Citizens of various locales - what are they called?

Factual Questions
1

I’ve looked, but cannot find prior discussions on this…

People from Britain are called the British, people from New York are called New Yorkers, people from Toronto are called Torontonians.

What are people from Ottawa called? My best guess is ‘Ottaweenian’. :confused:

I’ve asked a friend of mine living in Ottawa, Canada, but since he’s not originally from there, and hangs out with others not originally from there, he didn’t know, either.

This leads into a couple of more general questions:

  1. What are some of the less intuitive names of citizens that you’ve come across (e.g. people from Halifax are called Haligonians)?
  2. Who decides what people are called, or how is this decided?
2

  1. Citizens of Indiana are called Hoosiers.

  2. No one knows who or how this was decided.

3

There is actually an entire book on this topic: Labels for Locals: What to Call People from Abilene to Zimbabwe by Paul Dickson. The book explains how most names were derived. It is out of print, but you can usually find a copy at amazon or alibris. The book opens with an exhaustive essay about what you call these labels.

4

Halifacsimilies would be pretty funny.

5

People from Ottawa are “Ottawans” according to the Encyclopedia Americana.

6

As a long-time Ottawan married to a native Ottawan, “Ottawan” it is.

7

Nooo, Hoosiers is just a nickname. People from Indiana are officially called Indianans.

And people from Maine are Maniacs.

The most awkward one I’ve ever heard is Connecticuter.

Interestingly, according to this list, the only name listed for Massuchussets is Bay-stater. I was hoping for Massachussetsian.

8

And let’s not forget one of my all time poetic favorites: Liverpudlians

9

Los Angeles == Angelino(s)

10

I look in vain for consistency in these matters.

For instance Tynesiders live beside the River Tyne, Teesiders live beside the River Tees, and so forth. One would expect, then, that Sydneysiders would live beside the River Sydney, but they do not.

Similarly Norwegians are from Norway and Galwegians are from Galway but Taswegians are from Tasmania.

And while somebody from New York is a New Yorker, somebody from York is not a Yorker.

And, while the denizens of Rome are Romans, those from Sienna are not Siennans but Siennese, and those from Florence are not Florencans but Florentines.

Oh, well.

11

In South Africa if you’re from Cape Town you’re a Capetonian. If you’re from Johannesburg you’re a Jo’burger. If you’re from Durban you’re a Durbanite. If you’re from Pretoria, you’re a Pretorian.

12

And Glaswegians are from Glasgow.

I still haven’t found any good word in English for a resident of Oslo. Here at Casaflodnak we use certain Norwegian words in English for lack of a direct equivalent: osloenser is one of them.

13

Just a guess, but Oslow could be Oslovan.

14

Nitpick - although that is the right word, most people from Liverpool call themselves Scousers.

It’s pride thing, like.

~Raven - (who was born and brought up in Liverpool)

15

From Arkansas:
Arkansawyer (traditional)
Arkansan (pretentious)

Some people from Arkansas are called mom and sis, occasionally by the same person…

16

I always loved “Glaswegians” for Glasgow.

Here in Michigan we seem to affiliate with male geese. We are called “Michiganders.” No, honestly. I’m not making it up.

When driving in New England, people from MA are known as Masshol–oops, never mind, not appropriate in this forum.

I live in Ann Arbor and we are called “Ann Arborites” but I guess that’s pretty common in towns.

Remember, people from Nigerian are called Nigerians, and people from Niger are called Nigeriens.

17

Or Nigeriennes, as the case may be [/nitpick]

18

Well hell. friedo, you are absolutely right. I can’t seem to remember “Indianans” because it just doesn’t roll off the tongue very well. No wonder we’ve nicknamed ourselves Hoosiers. I stand corrected. :slight_smile:

19

I’ve lived in Indiana for 8 years, and I’ve never heard the term “Indianan” before. And according to your list that you linked to, “Hoosier” is an “official” term.

20

The folks in Lusby, Maryland are, of course, all Lusbians.