1

Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

Image: Lachlan Donald

Originally named Hot Springs, the town changed its name in 1950 after a popular radio show. Host Ralph Edwards had promised to broadcast from the first town that renamed itself after the program.

The publicity stunt worked—Edwards visited annually for the next 50 years. Despite its playful name, Truth or Consequences is a legitimate spa town, known for natural hot springs and health resorts.

2

Accident, Maryland

Image: David Trinks

Surveyors in the 1700s accidentally claimed the same plot of land twice, giving rise to the town’s odd name. The mistake was eventually resolved, but the name stuck.

Today, Accident is a quiet town in Garrett County with fewer than 400 residents. It occasionally draws attention from curious travelers and lovers of unique place names.

3

Boring, Oregon

Image: everett mcintire

Named after William H. Boring, a Civil War veteran who settled in the area. Locals embraced the name, even forming a tongue-in-cheek partnership with Dull, Scotland, and later Bland, Australia, to form the so-called "Trinity of Tedium"—all in good fun!

Boring capitalizes on the irony with signs that read, "The most exciting place to live." It’s a quiet suburb of Portland with a strong farming history.

4

Chicken, Alaska

Image: Yiyi Yang

Miners wanted to name it after the ptarmigan, a local bird, but couldn’t agree on the spelling , so they went with "Chicken" instead.

Located near the Canadian border, Chicken has no phone service and a population of fewer than 20. It remains a favorite roadside stop along the Taylor Highway.

5

Booger Hole, West Virginia

Image: Sharosh Rajasekher

Named after ghost stories and tales of mysterious disappearances in the early 1900s. "Booger" was slang for ghost or boogeyman.

The area gained notoriety for several unsolved crimes, adding to its spooky reputation. Today, it’s mostly a rural area with a curious past and no official signage.

6

Monkey’s Eyebrow, Kentucky

Image: Roger Starnes Sr

One origin story claims the name came from the area’s appearance on a map —it looked like the eyebrow on a monkey’s face.

Located in Ballard County, this unincorporated community doesn’t offer much beyond a memorable name. It’s a quiet farming region in western Kentucky.

7

Hell, Michigan

Image: Brad Switzer

Allegedly, this name came from a German traveler’s comment, "So schön hell!" meaning "so beautifully bright." In a humorous twist, however, locals took the "hell" part literally.

Today, tourism thrives on the name, with themed businesses like the Hell Hole Diner and even a wedding chapel. You can even buy a square inch of "Hell" online.

8

No Name, Colorado

Image: Holly Mandarich

When building a highway exit, engineers labeled the spot "No Name" as a placeholder. Locals voted to keep it that way.

Located near Glenwood Springs, it’s known for No Name Creek and the No Name Tunnel. It remains a photo favorite along I-70.

9

Toad Suck, Arkansas

Image: Claud Richmond

Likely comes from riverboat crews who drank at the local tavern until they "swelled up like toads." The "suck" refers to a river eddy—a swirling current in the water.

Today, the town is best known for the annual Toad Suck Daze festival, which celebrates the odd name with music, food, and toad races.

10

Satan's Kingdom, Massachusetts

Image: Jeffrey Clayton

Located near Northfield, this ominously named unincorporated village borders the Connecticut River. Despite its fiery name, it’s a mostly quiet rural area.

Legend says the name came after a churchgoer left a sermon about hellfire and saw a forest fire raging across the river —declaring that "Satan’s Kingdom was burning." A similarly named area exists in Vermont as well.

11

Why, Arizona

Image: Laura Mann

Named for the Y-shaped intersection of State Routes 85 and 86, the town had to adopt a name with at least three letters due to Arizona law, so "Y" became "Why."

Why lies near the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and remains a popular pit stop for desert road trippers.

12

Looneyville, Texas

Image: Vivian Arcidiacono

Named after store owner John Looney in the 1800s, Looneyville is not a joke—just an old Texas family name.

Looneyville is in Rusk County, deep in East Texas. It remains unincorporated but shows up on maps and road signs.

1

Prank calls

Image: Happysurd Photography

With smartphones taking over, the classic prank call is slowly fading away. Back in the day, dialing a random number to play a harmless joke and share a laugh with friends was a common pastime. Today, with caller ID and mobile phones everywhere, executing those little tricks has become more complicated.

2

Block parties

Image: Yifan Gu

We used to know all our neighbors, and that sense of community was deep. Today, things have changed. With growing cities and people moving more often, your neighbors might be gone before you even learn their names. On top of that, our lives are busier than ever, and closing off a street for a party isn’t as simple as it once was. With these new dynamics, the once-beloved block party has become a rare thing, mostly surviving in small towns or communities. Remember the last time you went to one?

3

Ding-dong ditch

Image: Waldemar Brandt

Remember when kids could safely roam the streets for hours? The good old days! Wandering around your neighborhood or even a different one, there was always someone who came up with the idea: ringing a doorbell and running away. It might have been a little annoying for the person who opened the door, but it was all in good fun.

4

Fruit baskets

Image: Nick Fewings

Our mothers and grandmothers knew that when it came to celebrations, anniversaries, holidays, or any special occasion, a beautifully arranged fruit basket was always a thoughtful gift. This simple gesture showed care and dedication, but today, it’s slowly disappearing. Why? The convenience of online shopping and the trend toward more personalized presents have made this classic gift increasingly rare.

5

Christmas cards

Image: Richard Bell

If you’re like us and just love greeting cards, you’ve probably noticed that fewer people are taking the time to go to the store, pick the perfect card, write a message, and send it off. While traditional greeting cards and Christmas cards are slowly being replaced by digital alternatives, there will always be those of us who appreciate this lovely ritual.

6

School reunions

Image: RUT MIIT

Reunions with former classmates tend to divide people: some look forward to them with excitement, while others would rather skip them altogether. We won’t ask which side you’re on, but there’s no denying that these gatherings are becoming rarer. While a few devoted groups still make an effort to keep it alive year after year, this custom doesn’t seem to be among the younger generations’ priorities.

7

Bake sales

Image: John Dancy

Whether at school, church, or in the neighborhood, who didn’t take part in a bake sale as a kid? However, in today’s fast-paced world, finding time to bake delicious cookies has become a rare treat. This classic way of raising money for a shared cause hasn’t vanished, but it’s definitely losing steam. With virtual wallets and social media, fundraising looks very different today.

8

Black Friday

Image: Markus Spiske

Black Friday, as we once knew it, is evolving into something new. Those endless lines outside stores are now much shorter, thanks to the rise of online shopping. In addition, with the increase in per capita consumption, Black Friday is no longer confined to the day after Thanksgiving; it now stretches across the entire week, and in many cases, the whole month.

9

Appointment TV

Image: Vitaly Gariev

We’ve all gotten used to on-demand content, which lets us watch, rewind, and replay whenever we like. While this convenience is great, it has slowly replaced the old habit of appointment TV, those moments when families or neighbors would gather in their living rooms at a set time to watch a big game, a premiere, or the season finale, sharing a sense of community that’s not so common today.

10

Private fireworks

Image: Leo Okuyama

As the years have passed, we’ve learned more about the risks of fireworks: How they can frighten pets, harm the environment, and cause serious injuries in both children and adults. We can’t deny that lighting fireworks in the backyard with the family is a magical moment, but these days, that tradition has mostly moved to large events in stadiums or music festivals, where trained professionals handle the show.

1

Keep a journal

Image: Thought Catalog

Writing down your thoughts is a great way to organize them into cohesive ideas . Doing so daily, ideally around the same time every day, generates a creative routine that will promote the appearance of new ideas to emerge consistently around that time.

2

Walking

Image: Chris Hardy

As German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once said, "All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking." And while this statement may carry a deeper meaning, it's undoubtedly true that taking a walk helps get the creative juices flowing .

3

Reading

Image: Matias North

Reading not only exercises your brain and improves your vocabulary , but it also boosts your empathy and imagination. People who read literary fiction, in particular, are more likely to understand the feelings and beliefs of others.

4

Unplug

Image: Tobias Tullius

Spend less time in front of screens. Whether it’s your cellphone, computer, or television, unplugging from electronics —even for just a couple of hours each day—can significantly improve your brain’s ability to generate original thoughts and draw inspiration from within.

5

Exercise

Image: Jonathan Borba

This one goes hand in hand with the tip about walking. Exercise is a powerful way to boost your creative energy —it increases your metabolism and provides a sense of accomplishment that can carry over into other areas of your work and personal life.

6

Try new things often

Image: Laura D Vargas

Do something different every day. It could be a small detour from your usual routine or an entirely new activity. Your brain thrives with new things and your creativity feeds on anything that breaks away from the norm.

7

Move around

Image: Christin Hume

Changing locations gives you a new perspective , which affects how your brain processes information. It can be as simple as moving to a different room, working outside for the day, or venturing a bit farther—but it always helps.

8

Identify your best moments

Image: Avi Richards

Some of us work best in the early morning, while some work better late at night. Find the moment of the day when your energy is peaking and take advantage of it. This is the time of day when your concentration is sharpest, and it’s the best time to tackle tasks you've been putting off.

9

Seek out different opinions

Image: Christina @ wocintechchat.com

Creative people tend to interact with people who inspire them and capture their imagination, both in and outside of their own fields. Hearing about different opinions gives you a perspective outside your own and fosters new, creative ideas that you might not have come up with otherwise.

10

Be more curious

Image: Joakim Honkasalo

Being curious is possibly one of the best ways to fuel your creativity . Make it a point to learn something new every day. Allow yourself to go down rabbit holes and chase ideas—no matter how strange or unproductive they might seem (even if only for a short period).

11

Do not fear failure

Image: Kind and Curious

Two advantages to be gained from a mistake are finding out empirically what doesn’t work, and learning how to avoid similar situations in the future . This new information increases your experience and allows your imagination to better anticipate scenarios related to those mistakes.

12

Sleep well

Image: Simon Infanger

Last but not least, sleep well. Lack of sleep can slow down cognitive functions, so prioritize getting a good night’s rest to ensure your brain is in top shape to come up with fresh ideas.