If I Lived In One Of These 12 Mexican Towns With Strange Names I’d Move Immediately
Sometimes, it’s fun to take advantage of someone else’s inability to speak Spanish. It is a romance language after all. So when my mom would tell her white friends, “de nalga” instead of “de nada,” nobody noticed except us.
If you’re from any of these towns, we bet your non-Latino friends just nod and say, “Nice!” But we all know you’re from the land of the boogers. Here are the weirdest places in Mexico to say you’re from.
1. Villa Mocos
Everyone loves to talk about Villa Mocos, but it’s a myth! Maybe our moms were playing pranks on the gabachos, and it’s infiltrated our impressionable young minds. Don’t believe anyone who tells you they’re from Villa Mocos.
2. Las Nalga de Ventura, Guanajuato
The full name is Rancho de Guadalupe (La Nalga de Ventura) which directly translates to Guadalupe’s Ranch (Fortune’s Butt). There are only 217 inhabitants that can say they’re from Ventura’s Butt.
3. Salsipuedes, Baja California
Pero, really, “leave if you can”. Apparently, the secluded beaches you might choose to relax on in Salsipuedes are often interrupted by major wave breaks. Surfers love to go and enjoy it y salsipuede.
4. Delicias, Chihuahua
Literally translated to “Delights, Mexico,” this is what we’d expect to see. The city is the fourth most populated in the state of Chihuahua and is actually a major agricultural center.
5. Comitán, Chiapas
Waiting for your friends or S.O. to commit already? Buy them a one way ticket to Comitán, which is translated to “Commit!”
6. Ojo de Agua, Tecámac
How can you visualize el ojo de aqua? Through the eye of Mother Nature, it might be a spring. There’s no confirmation on how the town got its name, but it’s as good a hunch as any.
7. Aguascalientes, Mexico
This state of Mexico directly translates to “Hot Waters.” It’s not because everyone is feeling like this frog, but because there are so many hot springs in the area. Still–“Hi, I’m from Hot Waters,” feels like a silly thing to say in English, and beautiful in Spanish.
8. Pachuca, Mexico
There is no official consensus on how the coastal town got its name. It might have originated from the word pachoa, which means strait; pachoacan which means place of silver and gold; or patlachuican which means place of tears.
9. Paso del Macho, Veracruz
Directly translated to “Male’s Path,” apparently this municipality was named after the treacherous journey to enter the area. You needed mules or dudes to carry the load.
10. La Barca, Jalisco
Originally named Santa Mónica de la Barca, it eventually just became known as La Barca. That’s like if your home town’s name was “The Boat.” This one is less weird than it is just straight unimaginative.
11. Cortazar, Guanajuato
Home of the best hair dressers in the world, Cortazar… okay just kidding. It was first known as San José de los Amoles, but for some reason, it became known as Cortazar, which means ‘to cut.’
12. Chihuahua, Mexico
Probably the most annoying place to be from if you’ve moved anywhere else in the world is Chihuahua, Mexico. To the rest of the world, it translates to “Tiny Dog, Mexico.”
At least nobody can be from Isla del Malpelo, Colombia.
It’s just a deserted island that could only be used for climbing it’s barren rock and jumping into the ocean. It also promises for a bad hair day. Badhair Island is a favorite for scuba divers and scientists but that’s about it.
