Canandaigua? Avon? Here are 10 Rochester-area town names you might be mispronouncing

New York is known for a vast variety of culture and rich history that spans the Empire State - from Long Island to the Adirondacks, from the Finger Lakes to the Thousand Islands and from Manhattan to Niagara Falls.

With so many communities throughout New York, many people simply aren't aware of all the Empire State offers. They also have no idea how to pronounce them.

Here are 10 commonly mispronounced names of communities within the Rochester region:

How do you say Avon?

• Pronunciation: "AH-vahn"

• Located in northern Livingston County, the town and village of Avon was named for the River Avon in England.

How do you say Canandaigua?

• Pronunciation: "can an DAY gwah"

• The city (and corresponding town) is nestled at the north end of Canandaigua Lake. It is the Seneca name for "the chosen spot."

How do you say Charlotte?

• Pronunciation: "Shar LOT"

• The neighborhood is the northernmost spot within the City of Rochester, and borders Lake Ontario.

How do you say Chili?

• Pronunciation: "CHAI-lai"

• Established in 1822, the southwestern suburb of Rochester has more than 29,000 residents.

How do you say Corfu?

• Pronunciation: "cor-PHEW"

• A village of roughly 700 people is located within the Town of Pembroke, Genesee County.

How do you say Irondequoit?

• Pronunciation: "ear-ON-da-kwoit"

• Located north of Rochester, the urban suburb of Irondequoit borders Lake Ontario and has more than 50,000 residents. The town's name is of Iroquois origin and means "where the land meets the water".

How do you say Le Roy?

• Pronunciation: "LEE-Roy"

• Located in Genesee County, the town is known as the spot where Jell-O gelatin was invented and first manufactured. Not even folks who live here can agree how to pronounce Le Roy - some say "LEE-Roy" and others say "La-ROY."

How do you say Lima?

• Pronunciation: "LIY-mah"

• The town and village, both located in Livingston County, is pronounced like the bean, not like the city in Peru.

How do you say Nunda?

• Pronunciation: None-DAY

• A village within Livingston County, the community was named for the Senecas who once lived in the hills and valleys nearby and can be translated to "where the valley meets the hills."

How do you say Riga?

• Pronunciation: "RYE-ga"

• Located adjacent to Chili, the Town of Riga is home to the village of Churchville.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rochester NY town names that are most commonly mispronounced