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

Here are 11 Mississippi town names that will make your GPS have an existential crisis because they’re so tricky to pronounce correctly on the first try:

1. Weir
   Pronounced like “where,” not “we-er.”
2. Pachuta
   Pronounced “pa-CHEW-ta,” with emphasis on the second syllable.
3. Shubuta
   Pronounced “shoo-BOO-ta,” quite different from the spelling.
4. Scooba
   Pronounced “SKOO-ba,” not “SCOO-ba.”
5. Toomsuba
   Pronounced “toom-SOO-ba,” with soft vowels.
6. Lafayette (County)
   Pronounced “La-FAY-et,” reflecting the French origin rather than “Laf-a-yet.”
7. Carriere
   Locals pronounce it “career,” not as it looks spelled.
8. Bellefontaine
   Pronounced “BELLE-fountain” or sometimes “bell-FON-tain.”
9. Pass Christian
   Pronounced “Pass Kris-CHAN,” with a soft ending.
10. Shuqualak
    Pronounced “Sugarlock,” completely different than its spelling suggests.
11. Gautier
    Pronounced “go-tee-ay,” a French pronunciation rather than a phonetic English one.

These names stem from a mix of Native American, French, and other origins, making their pronunciations uniquely challenging. Trying to guess how to say them without local guidance often leads to amusing errors, hence the GPS “existential crisis” moment for newcomers or visitors. Mastering these will help you blend in and avoid confusion while navigating Mississippi.

SOURCES

[1](https://www.reddit.com/r/mississippi/comments/170gqcm/favorite_mississippi_town_names/)
[2](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHlwUqkt0WD/)
[3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgfSI0JtaNE)
[4](https://www.southernthing.com/south-mispronounced-places-2572109709.html)
[5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK1UsD6sl2k)