20 July 2020

Quiz: The world's most unusual place names

Amusing and unusual place names are always intriguing, wherever in the world they are – especially when the place itself is quite unassuming! See just how well you know them with this quiz...

4 mins

Whether you’re easily amused or enjoy discovering quirky facts about little-known parts of the world, this quiz is for you. Simply have a go at our questions about (some of) the world’s most unusually-named places. By the way, not every photo in this quiz is of the actual place mentioned. If it isn't, keep in mind we've chosen it to give you a few handy hints.

P.S. If you’re looking for more opportunities to test your travel knowledge, why not try our A to Z travel trivia or travel trivia by numbers quizzes, too?

1. Which of these is NOT a real place in Japan?

Obama

Sega

Kobe

Toyota

2. Where would you find the small community living in Toad Suck?

Arkansas, USA

Lima, Peru

Northern Territory, Australia

Nice try! You’ve made it up

3. Ding Dongs are a well-known US snack, but is there a place called Ding Dong in the USA?

No! Of course there isn’t

Yes, it’s in Alabama

Yes, it’s in Texas

Yes, it’s in Mississippi

4. Where would you find the idyllic island of Nosy Be?

Fiji

Madagascar

Indonesia

Seychelles

5. The village of Made in the Netherlands sounds lovely. But what does ‘Made’ mean in Dutch?

Coward

Mosquito

Gerbil

Maggot

6. There’s a commune called Anus in France. True or false?

False! Of course there isn’t

True, it’s in Brittany

True, it’s in Burgundy

True, it’s in Paris

7. In 2012, three places with somewhat dreary names decided to ‘twin’ together. Which of the following isn’t one of them?

Boring, Oregon

Bland, New South Wales

Dull, Scotland

Ennui, France

8. Amusingly, there are several places on Earth literally called ‘Hell’. One of these countries DOESN’T have its own hell. Which is it?

Cayman Islands

Norway

Tajikistan

Slovenia

9. Where in the world would you find the Disappointment Islands?

Cuba

French Polynesia

Maldives

Philippines

10. The city of Uberlandia in Brazil was recently renamed after the car ride company Uber. True or false?

True, it definitely is

False, it’s definitely not

False, because Uberlandia isn’t a real place

Honestly, no idea

11. Australia is home to the small town of Humpty Dumpty. True or false?

False! It doesn't exist

True, it’s in Victoria

True, it’s in the Northern Territory

True, it’s in Adelaide

12. In which UK county would you find the village of Shitterton?

Dorset

County Durham

Norfolk

Shropshire

13. Taumatawhakatangihanga koauauotamateaturipuka kapikimaungahoronu kupokaiwhenuakitanatahu (all one word) is one of world’s longest place names. What does it refer to?

An island in Papua New Guinea

A volcano in French Polynesia

A hill in New Zealand

A cave system in Indonesia

14. There’s a city in Canada called Medicine Hat. True or false?

False! Of course there isn’t

True, it’s in Newfoundland

True, it’s in Quebec

True, it’s in Alberta

15. The Danish town of Middelfart may sound strange in English, but in Danish, it’s origin means…

Middle road

Warm cabin

Middle way

Warm heart

16. A Turkmenistan city (and region) shares its name with lovely girl’s moniker. Do you know that name?

Keri

Kiara

Mary

Alexandria

17. This US community has no name. Literally, it’s called No Name. Which state is it in?

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

18. Finally, one New Mexico city has the ominous name Truth or Consequences. Where did this name come from?

It's named after a song by US Christian singer Steve Curtis Chapman

In a 1960 election, the mayor said he'd change the name if he won

The tourism board changed the name as a marketing ploy

In 1950, it was named after a famous radio game show