Pronouncing Jamaican Place Names
Are You Saying Them Right?

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Jamaica Map | Pronouncing Jamaican Place Names

Jamaica has some place names that look perfectly innocent on a map - until you try to pronounce them. And don't worry, we Jamaicans aren't going to run you off the island because you got one wrong. :-)

But if you've ever looked at Liguanea, Trelawny or Accompong and wondered where to even start, this page is for you🤗

Pronouncing Jamaican Place Names isn't always as straightforward as reading what's written.

Some of our names have Spanish roots. Others reflect our African, British and Taíno history. And then there are names that Jamaicans have simply been pronouncing our own way for generations.

So let's have some fun with a few of them.

Ocho Rios

Say it roughly: OH-cho REE-os

Let's start with an easy one - or so you might think.

Ocho Rios is Spanish in appearance, and its name literally translates as “Eight Rivers.” But you'll sometimes hear visitors give it a very American or exaggerated Spanish pronunciation.

Most Jamaicans simply say OH-cho REE-os. And quite often we make it even easier.

We just call it Ochi.

So if somebody in Jamaica tells you, “Mi a go Ochi tomorrow,” they're talking about Ocho Rios, not some secret town you couldn't find on Google Maps.

Interestingly, the Jamaica Information Service notes that the area's original name may actually have referred to the Bay of Waterfalls, so even the history of the name is more complicated than it first appears.

Trelawny

Falmouth Town | Trelawny Jamaica

Say it roughly: TRE-LAW-nee

This one catches plenty of people.

Trelawny is the parish next door to my own St. James here in western Jamaica, and its capital is Falmouth. Don't let all those letters frighten you.

Think:

treh-LAW-nee

Not “Tree-lawn-ee.”

Not “Tre-law-ny.”

Just Trelawny.

The parish was established in 1770 and named after William Trelawny, a former Governor of Jamaica. Today, of course, many people around the world know Trelawny as the home parish of Usain Bolt.

Liguanea

Now we're getting serious. :-)

Say it roughly: LIG-a-nee

If you tried to pronounce every letter you saw in Liguanea, I can't blame you.

But ask a Jamaican for directions in Kingston and you'll hear something much closer to:

LIG-a-nee.

Liguanea is an important commercial area in St. Andrew, between Half-Way Tree and Papine.

Interestingly, Liguanea was once the name used for a much larger area.The JIS notes that it was the original name of St. Andrew and associates the name with the Taíno word for iguana.

So yes, quite a lot of history is hiding inside those eight letters.

Accompong

Say it roughly: uh-KOM-pong

Accompong is a historic Maroon community in St. Elizabeth, and this is one place name worth learning properly because of the tremendous history attached to it.

The community was named for Accompong, traditionally identified as a brother of the Maroon leader Kojo (Cudjoe).

Every January 6, Accompong Town hosts its famous Maroon celebrations, commemorating Maroon history, culture and the peace treaty with the British. I actually have a insightful video of one of my visits to the festival, take a look at it here.

So when you see Accompong, don't make it more complicated than it needs to be:

uh-KOM-pong.

Montego Bay

Say it: mon-TEE-go Bay

This one is usually easy.

But since Montego Bay is my neck of the woods, I couldn't leave it out!

Most Jamaicans say mon-TEE-go Bay, although in everyday conversation you'll hear something much shorter:

MoBay.

In fact, say “MoBay” anywhere in Jamaica and everybody knows where you mean.

The history of the name itself is interesting. It has been linked to the Spanish Manteca Bay, referring to lard or hog fat, which was reportedly exported from the area during the Spanish period.

Not quite as glamorous as the name “Montego Bay” sounds today, is it? :-)

Bog Walk

Say it: Bog Walk

Yes. Just as it looks.

But the interesting part isn't the pronunciation—it's the name.

Bog Walk in St. Catherine is believed to have evolved from the Spanish Boca de Agua, meaning something along the lines of “water's mouth.”

Over the centuries, Boca de Agua became Bog Walk.

Now that's what I call a Jamaican makeover!

It's a good reminder that some Jamaican place names that sound completely English today may have much older Spanish roots.

Rio Bueno

Here's where Jamaicans may surprise you.

Say it roughly: RYE-oh BWEH-no

Not necessarily the polished Spanish pronunciation you may have learnt in language class.

Rio Bueno is in Trelawny, and the Spanish name means Good River.

This is something you'll notice with several Jamaican names beginning with Rio. In everyday Jamaican English, you'll often hear Rio pronounced more like RYE-oh than the Spanish REE-oh.

We're in Jamaica, after all - not Madrid. :-)

Papine

Say it: pa-PEEN

Papine is in St. Andrew, close to the University of Technology and the University of the West Indies area.

Visitors sometimes hesitate when they see it.

But it's simple:

pa-PEEN.

Once you've heard a Jamaican say it, you'll probably never get it wrong again.

Frome

Here's another deceptively simple one.

Say it: FROOM

Yes, really.

Frome is a well-known community in Westmoreland, particularly associated with Jamaica's sugar industry. If you looked at the word and said it like the English word “from” with an e attached, you'd be forgiven.

But locally, you'll hear FROOM.

Sometimes the shortest Jamaican place names are the ones waiting to catch you!

Half-Way Tree

Say it: exactly as it looks.

Half-Way Tree.

But listen to Jamaicans speaking quickly and those three words can become one smooth expression before you know what happened.

Half-Way Tree is the capital of St. Andrew and one of the busiest commercial and transportation centres in the Corporate Area.

The name is believed to have come from a large cotton tree that once served as a landmark and stopping point for travellers.

So this isn't one you'll struggle to pronounce.

Your bigger challenge may be finding your way through Half-Way Tree during rush hour!

Good luck with that. :-)

Why Do Jamaican Place Names Sound So Different?

Take a look at a map of Jamaica and you're really looking at pieces of our history.

Some names have Taíno origins.  Some came through the Spanish. Many came during British colonial rule. Others reflect our African heritage, plantation history, landowners, geographic features and local usage.

Over hundreds of years, Jamaicans also adapted many of those names to the rhythms and sounds of Jamaican speech.

That's why trying to pronounce every Jamaican place name according to the language you think it came from won't necessarily give you the pronunciation Jamaicans use today.

And Then There Are Our Wonderful Community Names...

Pronunciation isn't even the whole story.

Drive around Jamaica long enough and you'll encounter communities with names such as Wait-a-Bit, Time and Patience, Me No Sen You No Come, Little London, Moscow, Egypt, Retirement and .Unity. And then in some of the garrison areas, you'll hear names like Gaza, Mexico and Gully Side

Yes, some Jamaican addresses can make you wonder whether somebody is giving you directions or telling you a story!

And that's part of what makes exploring Jamaica so interesting.

Our place names carry history, humour, geography and generations of local culture.

Don't Be Afraid to Ask

If you're visiting Jamaica and aren't sure how to pronounce somewhere, just ask.

Seriously, just ask, most Jamaicans will happily tell you. 

And don't be embarrassed if we correct you, after all, I suspect there are plenty of places in your country that we'd probably pronounce incorrectly too.

The important thing is to listen.

Because pronouncing Jamaican place names isn't just about getting the sounds right. Sometimes learning how we say a place—and where that unusual name came from—gives you another little piece of Jamaica's story.

And the next time somebody tells you they're heading from MoBay through Trelawny to Ochi, you'll know exactly where they're going.

Now you're sounding like you know the place! :-) 

And by the way, I actually have another article on some very interesting Jamaican place names that will get you to laugh, I invite you to check it out here.

References & Works Cited for Pronouncing Jamaican Place Names

1. Jamaica Gleaner. “The Spaniards Too Had Left Their Marks.” The Gleaner, 20 Sept. 2024.
2. Jamaica Information Service. “Parish Profile: St. Andrew.” Jamaica Information Service. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.
3. Jamaica Information Service. “Parish Profile: Trelawny.” Jamaica Information Service. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.
4. Jamaica Information Service. “Parish Profile: St. Ann.” Jamaica Information Service. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.
5. Jamaica Information Service. “St. Elizabeth Heritage Sites.” Jamaica Information Service. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.
6. Jamaica Information Service. “Accompong Maroons Continue Traditional Celebrations.” Jamaica Information Service, 9 Jan. 2010.

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