Is Ocqueoc, Michigan the Most Mispronounced City in America?

You might think you know Michigan, but wait until you hear how to pronounce Ocqueoc Township.  It's a mouthful with a story behind it.

If you're not from Michigan, attempting to pronounce many of our state's towns could be challenging.  Michigan town names have a mix of Native American, French, Spanish, and English influence, which could make them difficult to pronounce when reading them.

You might think Dowagiac and Schoenherr are tough to pronounce.  Then Ocqueoc Township walks in and says, "Hold my beer."  Not only do people have difficulty pronouncing Ocqueoc, but many people can't pronounce this small Michigan town's county.

Get our free mobile app

Ocqueoc Township is very close to the northern tip of Michigan's lower peninsula.  That area of Michigan is absolutely gorgeous, with the must-visit area of Ocqueoc Falls State Park.

Ocqueoc Township has a population of only 544 and sits in Presque Isle County.

Ocqueoc is pronounced: "ah-key-ock"

Presque Isle is pronounced "pres-key eel"

Ocqueoc comes from a Native American term, likely Ojibwe (Anishinabemowin), according to Ocqueoc Township's official history page,

Fun fact: Presque Isle County translates to "almost an island" county.

I do not doubt that Ocqueoc is one of the most difficult towns to pronounce in the United States.  However, there are many more where that came from.  Check out the list of hard-to-pronounce Michigan towns below.