We Dare You to Say These 11 Mississippi Places Correctly on Your First Try (Spoiler: You Can’t)

Here are 11 Mississippi places that almost no one pronounces correctly on the first try, making them famously tricky for locals and visitors alike:

1. Pascagoula – Pronounced “PASS-uh-GOOL-uh”
2. Kosciusko – Pronounced “KO-zee-es-koh” (not “KO-shee-oo-sko”)
3. Shuqualak – Pronounced “SHUG-a-lock”
4. Carriere – Pronounced “car-ree” (sounds like “career”)
5. Belzoni – Pronounced “bell-ZOH-nee”
6. Hattiesburg – Pronounced “HATT-ees-berg” (not “HATT-eez-berg”)
7. Poydras – Pronounced “POY-dras”
8. Tchoutacabouffa River – Pronounced roughly “CHOO-tah-kah-BOO-fah”
9. Splunge – Pronounced exactly like it’s spelled
10. Kosciusko – Again tricky, but locals say “KO-zee-es-koh”
11. Gautier – Pronounced “GO-tee-ay”

These names, steeped in Native American, French, and colonial heritage, often confound newcomers and even longtime residents. Mastering the local pronunciation is a fun challenge and a way to show respect for Mississippi’s rich cultural roots.

SOURCES

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