If you think you know how to say every town name in Washington, think again.
This state is packed with places that look easy to pronounce, until you try saying them out loud.
Some have extra letters that seem to go nowhere, while others come from Native languages or French and sound nothing like they look.
So if you’ve ever looked at a Washington road sign and thought, “Wait, how do you say that?” this list is for you.
Here are 17 of the trickiest town names in Washington, how locals really say them, and the most common wrong guesses we’ve all heard at least once.
1. Puyallup
Correct Pronunciation: pew-AL-up
Puyallup trips up just about everyone who isn’t from Washington.
Locals have heard every version under the sun, from “Pie-all-up” to “Pully-up.”
Say it right and you’ll sound like a true Washingtonian…or at least like someone who’s been to the fair.
2. Sequim
Correct Pronunciation: SKWIM
This one looks way harder than it actually is.
Out-of-towners try everything from “See-quim” to “Seh-kweem.”
Locals may smile politely, but say “SKWIM” and you’ll fit right in, as if you’ve spent years picking lavender or walking the Dungeness Spit.
3. Spokane
Correct Pronunciation: spoh-CAN
Whatever you do, don’t say “spoh-KANE.”
That silent “e” at the end is just there to mess with tourists.
Misfires like “spoke-anne” or “spock-un” are more common than you’d think.
Say “spoh-CAN” with confidence, and you’ll sound like someone who actually knows where Gonzaga is.
4. Okanogan
Correct Pronunciation: oh-kah-NOG-guhn
This one looks simple, but it throws people off all the time.
You’ll hear misplaced emphasis like “oh-kan-OH-gan” or “OH-kuh-NO-gan.”
Stick with “oh-kah-NOG-guhn” to sound like someone who knows their way around north-central Washington.
5. Steilacoom
Correct Pronunciation: STILL-a-come
This one is a total curveball.
People trip over it with versions like “Steal-a-coom” or “Stella-choom.”
Nail it with “STILL-a-come” and locals will know you’ve at least heard of the ferry to Anderson Island.
6. Chehalis
Correct Pronunciation: sheh-HAY-lis
Yep, that “Ch” throws off just about everyone the first time.
You might hear folks guess “CHEE-haliss” or “shi-HALL-is,” but nope.
Say “sheh-HAY-lis,” and you’re golden (bonus points for knowing it sits halfway between Portland and Seattle).
7. Chelan
Correct Pronunciation: shuh-LAN
Looks like it should rhyme with “Helen,” but nope.
Common misfires include “CHELL-en” or “che-LON.”
Getting “shuh-LAN” right is a quick way to sound like you’ve spent a summer on the lake.
8. Entiat
Correct Pronunciation: EN-tee-at
It’s short and sweet, but still manages to confuse.
People try “en-TIE-aht” or even “in-tee-YOT.”
Stick with “EN-tee-at,” and it’ll seem like you’ve road-tripped up Highway 97 more than once.
9. Hoquiam
Correct Pronunciation: Hoe-kwim
This one might cause an argument.
Visitors say everything from “hokey-um” to “hoke-yim.”
Wikipedia will tell you it’s pronounced “hoh-kwee-um” but “Hoe-kwim” is how lots of locals say it, especially those who’ve endured a rainy football game at Olympic Stadium.
10. Palouse
Correct Pronunciation: puh-LOOSE
It rhymes with “goose,” not “mouse,” even though the spelling suggests otherwise.
Common slip-ups include “PAL-ows” or “puh-LOOS-ee.”
Using “puh-LOOSE” makes it sound like the rolling hills aren’t just a picture to you.
11. Pend Oreille
Correct Pronunciation: POND-uh-RAY
This one’s French, and it shows.
You’ll hear everything from “pendor-yell” to “pend-oral.”
But knowing it’s “POND-oh-RAY” makes it sound like northeastern Washington is familiar territory and Coeur d’Alene isn’t a challenge.
12. Kahlotus
Correct Pronunciation: Kuh-LOW-tiss
This tiny town has a name that stumps just about everyone the first time.
It draws guesses like “KAY-lotus” or “Kah-lot-OOSE.”
But it’s pronounced “Kuh-LOW-tiss,” a detail that makes it sound like you’ve passed through the backroads between the Snake River and the Columbia.
13. Skagit
Correct Pronunciation: Ska-jit
It’s not fancy, just say it how it looks (mostly).
People mess it up with things like “SKA-get” or “skuh-jet.”
Simply say “Ska-jit,” and you’ll sound like someone who’s spent a Saturday at the tulip fields or kayaking the Skagit River.
14. Tulalip
Correct Pronunciation: too-LAY-lip
This one sounds way smoother than it looks.
You might hear people say “TOO-luh-lip,” “too-LAH-lip,” or even “tuh-LAW-lip.”
Call it “too-LAY-lip,” and it feels like you’ve done more than just pass through the reservation.
15. Mukilteo
Correct Pronunciation: muckle-TEE-oh
It’s a bit of a mouthful if you haven’t seen it before.
Typical misfires range from “moo-kil-TAY-oh” to giving up halfway through.
But once you’ve taken the ferry to Whidbey and found the best lighthouse selfie spot, “muckle-TEE-oh” comes naturally.
16. Quileute
Correct Pronunciation: KWIL-yoot
Both the spelling and pronunciation come from the Quileute Tribe’s language, making it very tricky.
Folks tend to guess “quill-oot” or “quill-ET.”
Around La Push, it’s “KWIL-yoot,” and the place is known for far more than its Twilight reputation.
17. Touchet
Correct Pronunciation: too-SHEE
Yep, that “ch” is totally misleading.
Common attempts include “touch-it,” or even “tushay” (French class flashbacks, anyone?).
But it’s “TOO-shee,” the kind of pronunciation that fits after a long drive through wheat country.
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