The streets of San Francisco are a doozy — they are steep, crooked, winding, and charming. Turns out, they also have some bizarre names. We took a thorough look at all of the streets in the city and rounded up the strangest names we could find, with a preference for those with interesting origin stories.
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Uranus Terrace
Located west of the Castro in the neighborhood of Corona Heights (a name to dissect in another article), Uranus Terrace was named after the planet — it’s interesting considering how many other planets there were to choose from. How can residents of this street tell their friends, family, and rideshare drivers with a straight face?
Shotwell Street
Shotwell Street in the Mission District was once a gang-ridden area, which leads some to believe its name was ironic, accurate, or both.
Fella Place
Does what happens in Fella Place stay on Fella Place? This street is located near where San Francisco’s red-light district used to be, which means it’s possible. Rumored to be named after a famous madam who ran a brothel nearby, Fella Place is an alley located near Maiden Lane and Powell Street. This place has secrets.
Isis Street
Soma is where you’ll find Isis Street. Thankfully, some residents are trying to get the city to change the name.
Lois Lane
It’s true. Across from the 101 Freeway from Candlestick Park, you can go to Lois Lane, which can be found in Visitacion Valley.
Waldo Alley
We don’t know where Waldo is, but we can tell you how to find his alley. If you’re in Russian Hill, near Leavenworth and Broadway, you’ll find a striped street sign, Waldo Alley. It’s a small alley near the Broadway Tunnel.
Bacon Street
This is where I would love to trick or treat as an adult if would mean that I could get some bacon. Chocolate-covered preferred. We can’t promise you samples, but you can find Bacon Street in The Excelsior/Portola.
Judah Street
Named after Theodore Judah, an engineer responsible for the first railroad to cross the Sierra, Judah Street is one of the “Sunset ABCs,” a collection of alphabetical streets in the Sunset and Richmond. The N-Judah Muni streetcar line is also named after Theodore.
Christmas Tree Point Road
The northeast end of Twin Peaks is where you will find Christmas Tree Point Road. Since 1927, this promontory with a parking lot has an exceptional view of the city’s skyline. Tourists take plenty of photos here. Once you visit, you’ll know why.
Bluxome Street
Named after Isaac G. Bluxome Jr., Bluxome Street can be found near AT&T Park. From 1851 to 1856, Bluxome served as secretary of the Vigilante Committees, which were groups of citizens that took it on themselves to carry out “law and order” where the government failed to do so.
Striped Bass Street
Hungry yet? Striped Bass Street is one of the city’s streets that is named after a fish and is located on Treasure Island. Makes sense.
Circular Avenue
Circular Avenue is adjacent to the 280 freeway in Sunnyside. Don’t get it twisted! Circular Avenue is a street with a curve. There’s no circle to see here, folks.
Maiden Lane
The center of what was once San Francisco’s red-light district is where you’ll find Maiden Lane. In the 1800s, Maiden was known as Morton Street. One murder per week used to be reported for this small area. The women would beat and rob the men who walked down the narrow lane. Gambling was rampant, and the prostitutes who thrived on Maiden Lane were referred to as courtesan, cyprian, siren, hag, nymph, harlot, and more. The earliest report of prostitution on Maiden Lane occurred in 1872.
Maiden Lane had a PR crisis on its hands. A jeweler felt the street needed rebranding. Morton Street’s name was changed to Maiden Lane. Cars were prohibited during certain times of the day in 1955, and high-end boutiques and art galleries replaced what was once a breeding ground for mayhem. Maiden Lane is a two-block road east of Union Square.
Flounder Court
It’s located in Treasure Island along with the other streets named after fish. You can’t miss it.
Serpentine Avenue
Serpentine is a type of rock, found in abundance, in San Francisco. Serpentine Avenue is the only Serpentine that survived a rebranding after the 1906 earthquake. Originally, there were four streets with serpentine in the title. Bordering Potrero Hill and Bernal Heights is where you’ll find this street. Potrero Hills was composed of Serpentine, aka California’s “state rock.”
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