Comments on: Pet Peeve #43: Cities That Share the Same Name

By: Jamey Stegmaier

Jamey Stegmaier — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 16:07:22 +0000

John, you illustrate yet another great point: When multiple cities share the same name, we start to doubt the location of ANY city. This is a huge problem.

By: Red

Red — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 15:30:11 +0000

“The word “Manhattan” has been translated as “island of many hills” from the Lenape language.” So, per point 1, any Island with many hills should qualify. Manhattan, IL, KS, NV,IN,MT do not qualify under point 1. But, under point 3 they would, as they are paying tribute to Manhattan, NY.

By: John Aughey

John Aughey — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 12:17:20 +0000

This happens in reverse too. I don’t know of any other city that shares St. Louis as a name. However, whenever I say I’m from St. Louis, they often ask with question, “Missouri?” Perhaps they doubt their own knowledge of US geography, but at least some of them must be resolving any ambiguity.

By: Jamey Stegmaier

Jamey Stegmaier — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 04:22:07 +0000

See, Miami is where I draw the line. I’ve had several people tell me they went to school in Miami, and then when I ask them if they’ve ever had Pollo Tropical, they clarify that it’s Miami, Ohio. How can they possibly think that someone thinks “Ohio” when they say “Miami.” Again, no disrespect, but we’re talking numbers here.

By: Katie

Katie — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 03:33:36 +0000

Wikipedia also wants me to know that there is a Miami, Arizona; Miami, California; Miami, Indiana; Miami, Oklahoma and a Miami, Texas.

If I really want things to get confusing, there is also a Miami, Queensland, Australia; Miami, Manitoba, Cananda; Miami, Iran and Miami, Spain.

By: Katie

Katie — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 03:27:13 +0000

This has happened to me before too. Once in high school, I was talking with a few of my friends, and someone mentioned something about the University of Miami. One of the girls asked, “Miami, Flordia?” To which I responded with great sarcasm, “No, Miami, Missouri!” One of them with far too much knowledge of local geography was quite happy to point out that there is in fact a Miami, Missouri. Population: 160. I was given endless grief about that for a LONG time!

Also, there is a town not far from where I grew up called Milan. However, being a rural area, it couldn’t possibly share the pronunciation with those snooty Italians (ma-LAHN). No, it was pronounced MY-len.

P.S. I guess there is a Miami, Ohio too. I just can’t win.

By: Jamey Stegmaier

Jamey Stegmaier — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 03:15:47 +0000

Sure, exactly. (*announces loudly*) We’re switching it to Cuba! Don’t think for a second that we’re sticking with the Mexico plan. Cuba it is.

By: Jamey Stegmaier

Jamey Stegmaier — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 03:14:48 +0000

I can support what you guys are saying about which city was there first…but seriously, Manhattan?

By: T-Mac

T-Mac — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 18:06:22 +0000

I had planned to make exactly the same case Red made in point B, but instead, I will only lift my glass and shout “huzzah” in agreement as John makes that date-related point.

By: Red

Red — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 17:57:56 +0000

a) Portland is a geographical name because it is a Land with a Port. Portland, Maine qualifies. Portland, Oregan qualifies. Portland, Texas may qualify. (According to Wikipedia, it is named because it was sold to the Portland (Maine) Harbor & Improvement Company. While it “overlooks the dancing waves of both Nueces and Corpus Christi Bays,” I see nothing that says it was ever actually a port. But I have to believe that someone at some time received goods via the water in Portland, Texas).

b) If you’re not OK with two cities sharing the same name, the onus oughta lie with the newer city to be creative enough to come up with something original. If name-duplication is so difficult that we need to legislate it (I’m against frivolous government interaction of course), then the community without an original, creative bone amongst it’s zombie-like citizens, oughtn’t get a city. OK, they can have a smoldering hole in the ground, but no buildings. But if prior to the Stegmaier-Blandersville bill, a town had the audacity, the gall, the cahones to name themselves after another existing city, they oughta be the ones to change. If there can only be one Portland, the people of Falmouth Neck, Maine did it in 1786 (see the Wikipedia reference from your pic). Asa Lovejoy and Francis Pettygrove bought land in what is/would be Oregon, and wanted to name it in tribute to their home town of Portland, Maine in 1845.

c) Things have been named in tribute since Ug, son of Ug. In fact, many last names are originally based on the name of a memorable ancestor (or their occupation). I was very nearly the 4th Harold Aloysius in as many generations. I thank my mother for intervening, because I still have to look up how to spell Aloysius every time someone makes it a security question. But it is a tradition to name things after something/someone that was praiseworthy or memorable for positive attributes. There are lots of James, Georges, Patricks, Thomass, etc, but very few Judases and Adolfs running around now-a-days. I thought sure there wouldn’t be another Sodom, but Wikipedia once again proves that there are infidels as nearby as the land of the Maple Leaf (Sodom, Ontario). Luckily, I can’t find any other Gomorrahs.