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Pronouncing Iowa Place Names: An Audio Guide

Pronouncing Iowa Place Names: An Audio Guide

Presidential hopefuls need to clear all kinds of hurdles. Some are unique to politics, but one is familiar to every Iowan: getting our state's place-names right. While some of them (like Atlantic) are clear from the spelling, others trip "newbies" up. Louisa County? Not like my cousin's first name. Madrid? Not like the city in Spain. Nevada? Not like that state out west. You can’t take anything for granted.

But you're not on your own - Iowa Public Radio has you covered. Below is our handy audio guide to pronouncing Iowa place names. How did these pronunciations gain their current forms? Long story, which we'll get to another time, but meanwhile, scroll down for the list.

NOTE: Thanks to digital technology, we can update the entries anytime. Let us know if you have any corrections or suggestions - we could even post YOUR voice up here!

Here are a few extras to keep in mind too:
  • Avon Lake
  • Bode [e is silent, one syllable]
  • Carlisle
  • Corydon
  • Cumming
  • Giard
  • Goodell [guh-DELL?]
  • Hawarden [HAY-warden]
  • Jesup [JESS-up]
  • kilbourn [KILL-burn?]
  • Kiron [KEYE-ruhn]
  • Knoke [kuh-NOKE]
  • Lamoille
  • Lycurgus [lih-SIR-jus]
  • Maurice
  • Moingona
  • Orilla
  • Otho
  • Prole [Silent e]
  • Protivin
  • Pulaski [pyoo-LASS-kee?]
  • Swea City [Sway]
  • Tara
  • Valeria
  • Ventura
  • Zaneta
  • Zenorsville
  • Iowa Place Names: A - E
    Barney Sherman
    -A- -B- -C- -D- -E-Adel: Ay- DELLAllamakee: Aal -uh-muh-KEY (NOTE: Al as in "Call Me Al")Amish: AY-mishArispe: uh-RISS-peeAtalissa: at-uh-LISS-uhAudubon:…
  • Iowa Place Names: F - J
    Barney Sherman
    -F- -G- -H- -I- -J-Festina: Fes-TIE-nuhFroelich: FRAY-lickBack to TopGerled: JURR-ledGowrie: GOW-ree (like cow, with a hard "g")Granger: GRAIN-jer (like…
  • Iowa Place Names: K - O
    Barney Sherman
    -K- -L- -M- -N- -O-Kamrar: KAAM - rahrKeokuk: Residents pronounce it more than one way. Common options include KEE-uh-Kuck and KYOH-kuck. Some residents…
  • Iowa Place Names: P - T
    Barney Sherman
    -P- -Q- -R- -S- -T-Palo: PAY-lowPeoria: Residents say Peoria (like the town in Illlinois) - or PURE-ree or PEER-reePeosta: Pee-AHSS-tuhPisgah:…
  • Iowa Place Names: U - Z
    Barney Sherman
    -U- -V- -W- -X- -Y- -Z-Vining: VINE – ingViola: VAI-oh-luh (first syllable gets the accent and rhymes with "eye")Back to TopWapello:…