Atlanta metro area has country-sounding names (Marietta, Valdosta: house, neighborhoods, school districts)

[chiatldal]

Originally Posted by KingKanye

I understand Native American names like Kennesaw (or Winnetka IL, Seminole FL, Ogunquit ME, Misquamicut RI, Cucamonga CA) sound odd to non-American ears, but they represent proud cultures/peoples that were here for centuries before colonization. So to me, those names are appropriate.

And yes, the "-ville" ending is French, but it sounds better with French-sounding towns - in FRANCE! Snellville is not French, and sounds so corny. Same with the Mechanicsville neighborhood. Or Cabbagetown. The people who named these places seem very uninspired and it makes Atlanta look bad.

There are plenty of appropriately named cities/places in metro Atlanta: East Point, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Stone Mountain, Vinings, Cumberland. They are geographic reference points or formations, or named for a person/family who had enough common sense not to add "-ville" to the end of their name when they founded a new town. Or they derive from places in the British Isles that can trace their etymology back to Celtic, Roman or early Anglo-Saxon words.

Because the US is a mix culture we took things from different cultures and just merge them.

Adding ville is a common thing in US, especially in the South and midwest as these regions have historical ties to french exportation. And

It's similar how in west you get a lot San/santa/Los throw in names because of the stronger spanish history

San Francisco
San Diego
San Jose
San Gabriel
San Antonio
San Benardino
and etc etc

Santa Ana
Santa Barbara
Santa Cruz
Santa Fe
Santa Monica
Santa Clara
etc etc

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

I kind of agree to a point. When I first moved to Atlanta, I hated the name Smyrna so much, I had people write Atlanta or Marietta on my mail. The mail carrier ALWAYS scribbled it out and wrote Smyrna! Cumming is also a ridiculous name and the fact that there is a Beaver Toyota in Cumming is pure comedy gold!

So I feel your pain in the ridiculous names if some of the communities. But to purposely select College Park because it doesn't have a stupid name, well, it's your funeral. I can see why you have Kanye in your username, I could see him doing something similar! Lol! ( Though I still sort of understand what you did on some level).

Smyrna is actually Greek/Turkish

Ancient Smyrna

Originally Posted by KingKanye

One of the things I noticed when first moving to this area was that the names of the surrounding towns have very country sounding names. I moved to College Park for a number of reasons, but chose it because it sounds somewhat normal instead of Hapeville or Peachtree City which to me sound kind of silly.

But Marietta, Dawsonville, Alpharetta, Jonesboro, Kennesaw, Doraville, Lawrenceville, etc., these names sound very unsophisticated.

This made me search up origin of name Alpharetta, it's actually a variation of "Alfarata" a fictional native american women, in a song "The Blue Juniata" written in 1844. Which actually consider first hit song written by American woman. Marion Dix Sullivan.

The Blue Juniata

It gives metro Atlanta a honkytonk type vibe that while it may appeal to some people like white Southerners, the movers and shakers and international community (from the UK to China to South America) may have a giggle at the names in our local community.

What do others think?

What people think is basic in there culture is not in another

Like Tokyo, and Rio de Janeiro for instance, very cool sounding cities, turn out

Tokyo means eastern capital. Rio de Janeiro means January River' very basic and uninspired to their culture but it sound cool to us Americans. So maybe your underestimating how exotic these southern cities name sounds especially to foreigners.

But I actually always love the name Marietta, and Alpharetta they have like a southern charm imo.

[JoeP]

I don't think the names mean anything -"honkytonk" or otherwise.

"Movers and shakers" don't care.

I think this falls into, unfortunately, the obsessive, defensive types of Atlanta and its perfection.

[BillyH]

Originally Posted by pinetreelover

Actually, if we are thinking about the plainest city name in Texas, we shouldn't overlook Plano. Good grief....

As a long time Texas resident I have to agree. But if you live anyplace long enough you get use the names and don't think twice about how peculiar it sounds. I have relatives in Savannah a suburb there is called Thunderbolt, I always thought as a kid what a funny name now I'm used to it.

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by KingKanye

I agree. Those names (with the exception of Buckhead) are quite normal names. I like them. They roll off the tongue easily and are not discordant like Snellville or bizarre like Panthersville.

Panthersville is by far one of my favorite Atlanta area names. Wish it were incorporated so it would get mentioned even more.

Your earlier rebuttal of the suffix -ville being odd because the prefix isn't French as well is a poor argument. The addition of -ville in the American lexicon is so old it is more American than French in most minds... and for a good couple of centuries. It is a totally American thing, not just southern.

I would add that Georgia has a history of towns changing their names to give a little more panache. From my corner of West Georgia, two towns changed names to capitalize on tourism. To capitalize on their healing waters (the same springs that brought FDR to Georgia to convalesce from Polio) the town of Bullochville changed to Warm Springs. The popularity of nearby Callaway Gardens led the town leaders of Chipley to change the name to Pine Mountain.

I think you are finding umbrage to your OP because most people like the historical ties in their community. Change for change's sake is not all it's cracked up to be. And some names are just odd. Ever wonder why East Point is called East Point when it is actually on the south west side of Atlanta? It was the eastern terminus of the Atlanta and West Point railroad. Is College Park a good name even tho the colleges are gone? I do like the name and Woodward Academy is linked to a former college, but still---. Forest Park sounds nice but it originally had two Rs and that gives it a racist tinge when you realize who the Forrest is that was being recognized. There is no longer a lake in Lake Park or a lake in the Lakeside area of DeKalb.

I do agree with you about Snellville. Not an attractive name at all, but because Snell is too close to Smell or Snail. Neither poetically inspired words. But the rest of the area -villes are great. Lawrenceville, Douglasville, Gainesville, even my humble hometown of Hogansville. Love them all.

[Saintmarks]

And as a side note to newcomers. In Georgia, do not say the -ville suffix to rhyme with "will" or "pill." Don't accent it either. change the short I sound to a neutral schwa... LAWRENCEvull, GAINESvull, etc. Almost swallow the "vull."

PM me for other southern speech peculiarities. I am here to help you blend in better.

[Ric 0_0]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

And as a side note to newcomers. In Georgia, do not say the -ville suffix to rhyme with "will" or "pill." Don't accent it either. change the short I sound to a neutral schwa... LAWRENCEvull, GAINESvull, etc. Almost swallow the "vull."

PM me for other southern speech peculiarities. I am here to help you blend in better.

Uhhhh... I live in the North Fulton area, and I rarely if ever hear anyone say "vull". Maybe there are too many transplants, but that seems like an exageration.

[J2rescue]

In addition to what's already been said, several of these exist in other states and other parts of the country. There is a Lawrenceville IL, Jonesboro IN, Marietta MN among others.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

Panthersville is by far one of my favorite Atlanta area names. Wish it were incorporated so it would get mentioned even more.

Your earlier rebuttal of the suffix -ville being odd because the prefix isn't French as well is a poor argument. The addition of -ville in the American lexicon is so old it is more American than French in most minds... and for a good couple of centuries. It is a totally American thing, not just southern.

I would add that Georgia has a history of towns changing their names to give a little more panache. From my corner of West Georgia, two towns changed names to capitalize on tourism. To capitalize on their healing waters (the same springs that brought FDR to Georgia to convalesce from Polio) the town of Bullochville changed to Warm Springs. The popularity of nearby Callaway Gardens led the town leaders of Chipley to change the name to Pine Mountain.

I think you are finding umbrage to your OP because most people like the historical ties in their community. Change for change's sake is not all it's cracked up to be. And some names are just odd. Ever wonder why East Point is called East Point when it is actually on the south west side of Atlanta? It was the eastern terminus of the Atlanta and West Point railroad. Is College Park a good name even tho the colleges are gone? I do like the name and Woodward Academy is linked to a former college, but still---. Forest Park sounds nice but it originally had two Rs and that gives it a racist tinge when you realize who the Forrest is that was being recognized. There is no longer a lake in Lake Park or a lake in the Lakeside area of DeKalb.

I do agree with you about Snellville. Not an attractive name at all, but because Snell is too close to Smell or Snail. Neither poetically inspired words. But the rest of the area -villes are great. Lawrenceville, Douglasville, Gainesville, even my humble hometown of Hogansville. Love them all.

Love Panthersville. Wish it was incorporated as well.



Love Warm Springs and Pine Mountain.



*It is Lake City, actually. (should be re-named)



Now, people try to say the "lake" in Lakeside in DeKalb County refers to Echo Lake. I like this evolution.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ec...!4d-84.2861411



Speaking of Lakeside in DeKalb, I forgot where "Briarlake" is. What/where is Briar Lake?



However, Snell is a prominent, historical family name in southern Gwinnett County. Hence, Grace Snell Middle School.

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by KingKanye

I agree. Those names (with the exception of Buckhead) are quite normal names. I like them. They roll off the tongue easily and are not discordant like Snellville or bizarre like Panthersville.

Originally Posted by Ric 0_0

Uhhhh... I live in the North Fulton area, and I rarely if ever hear anyone say "vull". Maybe there are too many transplants, but that seems like an exageration.

You live in North Fulton. You answered your own question. You don't live near any southerners.

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by aries4118

Love Panthersville. Wish it was incorporated as well.



Love Warm Springs and Pine Mountain.



*It is Lake City, actually. (should be re-named)



Now, people try to say the "lake" in Lakeside in DeKalb County refers to Echo Lake. I like this evolution.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ec...!4d-84.2861411



Speaking of Lakeside in DeKalb, I forgot where "Briarlake" is. What/where is Briar Lake?



However, Snell is a prominent, historical family name in southern Gwinnett County. Hence, Grace Snell Middle School.

Please note I did this all on top of my head while sneaking on here at work, so forgive the Lake City misstep! You would be the one to catch it!

And I knew the Snell name was important, even have good friends with that surname. But it doesn't really lend itself well to a town. Name it after the lady.... Graceville is much nicer.