A name with a local life of its own
Dildo sits on Trinity Bay in Newfoundland, and its unusual name has become part of how the community presents itself. The name’s origin is uncertain; the town’s willingness to keep it is easier to understand. Rather than treat an awkward word as a reason to rename the place, residents have made it a source of local identity and humor.
From punchline to calling card
A place name can travel farther than the place itself. Dildo’s name attracts attention from visitors and media, giving the small community an instantly recognizable calling card. Local businesses and events can lean into that recognition, while residents get to decide how the joke is told: not as an insult imposed from outside, but as something they can own.
That choice does not mean every resident must find the name amusing. It means a rename would trade a distinctive piece of local identity for a more conventional label—and would not erase the attention the old name has already brought. By embracing it, the community turns an awkward first impression into a conversation about the place and the people who live there.
