Missouri’s Unusual Town Names

How did Missouri towns get such unusual names?

There are hundreds of cities, towns, villages and municipalities in the state of Missouri. Some are major metro areas like St. Louis and Kansas City. Many are tiny with populations in the teens. But one thing is certainly true about Missouri towns; they sure have some strange names! When you scan the map you see bizarre names, towns spelled like cities from other countries (but pronounced differently), and some that make you scratch your head. Here are a few of the more unusual and the stories behind them.

Plato

Plato is a town in Texas County with a population of 109 residents. It was named after the ancient Greek philosopher Plato and was designed as a city to be governed by “Thinking Men” like what was described in Plato’s Republic. It also has the unique distinction of being the Mean Center of Population Distribution for the United States, meaning it is perfectly centered with Americans all around!

Tightwad

Tightwad is a small town in Henry County with a population of 69. The original name of the town was Edgewood, but according to official Missouri records, changed after an argument over money between a carpenter and the owner of a store. There are other theories as to what happened, but most amazingly is that the name stuck!

Olympian Village

Olympian Village is a town in Jefferson County with a population was 761. Some think the name has a connection to the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis, but that’s not true. The name comes from Greek culture. Many of the streets are named in honor of Greek legends and locations like Hercules Place, Kronos Drive, and Parthenon Drive.

Creve Coeur

Creve Coeur is named after a broken heart. The suburb of St. Louis has a population of 17,833 and a rather large lake that is the reason for the legend and the name. Creve Coeur is French for heartbreak. Local legend has it that the lake “formed itself into a broken heart” when an Indian princess jumped from a cliff near the lake over the love of a French fur trapper.

Climax Springs

Climax Springs was founded in the late 19th century near a natural spring believed to have healing properties. The town’s name reflected both the spring’s invigorating qualities and its hilltop location. Once a popular mineral springs resort, it attracted visitors seeking health and relaxation. Over time, tourism declined, and the small community remained largely rural. In 2022, the village officially disincorporated, but it continues to serve as a quiet gateway to the Lake of the Ozarks region.

Koshkonong

Koshkonong has about as many letters as residents. The town in Oregon County has a population of 212. The unusual name comes from Lake Koshkonong in Wisconsin, which was a favorite spot of an early railroad superintendent.

Liberal

Liberal is a town in Barton County, which is actually one of the most conservative areas of the country. The town of 759 residents has a unique story. It was given the name by George Walser. He foresaw the town as an atheist utopia that would have no churches or saloons, named after the Liberal League of Lamar, Missouri. Walser claimed that “no person could live in a Christian community and express an honest opinion regarding Christian religion adverse to the interest of priestcraft without hazarding his business and social standing.”

Licking

Licking is one of those towns that gets a second glance every time you see the name. The city of 3,124 in Texas County was first named Buffalo Lick, or simply The Lick. The name comes from a nearby buffalo salt lick which gave the area a significant deer population in the 1800’s.

Novelty

Novelty is unique in many ways. The long-time trading post town lies in Knox County and has a population of 139. Missouri archives show that the town was named by Dr. Pendry, who was known as a very eccentric man. The town name filing shows that on a whim, he named the town for the assortment of merchandise that was in his store.

Knob Noster

Knob Noster is a small town in Johnson County near Whiteman Air Force Base. The town was founded in the mid-1800s, and is known known for its strong sense of community, military ties, and proximity to Knob Noster State Park. “Knob Noster” is a combination of the word “knob,” meaning hill, and the Latin word “noster,” meaning “our,” translating to “our hill”.

Cooter

Cooter is a small town in Pemiscot County, located in the state’s Bootheel region near the Arkansas border. According to Houck’s History of Missouri, the town was named for the French Coutre family, which headed by Frenchman Portell Coutre of New Madrid, Missouri

Founded in the late 1800s, it was named after the nearby Cooter Slough. The town has deep agricultural roots, with farming and cotton once central to its economy. Despite its small size, Cooter takes pride in its close-knit community, local school spirit, and traditional southern charm that reflect the culture and resilience of Missouri’s rural heartland.

Humansville

Humansville, Missouri, located in Polk County, was founded in the 1830s and named after pioneer James G. Human. He was a Polk County judge and legislator, but viewed himself first as a farmer. The small town grew around farming and trade, becoming an agricultural hub in southwest Missouri. With a population of around 1,000, Humansville retains its rural charm, featuring historic buildings, friendly community spirit, and local events celebrating its heritage.