Oklahoma is notorious for having places with some difficult to pronounce names. This article is dedicated to showing how a local pronounces the names of these towns and cities. I attempted to provide phonetic spellings or approximations for each one.
If you are a not an Oklahoman, study this list and be prepared to impress locals with your knowledge.
If you are an Oklahoman, share this article to teach your non-Okie friends and families the proper way to say these names.
If your town did not make the list, please leave a comment below.
Achille
A-chill-EE
Ada
AY-da
Albion
Al-BEE-un
Anadarko
AN-ah-dar-koh
Atoka
ah-TOH-kuh
Bache
BAY-ch
Boise City
Boy-s City. (Not like the capital of Idaho.)
Bokchito
Boke-chee-toh. (I also heard Boke-chee-tah.)
Bokoshe
Boh-koh-SHEE
Caddo
Cad-OH
Calera
Cuh-lair-uh. (Not “cholera”.)
Cashion
CA-shun
Catoosa
Cuh-TOO-suh
Checotah
Sheh-COH-tuh
Chouteau
Sho-TOH
Coweta
Co-WEE-tuh
Durant
Dure-ant. (I also heard DOO-rant, but I think most people say it this way.)
Eufaula
You-FAW-luh
Fanshawe
Fan-SHAW
Foraker
For-AY-ker
Geary
Like Gary
Gotebo
Go-TEE-bo
Hartshorne
Harts-HORN
Idabel
I-dah-bel
Inola
I-NO-luh
Kiowa
Ki-OH-waw. (Not to be mistaken with the Kiowa [Ki-o-wuh] tribe of Oklahoma.)
Konawa
Kon-ah-wuh
Lequire
LEE-kwire
Lima
LI-muh
Madill
Muh-dil
Mangum
Man-gum
Miami
My-AM-uh. (If you say this like the city in Florida, people will laughed at you.)
Minco
Meen-KO
Muskogee
Mus-KOH-gee
Nowata
No-WAW-tuh
Ochelata
O-chuh-LAW-tuh
Okmulgee
Ok-MUHL-gee
Oktaha
Ok-TUH-haw
Oologah
Oo-LOH-gaw. (I also heard O-lo-gaw.)
Owasso
Oh-WAW-so
Panola
Pah-NOH-luh. (From the Choctaw word for coal.)
Pawhuska
Paw-HUS-kuh
Pocola
Puh-COH-luh
Poteau
Poh-DOH
Prague
Pray-g. (Not like the capital of the Czech Republic.)
Quapaw
Kwaw-paw
Rattan
Ruh-TAN
Sallisaw
Sal-IH-saw
Sayre
Say-er
Seminole
SEM-uh-nohl
Skiatook
Sky-uh-took
Tahlequah
Tal-uh-kwaw
Talala
Tuh-LAW-luh
Talihina
Tal-i-HEE-na. (Like in the Kings of Leon song “Talihina Sky”. Some locals say Tal-uh-HEE-na or Tal-HAY-na.)
Tecumseh
Teh-cum-suh
Tishomingo
Tish-MEAN-goh. (Locals omit the first “o”.)
Tonkawa
Ton-kuh-wuh
Vian
VI-ann. (Not Vee-ann.)
Vici
Vice-eye
Vinita
Vin-EE-tuh
Watonga
Wuh-TON-guh
Waurika
War-EE-kuh
Weleetka
Wuh-LEET-kuh
Wetumka
Wuh-TUM-kuh
Wewoka
Wee-WOH-kuh
Wilburton
Wil-BUR-ton. (You can spot a non-local if they say “Will Burton".)
Wynnewood
Win-ee-wood
Disclaimer: These are the ways I learned to say these names. If I didn't capture the correct pronunciation of your town, I apologize.
