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
• Dildo

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 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

Homesick settlers provided place names from their own origins:

• English Harbour
• Portugal Cove
• Harbour Breton
• Turk's Island
• Frenchman's Cove
• Jersey Harbour
• Ireland's Eye

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 Isand
• 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
• and Mooring Cove

Also, we would add:

• Button Island
• Shoe Cove
• Stocking Harbour
• Petticoat Harbour

Not to mention:

• Hatchet Cove
• Sitdown Pond
• Goblin

How about:

• God Bay
• Devil Cove

Dry of ideas, they ended up with:

• Nameless Cove
• Harbour Harbour

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