How Are U.S Streets Named - Top 10 Popular US Street Names/Addresses
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The Difference Between a Road and a Street
Most people consider the words road, street, avenue, lane, parkway, and boulevard to be synonyms. In the modern world, this is somewhat true. However, historically and in reality in many areas, the designation following the name carries significance. Roads are meant to connect distant places, such as towns. Streets are designed to be paved routes lined with structures that are often used.
In the Middle Ages, a street was a man-made or constructed thoroughfare. A road, or way, was simply the direction people rode or walked. All of the other monikers have definitions, depending on how tightly planners wish to adhere to that definition or how much a city has grown while the names have remained the same. Boulevards are wide, with landscaped areas between the curb and sidewalks. A court is a tiny street that ends in a cul de sac. Mental Floss contains a more comprehensive list of definitions.
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READ MORE: How to Add or Edit Road on Google Maps?
What's so interesting about street names in the United States?
The first thing to understand is that our roads are not grouped at random. As Phil Edwards of Vox reminds out in this really interesting video, there are strict naming regulations that regulate what constitutes a street versus an avenue, and so on—and many of these guidelines are not only national, but also international.
For example, a road is something that links two sites, whereas a way is a minor side street off a road. According to Edwards, streets are public routes with structures on both sides that typically run perpendicular to avenues.
So, what is an avenue? It is defined as a road with trees and buildings on either side. Avenues were once considered rather vast, but that association has eroded over time, as noted by the Smithsonian Magazine, thanks in part to euphemistic real estate developers attempting to make smaller roads appear more significant. Then there are boulevards, which are broader streets bordered with trees on both sides and a median in the center.
| Other interesting facts: Lanes are narrow roads in rural areas, whereas drives are longer, curving highways shaped by lakes, trees, and other natural features. Terraces run along the top of a slope, locations are dead-end roads, and courts are circles with no thruway. |
How do streets get names in the United States?
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In the United States, most new streets are named by real estate and subdivision developers.
The name is submitted to the city for consideration, and public service organizations such as the police, fire, and post office are given the option to veto it if they believe it will cause confusion.
"The developer submits street names to the city through the relevant departments for review," Catherine Nicholas, CEO of San Diego's CADO Real Estate Group, told Zillow. "The building, engineering, and public works departments all comment, but the departments that have the most input and veto power are police and fire." That is because those services must be able to identify an emergency based on street names, therefore the recommended names and intersections must be specific to the area.
While developers are able to submit any name they like for a new street, such as their child's name, cities normally have guidelines and standards in place that require street names to follow a specific theme.
| This is why, for example, there are so many streets named for trees in one district of Philadelphia, or avenue names in Washington, D.C. that symbolize different states. If the proposed name of a new street does not suit that theme, it is likely to be rejected; nevertheless, the strictness of these policies varies by jurisdiction. If you are a developer and want to name a street after oneself, you will have more success in a new suburb than in an established metropolis. |
READ MORE: Top 10 States With Highest and Lowest Median Household Income In The US
How did street names change in the United States?
In many cities, street names are snapshots of a specific period in time, providing a window into the past if we take the time to recognize them.
"I use them as a history lesson. Who was this person? Why did they have a street named after them?" According to Tom Noel, professor of history and director of public history, preservation, and Colorado studies at the University of Colorado Denver.
In the early days of the United States, street names were chosen by a city's settlers or leaders, who frequently used their own surnames for simplicity or pride, according to Noel. Later, developers took over this duty, frequently selecting names that would foster a favorable relationship with the new community.
"You don't often find a street called 'Swamp' or 'Muddy Bottoms' or a negative name," Noel said. "Instead, you have 'Paradise Road' or 'Heavenly Drive' or whatever."
Some street names remain unchanged for decades, while others change throughout time. As cities evolved, their authorities frequently embarked on a project known as street rationalization, which involved renaming and renumbering streets to make them more uniform, particularly when entire thoroughfares were divided into several separate names. According to Noel, this was especially useful for utility providers and emergency responders. (So if your street name seems a little monotonous, that could be the reason—and with a little digging, you might be able to discover out its original name!)
Noel explains that street names change as a community's ideals and goals shift. Because the United States is built on territory stolen or taken by force from Native Americans, many street names honor those events and the leaders who led them. For example, Denver's Market Street was originally called McGaa Street, after one of the city's founders, William McGaa. However, McGaa turned out to be a shady figure who, among other things, illegally founded Denver on Native American land. City leaders renamed his street Holladay Street, which ultimately became Market Street. (The second name change occurred because the street became a center for sex work, which was so stigmatized at the time that the Holladay family did not want to be linked with it.)
| Across the country, from Asheville, North Carolina to Brooklyn, New York, campaigners are campaigning for the renaming of streets that honor the Confederacy and those who held enslaved people. Phoenix recently changed two street names, one honoring the Confederacy and one using an anti-Native American insult. University City, Missouri, is considering changing 200 unpleasant street names, while Santa Barbara recently renamed a street to eliminate anti-Native American terminology. Minneapolis is renaming a section of Chicago Avenue in honor of George Floyd, who was slain by police on the route in May 2020. |
Top 10 Most Popular Street Names in the United States
Main Street
2nd Street
3rd Street
4th Street
5th Street
6th Street
7th Street
1st Street
8th Street
9th Street
The most popular shared addresses in the country are:201 Main St. 15 Maple St. 104 Elm St. |
Fun Facts About Street Names in the U.S
1. Streets were frequently named in honor of events and people, providing us with a detailed historical map of communities as they developed. There was an excess of "Waterloos" shortly after the battle in 1815, and "Victoria" became popular throughout the Queen's reign.
2. Baker Street, Mill Road, Church Lane, and Brewers Close are all names derived from local landmarks or services. Builders often got in on the game, naming streets after themselves, their spouses, or children. Baker Street in London, Sherlock Holmes' literary home, has nothing to do with bread; it is named after the guy who built it, William Baker.
3. The name of your street can affect house prices. According to research, if you live on Pear Tree Lane, your property is more likely to attract potential buyers and command a higher price than a comparable property on Crotch Lane.
4. Planners and developers have caught on to this, with flower and tree names becoming more frequent on newer streets. The terms 'Lane', 'Way', and 'Mews' are also used strategically to boost interest and prices.
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