Here are 11 Washington state town names that commonly confuse GPS systems and outsiders due to their unique and non-phonetic pronunciations:
- Puyallup – Pronounced “pew-AL-up,” often mistaken as “poo-YALL-up.” It’s famous for the Washington State Fair.
- Anacortes – Correctly said as “ANNA-kortis,” not “Anna-CORTS”.
- Asotin – Pronounced “ass-SOH-tin,” not “as-oh-TIN”.
- Chehalis – Pronounced “Shh-HAY-lis,” not “CHEE-hal-IS”.
- Chelan – Said “Shill-ANN,” not “CHILL-lan”.
- Entiat – Pronounced “inny-AT,” often mispronounced as “IN-tee-OUGHT”.
- Ephrata – Correct is “EE-fray-duh,” not “EFF-ruh-tuh”.
- Pateros – Pronounced “PIT-tare-US” with “tare” rhyming with “dare”.
- Pend Oreille County – Pronounced “Ponder-RAY,” not “Pend-or-REALLY”.
- Sequim – Said “SKWIM,” not “see-KWIM”.
- Steilacoom – Pronounced “STILL-a-come,” not “STEAL-a-comb”.
These towns reflect the state’s rich Native American, French, and pioneer heritage, influencing complex pronunciations that often baffle newcomers and GPS alike, making Washington’s geographic vocabulary a fun but bewildering challenge for many.
SOURCES
[1](https://kpq.com/ixp/1137/p/washington-town-name-challenges/)
[2](https://newstalk870.am/ixp/139/p/washington-city-among-the-most-difficult-to-pronounce-in-wa/)
[3](https://thequake1021.com/how-do-you-say-puyallup/)
[4](https://kw3.com/how-do-you-say-puyallup/)
[5](https://keyw.com/10-washington-state-town-names-that-dont-sound-like-washington/)
