- Bridge readers shared Michigan cities, towns and streets most often mispronounced
- Many names have roots in French, Native American, or settler history, including Baraga, Peshawbestown and Seul Choix Point
- Mispronunciations often stem from English speakers applying phonetic logic to French or Indigenous words
If you’ve ever called it “Yipsilanti” or thought Onekama was pronounced “one comma,” you’re not alone.
As part of our reporting on the Michigan Pronunciation Guide — a government-developed website with nearly 200,000 audio files — we asked Bridge readers to share state names that are mangled most often.
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The responses prove our state has plenty of tricky names:
Baraga: Reader Annette M asks: “How is Baraga pronounced? I hear it BARE-a-ga (accent on 1st syllable) or buh-RA-ga (accent on 2nd).” The first pronunciation Annette suggested is the correct one for the Upper Peninsula town, according to the state.
Charlevoix: “Out of state tourists have a hard time with Charlevoix,” Jeff C. wrote on the Bridge Facebook page, describing the northern Michigan city that is a summer draw. “I always give them the proper French pronunciation, just for fun.”
Clio: This Genesee County city is often mispronounced as “Clee-o,” said reader Annette M. “I hear it mispronounced a lot. Do not know why.”
Detroit: Reader Karen B asked whether it is correct to emphasize the first or second syllable when pronouncing Detroit.
“It was understood that if you said Detroit with the second syllable emphasized, you were a native; those not originally from the Detroit area accent the first syllable,” she wrote. “Of course, there is the whole French way of saying it, which is how the city was originally named, correct? ‘French détroit’ meaning ‘straits,’ from Old French ‘destreit’ and Latin ‘districtum’.”
Turns out, both pronunciations are OK, at least according to the state guide, which includes both variants.
Gratiot: Multiple readers pointed to mispronunciations of Gratiot, with Auggie F. describing “lots of fun” street names in Detroit, including Livernois. Other trick street names, often mispronounced in Detroit, include Dequindre, Cadieux, Hamtramck and Kercheval. And Gratiot, of course, is a county too.
Ionia: This city and county, located between Grand Rapids and Lansing, is often mispronounced as “I own ya,” said reader Dolores P. “I don’t know what is so hard about it. But when my daughter shows her horses it is so funny to hear the announcers try to pronounce it.”
Leelanau: This northern Michigan county, which shares a name with the peninsula that comprises it, is mispronounced as “Leelnow,” according to reader Linda: “It is not hard to pronounce. People just say it wrong.”
Manitou Beach: This community on Devil’s Lake in Lenawee County is mispronounced as “Man-I-taw,” according to reader Craig W.: “I’ve lived here 15 years. Locals pronounce it Manitaw, but your guide shows it as Manitoo.” The name “manitou” comes from the Potawatomi word michi mantitou, meaning “lake of god,” referring to the Native name for the lake.
Mesick: The pronunciation of this Wexford County village, known for its mushrooms, can confuse. Reader Karen B asks: is it “Mesick like ‘mess ick’ or Mesick like ‘Me sick’?”
It’s the latter, “me sick,” according to the state’s pronunciation guide. The city began as a lumbering settlement in the late 19th century and was named for pioneer settler Howard Mesick.
Onekama: Onekama is not actually pronounced “one comma.” But it is considered a “two lake town” because of its proximity to Lake Michigan and Portage Lake in Manistee County along the M-22 scenic highway. Multiple Bridge readers highlighted the mispronunciation, including SJ, who wrote: “I think people see the first three letters, recognize the word ‘one’, and assume the pronunciation will include the word they just recognized. It makes me giggle to think about what the naming process would have been like if the incorrect pronunciation was accurate. Arguing over favorite punctuation marks? ‘OK, commas win, but to be fair, we’ll be one comma, no more.’”
In reality, Onekma is pronounced oh-NEK-ə-mə, a name reportedly derived from an Anishinaabe word that means “singing water.” Locals tend to “affectionately” embrace the confusion, however. It’s not uncommon to see the aforementioned “1,” bumper stickers in the area, and there is an active community Facebook page titled “1, – Onekama, Michigan.”
Peshawbestown: This Leelanau County community began around 1849–1852 as a Franciscan mission aimed at serving the Chippewa and Ottawa tribes. Early names included Eagletown, then Peshaube in honor of chief Peshaba, and by the late 19th century, it became Peshawbestown.
As reader Linda put it, “People never say the name because they fear being wrong. The first letters are silent. People don’t know what to do with those letters and sounds.”
Saline: This Washtenaw County city’s name comes from the French word for “salty,” a nod to the region’s salt springs used by Native American tribes before European settlers arrived
It’s mispronounced as “Say-leen,” said reader Deb H. “Because of saline solution – same spelling, different pronunciation.”
Schoenherr Road: This road in Macomb County is mispronounced as “Shoe-n-her,” said reader Mary B. “It’s not pronounced the way it’s spelled. Having heard it spoken, I was trying to find it on a map!”
Seul Choix Point: Known for its lighthouse on Lake Michigan, the Upper Peninsula point is often mispronounced as “Sool choicks,” according to reader Christine G: “It’s difficult because it’s old French.”The name is French for “only choice,” because it was the only harbor of refuge along a treacherous stretch of coast used by voyageurs and early mariners
Ypsilanti: This Washtenaw County city is wrongly called “Yipsilanti,” said Reader Suzy W. “I grew up in Ypsilanti (“Ypsi” to locals) and it’s commonly mispronounced by folks who aren’t from the area. Milan and Saline are also. It’s understandable but always gives me that fingernails on a chalkboard feeling.”
Here is a proper pronunciation that should make you smile:
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