# City nicknames-- do people who live there use them? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 12, 2013, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080 "2013-02-12T14:38:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/1 "2013-02-12T14:38:21Z")
Do residents refer to their cities as Frisco, Philly, Vegas, Chi-town, San Berdoo, L.A., K.C., St. Louie, etc.? I know people who live there don’t say “San Antone.” ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/2 "2013-02-12T14:43:24Z")
They do if they’re rappers. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/3 "2013-02-12T15:02:24Z")
I lived in Philadelphia for 5 years, and always called/thought of it as Philthydelphia. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/4 "2013-02-12T15:06:11Z")
Anyone around here who says Beantown is clearly a tourist. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/5 "2013-02-12T15:09:59Z")
Only ironically, unless one is actually on stage at the moment of reference. WhyNot, Chi-town represent (We’ll sometimes make “Windy City” references during ugly weather, and then get into good natured arguments about whether “Windy City” refers to the weather or to politicians, but by the time the argument really gets going, the bus is usually at your stop.) ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/6 "2013-02-12T15:28:29Z")
I say [ol] [li]“Philly” frequently but not exclusively.[/li][li]“Illadelph” from time to time online[/li][li]“Hostile City” rarely[/li][li]“The City that Bombs You Back” rarely[/li][li]“The City of Brotherly Love” almost never.[/li][/ol] ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/7 "2013-02-12T15:31:57Z")
I’m not from any of these places, but I would never refer to Chi-town, St. Looie, or Frisco, and K.C. must be followed by “and the Sunshine Band.” I _do_ refer to Minneapolis-St. Paul as the Twin Cities (more often just “the Cities”) fairly often. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/8 "2013-02-12T15:33:48Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Do residents refer to their cities as Frisco, Philly, Vegas, Chi-town, San Berdoo, L.A., K.C., St. Louie, etc.? > > I know people who live there don’t say “San Antone.” All the San Francisco people I know say that no one there says “Frisco,” but they do say “S.F.” All the Los Angeles people I know routinely use “L.A.” ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/9 "2013-02-12T15:53:54Z")
“Philly” is common in Philly. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/10 "2013-02-12T15:56:52Z")
I say “NYC” sometimes. Anyone who uses “the Big Apple” gets a smack upside the head. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/11 "2013-02-12T16:06:23Z")
Calling Las Vegas just “Vegas” is no biggie here. When asked where you live, most people here will say Las Vegas - but if anyone says they are coming to “Vegas” to visit, I don’t think any/many locals take offense. I do sort of get pissed when I hear someone try to gussy up the name of the state to the pretentious sounding NayVAHduh…it is pronounced N’vada, rhyming with N’bad-uh. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/12 "2013-02-12T16:21:51Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I lived in Philadelphia for 5 years, and always called/thought of it as Philthydelphia. Chris Matthews calls it Fluffia, which AIUI is somewhat common among born and raised Fluffians. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/13 "2013-02-12T16:22:40Z")
Madison, Wisconsin when I lived there it was Mad Town (that’s when it was cool:D) ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/14 "2013-02-12T16:25:48Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > All the San Francisco people I know say that no one there says “Frisco,” but they do say “S.F.” All the Los Angeles people I know routinely use “L.A.” Or in Spanish - El E. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/15 "2013-02-12T16:34:17Z")
I have spent time in Minneapolis (one of Da Cities) lately. I am trying to propagate the nickname “Mpls”, which may be pronounced “mupples” or “m@-pl@s”, with @ representing a schwa. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/16 "2013-02-12T17:44:46Z")
Saying “Frisco” will quickly identify you as a tourist in San Francisco. Sacramento - Sactown or Sacto or (more often) Sac is used locally. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/17 "2013-02-12T17:50:37Z")
Call it Washington and the locals will know you’re not from around here. It’s either DC, the District, or Downtown. ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/18 "2013-02-12T18:00:31Z")
If talking to someone not from the area, I just say the Twin Cities. Otherwise, St Paul is St Paul, or if I’m talking about Minneapolis, I refer to the specific area in the city (Nordeast, Uptown, Northside, Camden, &c). ---
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/19 "2013-02-12T18:02:57Z")
I live in DC and I do indeed call it by its nickname, “L.A. for ugly people.” ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/20 "2013-02-12T18:04:28Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > I have spent time in Minneapolis (one of Da Cities) lately. I am trying to propagate the nickname “Mpls”, which may be pronounced “mupples” or “m@-pl@s”, with @ representing a schwa. I always pronounced it “Mipliss.” 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080.md?page=2)