You’re saying it wrong: New York City street names
NEW YORK (WPIX) – If you’ve walked by Houston Street in Manhattan and pronounced it “Hue-stin,” you wouldn’t be the first person.
It’s actually pronounced “House-ton” – named after the founding father, William Houstoun. Houstoun, who was born in Georgia, represented his state in the Continental Congress from 1783 to 1786, according to the Parks Department.
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And yes, Houston Street isn’t spelled like Houstoun. It’s a corruption, and the last time the street was spelled “Houstoun” was in 1811, per the Parks Department.
Many streets in New York City are named after memorable historical figures – or your average, everyday person, according to Rebecca Bratspies, a law professor with The City University of New York School of Law and the author of “Naming Gotham: The Villains, Rogues and Heroes behind New York’s Place Names.”
“That’s one cohort, is things named after the social elite,” said Bratspies. “Then there’s a cohort of things that are named after New York bureaucrats, like Major Deegan and Van Wyck. And then there are things that are named in an honorary fashion, like Houston Street… and there are things named after the person who happened to own them.”
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Houston isn’t the only street in New York City whose pronunciation makes you tongue-tied. Here’s a list of street names around the Big Apple that may take you a few tries to pronounce correctly:
Fteley Avenue, the Bronx
Fteley Avenue was named in honor of civil engineer Alphonse Fteley, according to The New York Times. He was the chief engineer of New York City’s Aqueduct Commission from 1887 to 1895. It’s pronounced “fuh-tel-lee.”
Gansevoort Street, Manhattan
Like many places in New York City, this name comes from Peter Gansevoort, a Revolutionary War general, according to the Meatpacking District BID. Gansevoort is also the name of a hamlet in Saratoga County. It’s pronounced “gan-suh-vort.”
Joralemon Street, Brooklyn
Joralemon Street gets its name from farmer Tumis Joralemon, who was the first person to own a brick house in Brooklyn, according to The New York Times. It’s pronounced “jer-all-ah-men.”
Kosciuszko Street, Brooklyn
This street (as well as the bridge and subway station) was named after Thaddeus Kosciuszko, a Polish general who fought on the U.S. side of the Revolutionary War, according to the Parks Department. Americans pronounce it “ka-zee-oo-skow,” while Polish speakers pronounce it “ko-shoos-ko.”
Maujer Street, Brooklyn
Maujer Street was originally named Remsen Street after a farmer who lived on the block. In 1937, the name was changed to honor Daniel Maujer, an alderman in the 15th Ward, according to Most Holy Trinity-St. Mary Catholic Church. It’s pronounced “moy-jer.”
Schenectady Avenue, Brooklyn
Schenectady Avenue gets its namesake from the city of Schenectady, near Albany. The original settlement was pronounced “Schau-naugh-ta-da” by the Mohawk, which translates to “over the pine plains,” according to the city’s website. It’s pronounced “skuh-nek-tuh-dee.”
Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn
This street takes its name from the Schermerhorn family, who settled in New York in the 1600s, according to the Hillside County Historical Society. It’s pronounced “skir-mir-horn.”
New Utrecht Avenue, Brooklyn
Named after the colony established in 1652, New Utrecht was the last of six towns created by Dutch settlers that would later become Brooklyn, according to Friends of Historic New Utrecht. The second part of the street’s name is pronounced “you-trek.”
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