history.delaware.gov/2024/01/18/a-guide-to-commonly-mispronounced-delaware-places/
[2] https://www.reddit.com/r/Delaware/comments/66leul/delaware_geography_pronunciation/
[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vXwYLYVXDo
[4] https://www.howtopronounce.com/delaware
[5] https://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/1245/report.pdf