# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/21 "2013-02-12T18:18:50Z")
Baltimorons often refer to their town as “Charm City.” And then they laugh. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/22 "2013-02-12T18:48:22Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > Or in Spanish - El E. ??? Me no comprende the joke, señor… it’s either Eleá (Spanish) or Eléi (English), WTF is this El E thee speakest of? ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/23 "2013-02-12T18:48:51Z")
> [@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, equally often, just “the city”. J. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/24 "2013-02-12T18:50:13Z")
In LA, we call it LA. Who has time to say Los Angeles? I’ve never heard anyone say Mpls out loud, and don’t even know how I would if asked. Maybe Mup-plis. In Chicago, everybody I meet just calls it Chicago. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/25 "2013-02-12T19:06:50Z")
Winnipeg is often called The 'Peg, or, based on the last two months of winter, “Why the fuck do I live here?” ---
**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, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/26 "2013-02-12T19:59:03Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > ??? Me no comprende the joke, señor… it’s either Eleá (Spanish) or Eléi (English), WTF is this El E thee speakest of? Wait, do you understand that he was joking or don’t you? ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/27 "2013-02-12T20:36:54Z")
> [@Lukeinva](#): > > Call it Washington and the locals will know you’re not from around here. It’s either DC, the District, or Downtown. Yeah, all those. I do call it Washington sometimes, or Washington DC, if I’m away from home or someone asks me where I’m from. Although I actually live over the river in VA. We recently had some excitement in the office when a non-America read that Washington had legalize pot. Sorry to disappoint, wrong Washington. I used to hear DC called “Chocolate City” when I lived to the south, from black and white. I rarely hear that anymore . I wonder if that is because I live here. ---
**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, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/28 "2013-02-12T20:46:26Z")
> [@shiftless](#): > > Yeah, all those. I do call it Washington sometimes, or Washington DC, if I’m away from home or someone asks me where I’m from. Although I actually live over the river in VA. We recently had some excitement in the office when a non-America read that Washington had legalize pot. Sorry to disappoint, wrong Washington. > > I used to hear DC called “Chocolate City” when I lived to the south, from black and white. I rarely hear that anymore . I wonder if that is because I live here. My grandfather (who was from upstate NY) used to remark that DC should be renamed to Hershey, “because it’s 75% chocolate and all the rest are nuts.” 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/29 "2013-02-12T20:52:59Z")
Anyone who says they live in “New York City” doesn’t even live in the general area. I’ve lived in NJ for 30 years and everyone calls NYC “the City.” ---
**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, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/30 "2013-02-12T20:56:41Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > In LA, we call it LA. Who has time to say Los Angeles? You are so right. Eliminating those two extra syllables gives you 22.6 extra minutes over your lifetime to do something frivolous or worthwhile (like packing earthquake survival gear in the trunk of your car). ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/31 "2013-02-12T21:23:11Z")
> [@Lukeinva](#): > > Call it Washington and the locals will know you’re not from around here. It’s either DC, the District, or Downtown. When I’ve been there\*, I’ve most often heard “the District”. “Downtown” would refer to only part of the District. - (And I’ve been there many times – my Social Security Number was even issued to an address in the District, so if you saw it you might think I was born there, rather than in Australia.) ---
**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, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/32 "2013-02-12T21:35:36Z")
> [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > Baltimorons often refer to their town as “Charm City.” And then they laugh. I’ve always been a fan of “Balmo.” ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/33 "2013-02-12T21:36:47Z")
Lived in San Bernardino for a few years, and yes, it has and is still called San Berdoo. But I wonder if San Bankruptoo will take hold soon. ---
**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, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/34 "2013-02-12T21:39:12Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > Chris Matthews calls it Fluffia, which AIUI is somewhat common among born and raised Fluffians. Yeah, if you say it fast enough that’s what it sounds like. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/35 "2013-02-13T16:14:24Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > I say “NYC” sometimes. Anyone who uses “the Big Apple” gets a smack upside the head. Oddly, people don’t react when I call Cleveland “[The Plum](http://rustwire.com/2012/02/14/an-illustrated-history-of-clevelands-varied-attempts-at-rebranding/).” They’ve had more than 30 years to get used to it. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/36 "2013-02-13T16:17:40Z")
Rose City-nobody except advertisers and publicity hacks say this. Portlandia-widely used. ---
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/37 "2013-02-13T16:50:27Z")
I’ve never heard a native non-ironically call St. Louis anything other than St. Louis. I generally write StL, though. Chicago is always Chicago. Washington, DC, however, is just DC or the District, as has been mentioned. The native pronunciation of Baltimore can’t be written down. It’s worse than Louisville. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/38 "2013-02-13T16:59:09Z")
Bangkok is often called the Big Mango by farang (Western) residents. (The Thais don’t get the joke.) ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/39 "2013-02-13T18:30:47Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Anyone who says they live in “New York City” doesn’t even live in the general area. I’ve lived in NJ for 30 years and everyone calls NYC “the City.” Uh no. Whenever anyone asks me where I live I’ll say “New York City.” If I am talking to another New Yorker I’ll say Manhattan. As does everyone who lives here. No one here calls it “the Big Apple” or any of the other stupid nicknames, but of course we refer to New York City as “New York City.” 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080/40 "2013-02-13T18:49:21Z")
The city council keeps trying to push “Charm City” on Baltimoreans. It’s not taking. Nobody in Annapolis calls it “Naptown.” Anyone who’s a _real_ New Yorker (especially in Manhattan) just refers to it as “the city.” No NYC, Big Apple, or whatnot. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/city-nicknames-do-people-who-live-there-use-them/650080.md?page=3)