Here are 11 Pennsylvania place names that are famously tough to pronounce—see if you can get any correct on the first try!
Challenging Pennsylvania Place Names
Shickshinny
Pronounced “shick-SHIN-ee,” this name stumps almost everyone unfamiliar with the town.
Lititz
Often mispronounced as “lih-titz,” the correct way is “LIT-its”.
Ephrata
The accent is on the first syllable: “EFF-ruh-tuh,” not “eh-FRAH-tuh”.
Quakake
Say it as “quake-ache,” though many outsiders try “kwa-kak” or “kwa-kak-ee”.
Versailles
Unlike the French city (“ver-SIGH”), it’s “ver-SALES” in Pennsylvania.
Schuylkill
Locals say “SKOO-kill” (not “Shy-ul-kill” or “Sky-kill”).
Conshohocken
It’s “con-sha-HOCK-en,” but even locals sometimes use “con-sha-hawk-en”.
Kittanning
The right way is “kit-AN-ing,” not “kit-TAN-ing.”
Wilkes-Barre
Say “WILKS-barry” or “WILKS-bear,” both are common, but never “Wilkes-Bar”.
Boalsburg
This is “BOWLS-burg,” not “Bo-als-burg.”
DuBois
It should be pronounced “DOO-boys,” not “du-bwah.”
Why So Tricky?
Many Pennsylvania place names come from Native American, German, and French languages, adding a layer of local flavor—and confusion—to pronunciation. Locals take pride in these unique names and love to see outsiders try!
SOURCES
(https://957benfm.com/2025/08/14/this-pennsylvania-town-is-super-hard-to-pronounce/)(https://www.jagranjosh.com/us/trending/list-of-hardest-town-names-to-pronounce-in-each-us-state-1860000816)
(https://www.rd.com/list/difficult-to-pronounce-towns/)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKxex4rb5iQ)(https://www.reddit.com/r/Pennsylvania/comments/1diyh0l/since_were_talking_about_pronunciation/)
