Strange city names: discover 20 names around Brazil
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Have you ever stopped to think about the number of strange city names that exist in Brazil?
As you may already know, Brazil is one of the largest countries – in terms of territory – in the entire world and the largest in South America.
And in addition to the territorial issue, our country also stands out in relation to the number of cities that exist here.
According to the Brazilian Institute of Research and Statistics (IBGE), Brazil has 5,570 cities. There are never-ending cities!
And there came a time when, to name each of these cities, Brazilians had to resort to one of our most valuable assets, which is undoubtedly passed down from generation to generation: creativity!
And I don't even need to say that the result of this is a bunch of cities with peculiar names that can sound very different to those who aren't familiar with them.
It was thinking about these cities with these unconventional names that we had the idea of creating this material!
In today's text, we're going to explore 18 strange city names that exist around here!
Let's learn a little more about each of them, discover where they are and understand a little more about the history of their names.
18 strange city names around Brazil
Below, you will learn about 9 strange city names that exist in Brazil and that – probably – you had no idea existed!
Pass and Stay, Rio Grande do Norte
Located in the interior of Rio Grande do Norte, Passa e Fica is a relatively small and young city, with just over 13 thousand inhabitants and 60 years of emancipation.
Now the question that everyone wants to know is: do those who pass through really stay? You have to travel there to find out.
Sweep-Sai, Rio de Janeiro
The representative of Rio de Janeiro on our list today is Varre-Sai.
In addition to its peculiar name, Varre-Sai – which has a little over 11 thousand inhabitants – is also considered the municipality in Rio de Janeiro that is furthest from Rio de Janeiro, the city that is the state capital.
Nhecolandia, Mato Grosso do Sul
Our list today also features a municipality representing the Pantanal region.
We are talking about Nhecolândia, in Mato Grosso do Sul.
Considered a rural municipality, the peculiar name came about because of Joaquim Eugênio Gomes da Silva – known as “Nheco” – owner of one of the first farms in the region.
Hangover, Minas Gerais
The name of this city is something that many people know, right?
This municipality in Minas Gerais is located about 150 km from the state capital and its diminutive name matches its size quite well: Ressaquinha has an estimated population of 4,800 inhabitants, which is considered quite small when compared to so many other municipalities in Brazil.
Merry Christmas, Mato Grosso
And to end our list, Merry Christmas!
No, it's not the Merry Christmas you're thinking of! We're talking about the municipality of Feliz Natal, which is located in Mato Grosso.
With an estimated population of 13,500, the city got its name after a group of employees were stranded after a river overflowed on Christmas Eve. To ensure Christmas was a memorable day, they wrote the phrase on a tree while they awaited rescue.
After they were rescued, the name ended up marking the place, giving rise to the name of the city.
In addition to these cities listed, we also have New York (Maranhão), Não-me-toque (Rio Grande do Sul), Salto do Lontra (Paraná) and Sombrio (Santa Catarina).
Strange city names with double meanings
Now that we've talked about the top 10 strange city names that are part of Brazil, it's time to move on to another category.
It is impossible to talk about strange city names without going into a very specific topic that usually generates jokes and laughter among Brazilians: cities that have names that have a double meaning.
In addition to the strange city names we have already listed here, there are several cities that have relatively common names.
But thanks to the Brazilians' malice and the unique vocabulary and terms we have developed, we have come to associate these words in a double sense.
Check out below which cities have names that require no explanation.
Pintópolis, Minas Gerais: one of the most well-known strange city names
A classic among strange city names, the mining city of Pintópolis is one of those cities that is constantly the target of jokes in every conversation.
Ponta Grossa, Paraná
Another representative of Paraná on our list is Ponta Grossa. Let he who has never heard a double-meaning joke involving the city of Paraná cast the first stone.
Pau Grande, Rio de Janeiro: because it has one of the strangest city names, the city even made the news in Brazil.
Another city that has several puns is Pau Grande. In fact, the city recently made headlines in newspapers all over Brazil because of the inauguration of the plaque you can see in the photo above.
The point generated jokes and memes all over the internet
Ironwood, Rio Grande do Norte
Rio Grande do Norte is also on our list with Pau dos Ferros, a relatively large city with 30 thousand inhabitants.
Taking from Geru, Sergipe
It is impossible not to associate the name of this municipality in Sergipe with that insult that many people like to use when they are angry about something.
Even though everyone here is a mature adult, it's impossible to see this whole list of strange city names and not crack at least a little smile, right?
In addition to these cities listed, we also have Entretelado (Rio Grande do Sul), Barrolândia (Tocantins), Paudalho (Pernambuco) and Rolândia (Paraná).
Conclusion
So, what do you think? Which of these strange city names did you already know? Do we have any readers who live in any of these cities?
As you can see, despite being peculiar – and often the target of jokes – cities with different names exist throughout Brazil.
And, in a way, this is like a symbol of our Brazilianness and our history. These are the names that make each of these cities unique!
Did you like this material? Then you should take the opportunity to read it too The best cities in Brazil to live in: the last one will surprise you!
