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The Ultimate Guide to Pronouncing Oklahoma Towns and Cities

Don't trust the spelling.

Wyatt Stanford
Feb 01, 2017
Norman, Oklahoma
10985
The Ultimate Guide to Pronouncing Oklahoma Towns and Cities
Wyatt Stanford

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.

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