The name of Louisiana’s oldest city earned a moment in the national spotlight during the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee championship.

Shrey Parikh won the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee on May 28 after delivering a record-setting performance in a rapid-fire spell-off, correctly spelling 32 words in 90 seconds.

Among the words Parikh spelled correctly during the championship round was “Natchitoches,” joining a challenging list that included torrone, enthymeme, Iguape, Denebola, fais-dodo, cywyddau, pohutukawa, monadnock, émeute, nannofossil, tongkang and flaith.

Parikh’s official winning word was “bromocriptine,” securing the national title after his historic spell-off performance.

The rapid-fire round showcased Parikh’s speed and accuracy as he navigated a diverse collection of words drawn from geography, science, history and language. His successful spelling of “Natchitoches” highlighted the unique name of the Louisiana city before a national audience watching one of the country’s most prestigious academic competitions.

The Scripps National Spelling Bee brings together top young spellers from across the United States and around the world to compete for the championship title.