The other towns which should change their names

The town of F***ing in Austria has changed its name because of years of ridicule. But residents who live in towns with equally eye-catching names embrace the unusualness

The town of Shitterton in Dorset had its name set in stone to deter people from stealing its road sign (Wikimedia Commons)

A village in Austria has changed its name from F***ing to Fugging after decades of mockery - but it’s far from the only place with a questionable name.

Last month, residents of a small town in Canada voted to change the town’s name from Asbestos to Val-des-Sources, to disassociate it from the poisonous material that used to be mined there.

But some places are less keen than others to get rid of names that sound rude. In 2010, residents in Castleford, Yorkshire, protested when the local council changed the name of a landmark bridge called ‘Tickle Cock’ to a more modest ‘Tittle Cott’.

Wakefield district council officials tried to change the bridge’s name after the area was filmed for Channel 4, but a local group demanded the name be changed back and said they were “offended” by the name change.

The council relented and Tickle Cock bridge remains there today.

Other towns that have names that have made it onto rude lists or have negative connotations include:

Horneytown, Forsyth County, North Carolina

The small town of Horneytown in North Carolina suffered from ongoing theft of a road sign that bore its name, leading to local authorities to take drastic measures in 2016.

According to US broadcaster Fox, the local council tried numerous methods over the years to stop the theft, including putting concrete in the holes of the signpost or moving the signs as far out of reach as they could.

However, none of that deterred the burglars - with the sign disappearing every 60 days at one point - leading to officials putting up an extra sign warning people that the sign was fitted with a GPS tracker that would allow police to find them if it was stolen again.

Shitterton, Dorset

Shitterton regularly topped lists of rudest place names in the UK, until 2016 when it was ousted by Bell End, a village in Worcestershire.

The town set its name in stone - literally - after people kept stealing the normal road sign for their own amusement.

During the Victorian times, the town had its name changed to Sitterton, but reverted back to Shitterton over the years.

Bald Knob, Queensland, Australia

A small rural locality located in the Sunshine Coast of Queensland, Australia, Bay Knob has just over 250 residents and has had its name since 1924.

There is also a city called Bald Knob in Arkansas, US, which is the leading strawberry producer in the state.

Muff, Donegal

The residents of Muff in Donegal appear to have a great sense of humour about the name of their town.

Last year, the owner of a chip shop in the town called The Fishy Muff Takeaway told The Irish Sun that her daughter begged her to change its name - but the hilarious name gained her shop attention and plenty of business.

Mary Doherty told the newspaper: “The first night I put it online, there was a lot of comments about it - jokes, cracks and laughs. But now in general when the shop is open, the feedback is unreal. We didn’t think of it a lot at that time.

“Now looking back on it, it is bringing attention to the shop, to Muff and people can have a laugh about it.”

Ballinspittle, County Cork, Ireland

Despite the name, the town of Ballinspittle is well-known for an entirely different and much more conservative reason. Between July and August in 1985, up to 100,000 people descended on the small village to witness a “miracle” of a roadside statue of Mother Mary that “came to life”.

According to the Irish Examiner, a number of residents reported incidents of the statue “moving” or “floating”. Some said they saw it “breathing” and others said the statue moved its hands.

News of the “moving statue” spread throughout Ireland and on 15 August of that year, 20,000 people reportedly arrived into the small village for the Feast of the Assumption.

Twatt, Shetland Islands, Scotland

Twatt is a settlement in the Shetland Islands of Scotland and was featured on as the fourth place with the most vulgar-sounding name in Britain in the 2005 book Rude Britain. However, the name originates from an Old Norse word, þveit (or thwaite), which means “small parcel of land”.

Tittybong, Victoria, Australia

The three-person-strong locality of Tittybong, in the northwest of Victoria, Australia, is pretty unremarkable. Located around 269 kilometres from the capital Melbourne, not much happens in Tittybong.

Coward, South Carolina

This town in Florence County, South Carolina is a rural farming community that describes itself as “a quiet, peaceful place”. According to the town’s website, it is unclear how the town got its name.

Some accounts say the town was named by a Captain Solomon Coward in 1831, but other says it was named in honour of a Colonel Asbury Coward, a veteran who later became Commandant of the South Carolina Military Academy.

Other records show the town was named for John Silwon Coward, who was a co-founder of Florence County, and donated the land on which the town’s first train depot and public school were built.

Dildo, Newfoundland

Dildo has had its name since the early 1700s, way before the word ‘dildo’ was exclusively used for sex toys. Of course, this hasn’t stopped people from making fun of its name - but majority of the town’s residents are perfectly happy with the name.

In fact, the town hosts an annual festival called Dildo Days, led by a fisherman mascot known as Captain Dildo. The festival holds bicycle and boat parades.

Crackpot, North Yorkshire

Crackpot is a village in Swaldale, North Yorkshire. Located south of it is Crackpot Cave, and it is also a 20-minute drive from an abandoned farmhouse called Crackpot Hall.

The ruins of the 18th-century farmhouse remains a mystery. The name ‘Crackpot’ is actually derived from Old Norse words for ‘crow’ and cave’.

Idiotville, Oregon

Last, but certainly not least is a ghost town called Idiotville, located in Tillamook County, Oregon. It sits near the mouth of Idiot Creek on the Wilson River. The area is so remote that it was said only an idiot would work there, which is how the site gained its name.

Places that are not towns or villages, but should get an honorary mention include the Glory Hole Recreation Area in Angels Camp, California and Cum Cum Hill in Hatfield.