NEWFOUNDLAND PLACENAMES
Newfoundland has the most unusual collection of place names of any country in the world. The hackneyed manner by which other New World settlers identified their communities and natural landmarks did not appeal to the rugged types who settled here. Early Newfoundlanders were men of imagination and wit who were at their best when leaving names to posterity.
Consider their humorous side. There must have been a twinkle in many an eye when such gems as these were bestowed:
Jerry's Nose/ Nick's Nose Cove/ Come-by-Chance/ Blow-me-down/ Lushes Bight/ Bumble Bee Bight/ Ha Ha Bay/ Run-by-guess/ Bleak Joke Cove/ Calves Nose/ Nancy Oh/ Little Looping Harbour/ Snake's Bight/ Joe Batt's Arm.
The depths of their hardship in times long past caused such place names as: Gripe Point/ Bad Bay/ Bleak Island/ Misery Point/ Famine Point/ Wild Bight/ Breakheart Point/ Famish Gut/ Savage Cove/ Dead Man's Bay/ Confusion Bay/ Wreck Cove/ Bareneed/ Empty Basket.
Some settlers were contented with their discoveries and their satisfaction is in reflected in: Heart's Desire/ Heart's Content/ Heart's Delight/ Safe Harbour/ Comfort Cove/ Little Heart's Ease/ Sweet Bay/ Too Good Arm/ Little Paradise/ Harbour Grace/ Angel's Cove/ Cupids.
The French colonized a part of the Island and held fishing rights for centuries. They left many a name, all which have been mispronounced for years: Bay D'Espoir(locally called Bay Despair)/ Francois/ Bay de Vieux/ Chaleur Bay/ Cinq Cerf Bay/ L'Anse a L'Eau/ La Hune
When imagination ran out they turned to what they had at hand: Plate Cove/ Ladle Cove/ Spout Cove/ Chimney Cove/ Table Cove/Spoon Cove/ Butter Cove/ Cape Onion/ Broom Point/ Bacon Cove/Bread Island/ Rooms/ Traytown
They also looked to the animals or birds: Lion's Den/ Pigeon Island/ Bear's Cove/ Turr Island/ Horse Chops/ Gander Bay/ Hare's Ears Point/ Swan Island/ Cat Gut/ Black Duck/ Little Cat Arm/ Goose Bay/ Otter Point/ Eagle Island/ Dragon Bay/ Gull Island/ Fox Roost/ Cow Head/ Goat Island/ Muskrat Brook
Many names denote the affinity towards fishing and the sea: Caplin Cove/ Trout River/ Herring Neck/ Rope Cove/ Salmon Cove/ Schooner Island/ Boat Harbour/ Dog Fish Point/ Ship Cove/ Morring Cove
I cannot fail to mention also these unusual names: Button Island/ Shoe Cove/ Stocking Harbour/ Petticoat Harbour/ Hatchet Cove/ Sitdown Pond/ Goblin/ God Bay/ Devil Cove/ Nameless Cove/ Harbour Harbour
Newfoundlanders have always been teased about the way the speak, they are the brunt of jokes up here in Canada. If you would like a sample from the Newfoundland Dictionary, then continue on by pressing next, otherwise clicking index will return you to the table of contents
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