15 Places That Don't Mean What You Think: Explained
Discover 15 places that don't mean what you think—from Paris, Texas to Greenland—and the surprising stories behind their misleading names.

Honolulu is the capital of Hawaii and sits on the south shore of the island of Oahu, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Its name comes from the Hawaiian phrase meaning 'sheltered harbor' or 'calm port', a fitting description of the city's natural harbor. Honolulu became the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1845 and has remained the seat of state government since Hawaii became a state in 1959. The city is a major tourist destination, known for Waikiki Beach and the volcanic crater of Diamond Head, which rises above the coastline. Pearl Harbor, the site of the 1941 attack that drew the United States into World War II, lies just west of the city and is now a national memorial. Honolulu serves as the economic center of the islands, with tourism, defense, and government as its main industries.
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From Hawaiian 'honolulu' meaning 'sheltered harbor' or 'calm port'.
Other places in the region and their demonyms
Discover 15 places that don't mean what you think—from Paris, Texas to Greenland—and the surprising stories behind their misleading names.
From Montenegro to Naples, these 20 place names that were literally translated show how languages rebuild geography — and what the originals mean.
Want to explore where Honolulans live? Here's the atlas that does it best:
Highly detailed, stunning visuals
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Challenge yourself with our demonym quizzes and see how many you can get right!
Take a Quiz →Challenge yourself with our demonym quizzes and see how many you can get right!
Take a Quiz →Discover demonyms from other places in this region