How Do You Pronounce Brooklyn Names Like Kosciuszko and Utrecht?

This post courtesy of Explore Brooklyn, an all-inclusive guide to the businesses, neighborhoods, and attractions that make Brooklyn great.

Blame it on the Dutch. Brooklyn is awash in place names that are hard to wrap your tongue around. Read on for the origins and most common pronunciation of each. How do you pronounce these Brooklyn place names?

NEW UTRECHT AVE
Origin: New Utrecht, named for the Dutch city of Utrecht, was one of six towns that was incorporated into Kings County
Pronounced: YOO-trek

Sunset Park photo by The All–Nite Images via Flickr.

Atomische * Tom Giebel via Flickr

CANARSIE
Origin: A Long Island tribe native to the Brooklyn area
Pronounced: ken-ARE-see

CONSELYEA STREET
Origin: Andrew Conselyea, the proprietor of a farm that the street once ran through
Pronounced: con-SEHL-yuh

Bjorn Hermans via Flickr

MIDDAGH ST
Origin: Surname of an aristocratic family who were some of the first residents of Brooklyn Heights
Pronounced: MID-daw

DEKALB AVE
Origin: Baron Johann de Kalb (1721–1780), a German-born major general who fought for the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War
Pronounced: DEE-kalb or dee-KALB, and the “al” can either be as in “bald” or “Al.” Basically, everyone pronounces this one differently.

Adam Moss via Flickr

SCHERMERHORN ST
Origin: Surname of an affluent 17th-century Dutch shipping family
Pronounced: SKIM-mer-horn or SKER-mer-horn, depending on who you ask

JORALEMON ST
Origin: Teunis Joralemon (1760–1841), a respected Kings County lawyer and judge
Pronounced: jo-RAL-emun

Thomas Hawk via Flickr

KOSCIUSZKO BRIDGE
Origin: Tadeusz Kosciuszko (1746–1817), a Polish military mastermind who fought on the American side in the Revolutionary War and led a failed Polish coup against Russia
Pronounced: koss-ee-OSS-ko (Though in Polish, it’s technically closer to ko-SHOOS-ko)