Boerne (BURN-ee) is a town west of San Antonio

Bowie (BOO-wee) is a Texas pioneer and namesake for South Austin's James Bowie High School. If you're talking rock star David Bowie, his name is pronounced (BOH-ee.)

Buda (BYOO-duh) is a growing suburb just south of Austin. Legend has it the area was once a ranch run by a widow and the Spanish word for widow is viuda (VIEW-dah.) The pronunciation was Anglicized to BYOO-duh over time.

Burnet (BURN-it)-- Durnit, you need to learn how to pronounce the name of this town just northwest of Austin. Here's a hint: Carol Burnett doesn't say it the same way.

Cantú (kahn-TOO)-- My family gives it the traditional Spanish pronunciation with emphasis on the U. Most people give it a more English pronunciation can-TOO and that's fine, too.

Casis (kuh-SEES) Elementary School-- "Old school" old school in pricy West Austin.  Looks like something out 1950s TV shows.  It's often selected as the site for candidates to be filmed casting their votes. 

Chacon, Joseph (chah-KOHN)-- Former Austin Police Chief.  It's not shuh-KOHN.  After all nobody calls Chuy's restaurants SHOO-ees.  Fun fact: ALL Spanish names that start with CH give it the CH sound... including the name below.

Cesar Chavez (CHAH-ves)--East and West 1st Street through downtown Austin was renamed after the Navy vet turned civil rights leader. His birthday, March 31st, is an official Texas state holiday.

Coupland (COPE-lund)-- a lovely spot in the farmlands between Elgin and Taylor east of Austin. Famous for its Coupland Dance Hall.

Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium (usual pronunciation)-- It's on the list because newcomers and the Twitterverse tend to refer to the stadium simply as DKR. The stadium's name was officially Texas Memorial Stadium before honored coach Darrell K. Royal's name was added to it in 1996. But the University of Texas had pledged that the stadium would forever honor the memory of students and alumni who died for our country. So to honor our war dead, the stadium name should never be shorter than DKR-Texas Memorial.   

Del Valle (Del-VALLEY)-- This area southeast of downtown Austin is home to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

Elgin (EL-gin with a hard G)-- The watchmaker says it differently.  Elgin is another growing community. This one is east of Austin on Highway 290 just past Manor.

Ellinger (EL-in-jur)-- If you're heading east of Austin on Hwy 71 and pass La Grange this is the next town up where you see everyone stopping for gas and kolaches. Not to be confused with former UT QB Sam Ehlinger who pronounces his last name EL-in-grrr with a hard G.

Gatti's vs Gattis -- Mr. Gatti's (GAT-ees) is a 50-year-old homegrown pizza chain. Gattis (GAT-iss) School Road is a major roadway in Round Rock.

Geezinslaws (Also with a hard G)-- Was a versatile country and comedy band that performed around Austin for many years. It was fronted by local musician, media personality and Uncle Fred's former radio partner, Sammy Allred. RIP.

Gorzycki (go RISKY)-- The namesake of an AISD middle school is southwest Austin near the Circle C Ranch neighborhoods.

Govalle (Go Valley)-- This is a street in east Austin.

Gruene (Green)-- This town is famous for it's legendary entertainment spot, Gruene Hall.

Guadalupe (GWAHD-loop)-- It's the street that runs along the west side of the University of Texas campus, otherwise known as "the Drag." But if you're talking about the patroness saint of Mexico, it's pronounced wah-dah-LOO-peh.

Helotes (huh-LOW-tiss)-- Helotes is the Spanish word for corn on the cob, but it's also the name of a NW San Antonio suburb just outside Loop 1604.

Huston-Tillotson (Houston-Tillotson)-- This is a historically Black university in East Austin. It also happens to sit on one of the highest spots in the city.

Hutto (HUT-toe)-- It used to be a farm town. But now the suburbs have reached this far east.

Koenig (KAY-nig)-- This lane is a busy east-west thoroughfare through north central Austin.

Kreuz (KRITES rhymes with lights) Market-- Kreuz in Lockhart is famous for its Barbeque. Lockhart is on US 183 about a half-hour drive south of Austin.

Lake Buchanan (BUCK-cannon)-- Just west of Burnet, this is one of the jewels of a chain we call the Highland Lakes.

Leakey (LAY-key)-- A town in the ranch land southwest of San Antonio.

Lehman (LAY-mun) High School -- Is a Hays CISD high school in Kyle in northern Hays County. Not to be confused with the financial tycoon Lehman Brothers (LEE-mun) in New York.

Llano (LAN-o)-- If you take Highway 71 west of Austin and go past the exit for US 281, this is the next town up. It really hops during deer hunting season.

Manchaca  (MAN-shack)-- Manchaca is a growing suburb just south of Austin, proud of its Manchaca Fire & Rescue.  Manchaca Road used to run from South Lamar to Manchaca, but the City of Austin decided to tweak the road's name to Menchaca (Men-CHAH-kah.) However, once you leave the city limits the name becomes Manchaca Road again just before you enter Manchaca (MAN-shack.) 

Manor (MAY-nur)-- This town east of Austin is still remembered for Manor Downs although it closed to horse racing back in 2011.

Mopac (MOE-pack) Blvd. aka Loop 1-- The City of Austin named this freeway that runs north to south through West Austin after the MoPac (Missouri Pacific) railroad, the original rail line that used to run down the middle.  Now it's a Union Pacific line. You won't see much Mopac signage because the state maintains the roadway and they prefer the Loop 1 name.

Mueller (Miller)-- Perhaps only Robert Mueller's family pronounced it like this. But since our old airport was named after him-- and the Mueller Neighborhood on the site is named after the airport-- we learned to say it that way.

Murchison (MUR-kih-sun)-- The hillside at this middle school in Northwest Austin is a favorite spot for cardboard-sledding on those rare snow days.

Navasota (NAV-uh-so-tuh)-- The NAV part rhymes with CAVs and MAVs for you basketball fans. It's an East Austin Street named after the Navasota River.

Paul Pape  (poppy) -- Longtime Bastrop County Judge's last name does not rhyme with grape.

Pecan (p'CON or puh-CON) -- Just posting to let you know in this part of the world it's not pronounced PEE-CAN.

Pedernales (PURR-duh-nal-es)-- This river flows through the hill country toward Lake Travis. There's a a nice Pedernales State Park near Johnson City. Pedernales is Spanish for flint rock.

Perez (PEH-des) Elementary School -- This Austin ISD school in far Southeast Austin is named after Lance Corporal Nicholas S. Perez who gave his life for our country. In Texas, PEH-des is the more common pronunciation for Perez, not puh-REZ. 

Pflugerville (FLEW-gur-ville)-- This town used to be way out there, but is now considered "close-in" on the north side of Austin just east of I-35. BTW-- I've been told that a closer pronunciation would rhyme with Booger-ville.

Ribelin (RIBE-lin) Ranch Drive -- Pronounced like tribe-lin without the T. This is a road off RM 2222 in the hilly part of far west Austin. 

Rogge Lane (ROG-ee)--  Street in northeast Austin.

San Jacinto (san juh-SIN-toe) is the way this downtown street is pronounced here in Austin. If you drive down to San Antonio you'll find their street pronounced the more traditional sahn hah-SEEN-toe.

San Marcos (San Marcus) is a fast growing college town on I-35 south of Austin.  It's home to Texas State University and the #2 tourist destination in Texas: the outlet malls. I can't explain why they pronounce it San Marcus even though it ends with -os. They just do.

Starcke (STAR--key) Dam-- This is the hydroelectric dam that forms Lake Marble Falls.

Ullrich (UL-rick) Water Treatment Plant-- Ullrich is one of Austin's oldest water treatment plants. It's in the West Lake Hills area and gets its water from Lake Austin.

Weir (WEER rhymes with beer)-- Is a small town northeast of Georgetown.