Where the Streets Have Odd Names

You’re listening to A Way with Words, the show about language and how we use it. I’m Grant Barrett.

And I’m Martha Barnette. Lately, I’ve become a connoisseur of street names.

It all started when I was driving along 54th Street here in San Diego, and I turned right, and suddenly I literally found myself on Easy Street. And I thought, gosh, somebody had fun coming up with that name, Easy Street. Since then, I’ve been collecting street names like that, and I’m hoping that we can all crowdsource some more to add to my collection.

Here are some of my favorites, and I’ve checked all of these on maps. In Casco, Maine, there’s a road called Uptha, U-P-T-H-A. So that’s Uptha Road.

Oh, terrible.

In Hemet, California, near here, there’s a street sign that says Habitur, and that, of course, is for Habitur Way.

Oh, no. Poor Grant.

And the folks who live near Porter’s Lake, Nova Scotia, apparently ran out of ideas when it came to naming streets because there are three connecting streets next to the lake. And if you look at them on a map, you’ll see that they’re called this street, that street, and the other street.

Must be terrible due directions there. I mean, it must be the worst.

This isn’t quite what you’re talking about, but it reminds me when the Google directions on the maps, when the robotic lady gives me directions. And she says, so we have A, B, and C streets here in San Diego. And she says, turn right on a street instead of turn right on a street. I’m like, no, robot lady, that’s not quite right. It’s not a street. It’s a street.

Well, I know there are probably fun street names where you live. Call us 877-929-9673 or send them to us in email. The address is words@waywordradio.org.