We Know You’re Not From Minnesota If You Mispronounce These 12 Names

Minnesota may be the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but it also has 10,000 ways to catch outsiders tripping over its place names. With deep Native American roots, Scandinavian influence, and just a sprinkle of passive-aggressive trickery, the names here are beautiful, baffling, and absolutely booby-trapped for non-Minnesotans. Say one wrong, and you’ll get corrected with a smile, a hot dish, and a judgmental “Oh, that’s interesting.”

1. Wayzata (Why-ZET-uh, not Way-zah-tah)

Say it wrong, and someone in boat shoes will gently correct you over walleye dinner.

2. Ely (EE-lee, not Ellie)

Tiny town, big pronunciation drama.

3. Mahtomedi (Mah-TOE-muh-die, not Matt-oh-meedee)

Sounds poetic. Causes chaos.

4. Shakopee (SHOCK-uh-pee, not Shake-oh-pee)

It’s got a racetrack and a pronunciation that’ll trip up Siri.

5. Edina (Ee-DINE-uh, not Eh-dee-nuh)

Say it wrong and the real estate agents will pretend not to hear you.

6. Bemidji (Buh-MID-jee, not Bee-midge-eye)

Home of Paul Bunyan and Babe—and absolutely no patience for mispronunciation.

7. Chisago (Shuh-SAH-go, not Chy-say-go)

Nope, not Chicago’s shy cousin. Whole different vibe.

8. Orono (OR-uh-no, not Oh-roo-no)

Fancy-sounding, deceptively simple—if you know the code.

9. Aitkin (ATE-kin, not Ah-it-kin)

Looks tricky, sounds normal. Still a trap.

10. Wabasha (WAH-buh-shaw, not Wab-uh-shuh)

Fun to say, even more fun to hear tourists butcher.

11. Mille Lacs (Mill LAX, not Mee-lay Lahks)

It’s a lake, not a French perfume.

12. Faribault (FAIR-boh, not Fair-ee-balt)

If you say all the letters, you’re clearly not from around these parts.

If you got ‘em all right, congrats—you probably own a snowblower, pronounce “bag” like “beg,” and know at least three casseroles by name. If not, that’s okay—we’ll still offer you some lefse and pretend not to notice. Just remember: in Minnesota, it’s not how you mispronounce a town name—it’s how nicely we correct you afterward. Don’tcha know?

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