# Citizens of various locales - what are they called? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 22, 2003, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/citizens-of-various-locales-what-are-they-called/150141 "2003-01-22T03:11:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lew\_Archer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Lew\_Archer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lew_Archer)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/citizens-of-various-locales-what-are-they-called/150141/1 "2003-01-22T03:11:33Z")
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’. 😕 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? ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/citizens-of-various-locales-what-are-they-called/150141/2 "2003-01-22T03:41:15Z")
1. Citizens of Indiana are called Hoosiers. 2. No one knows who or how this was decided. ---
**Author:** ![brianmelendez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/65b543/32.png) [@brianmelendez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianmelendez)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/citizens-of-various-locales-what-are-they-called/150141/3 "2003-01-22T03:58:52Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![j\_kat\_251](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71c47a/32.png) [@j\_kat\_251](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j_kat_251)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/citizens-of-various-locales-what-are-they-called/150141/4 "2003-01-22T04:02:16Z")
> [@](#): > > (e.g. people from Halifax are called Haligonians) Halifacsimilies would be pretty funny. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/citizens-of-various-locales-what-are-they-called/150141/5 "2003-01-22T04:29:50Z")
People from Ottawa are “Ottawans” according to the Encyclopedia Americana. ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/citizens-of-various-locales-what-are-they-called/150141/6 "2003-01-22T05:32:56Z")
As a long-time Ottawan married to a native Ottawan, “Ottawan” it is. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/citizens-of-various-locales-what-are-they-called/150141/7 "2003-01-22T05:36:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ruby \* > \*\*1. Citizens of Indiana are called Hoosiers. > > 1. No one knows who or how this was decided. \*\* 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](http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0855542.html), the only name listed for Massuchussets is Bay-stater. I was hoping for Massachussetsian. ---
**Author:** ![drpepper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8baadc/32.png) [@drpepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drpepper)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/citizens-of-various-locales-what-are-they-called/150141/8 "2003-01-22T05:41:54Z")
And let’s not forget one of my all time poetic favorites: Liverpudlians ---
**Author:** ![Zagadka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zagadka/32/7272_2.png) [@Zagadka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zagadka)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/citizens-of-various-locales-what-are-they-called/150141/9 "2003-01-22T05:48:18Z")
Los Angeles == Angelino(s) ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/citizens-of-various-locales-what-are-they-called/150141/10 "2003-01-22T10:25:37Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Skip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@Skip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skip)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/citizens-of-various-locales-what-are-they-called/150141/11 "2003-01-22T10:43:13Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/citizens-of-various-locales-what-are-they-called/150141/12 "2003-01-22T10:48:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by UDS \* > \*\*Similarly Norwegians are from Norway and Galwegians are from Galway but Taswegians are from Tasmania. \*\* 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. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/citizens-of-various-locales-what-are-they-called/150141/13 "2003-01-22T11:17:06Z")
Just a guess, but Oslow could be Oslovan. ---
**Author:** ![Loneraven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c0e974/32.png) [@Loneraven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loneraven)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/citizens-of-various-locales-what-are-they-called/150141/14 "2003-01-22T13:48:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by drpepper \* > \*\*And let’s not forget one of my all time poetic favorites: Liverpudlians \*\* 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) ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/citizens-of-various-locales-what-are-they-called/150141/15 "2003-01-22T14:11:21Z")
From Arkansas: Arkansawyer (traditional) Arkansan (pretentious) Some people from Arkansas are called mom and sis, occasionally by the same person… ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/citizens-of-various-locales-what-are-they-called/150141/16 "2003-01-22T14:15:37Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/citizens-of-various-locales-what-are-they-called/150141/17 "2003-01-22T15:09:54Z")
Or Nigeriennes, as the case may be [/nitpick] ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/citizens-of-various-locales-what-are-they-called/150141/18 "2003-01-22T17:02:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by friedo \* > \*\*Nooo, Hoosiers is just a nickname. People from Indiana are officially called Indianans. \*\* 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. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/citizens-of-various-locales-what-are-they-called/150141/19 "2003-01-22T17:11:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by friedo \* > \*\*Nooo, Hoosiers is just a nickname. People from Indiana are officially called Indianans. \*\* 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. ---
**Author:** ![RedDawgEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@RedDawgEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedDawgEsq)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/citizens-of-various-locales-what-are-they-called/150141/20 "2003-01-22T17:18:03Z")
The folks in Lusby, Maryland are, of course, all Lusbians. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/citizens-of-various-locales-what-are-they-called/150141.md?page=2)