NEW HAMPSHIRE - Whether you are taking a road trip up from Massachusetts, crossing the border from Vermont, or driving over from Maine, you will quickly discover that New Hampshire is home to some incredibly bizarre and surprisingly amusing town names. While the Granite State is famous for its towering White Mountains, deep political history, and its fierce "Live Free or Die" motto, whoever was in charge of naming its local municipalities clearly left behind a legacy of unintentional humor.
From hilarious double entendres to accidentally insulting colonial titles, here is a look at the most unusual, head-scratching, and raunchy-sounding town names you will find scattered across New Hampshire.
1. Dixville Notch (Coös County)
You simply cannot discuss ridiculous New Hampshire geography without starting with Dixville Notch. Located way up in the rugged, remote stretches of the Great North Woods, this tiny unincorporated community has a name that immediately draws giggles from teenagers and sounds like a highly inappropriate anatomical reference. However, the town is completely respectable and fiercely patriotic. It is world-famous for its decades-old tradition of casting the very first midnight ballots in the United States presidential elections. The slightly scandalous-sounding name simply honors Colonel Timothy Dix Jr., who was granted the original township in 1805.
2. Effingham (Carroll County)
Heading down into the Lakes Region in Carroll County, you will find a quiet, scenic town with a name that sounds exactly like a heavily censored, frustrated curse word directed at a piece of pork. Despite the guaranteed double-takes and laughs from out-of-state drivers passing the town limits, the origin has absolutely nothing to do with foul language or ham. The town was incorporated in 1778 and proudly named after Lord Howard of Effingham, an English nobleman who was highly respected by the local colonial governor.
3. Dummer (Coös County)
While not exactly "raunchy," no list of bizarre New Hampshire municipalities is complete without Dummer. Located in Coös County right along the beautiful Androscoggin River, this town possesses an incredibly unfortunate name that practically invites relentless teasing. When spoken out loud, it is indistinguishable from the playground insult "dumber." The reality of its naming, however, is purely political. Granted in 1773, the town was named in honor of William Dummer, an early lieutenant governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. Despite the historic pedigree, it remains a hilarious map designation.
4. Woodsville (Grafton County)
Situated along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, Woodsville is a census-designated place (located within the larger town of Haverhill) with a name that serves as a classic piece of juvenile slang. While the name inevitably draws a smirk from those with a middle-school sense of humor, its actual origin is strictly business-related. The community was founded and named after John Woods, an ambitious 19th-century settler who purchased the local land, harnessed the river's power, and built a massive, highly successful lumber mill that essentially birthed the town.
5. Sandwich (Carroll County)
Rounding out the list is a town that sounds more like a lunch order than a New England municipality. Located in Carroll County, nestled right at the edge of the White Mountains, Sandwich is a beautifully historic and quaint community. While the name draws endless amusement—especially when visitors spot the official "Sandwich Police" cruisers—the origin has absolutely nothing to do with deli meats. The town was chartered in 1763 and named in honor of John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich. Ironically, the Earl is also the very same man historically credited with inventing the culinary concept of putting meat between two slices of bread, bringing this bizarre naming history full circle.
