# Modifying city names to describe residents **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 14, 2007, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modifying-city-names-to-describe-residents/392114 "2007-02-14T00:22:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![diogenes1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@diogenes1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diogenes1)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modifying-city-names-to-describe-residents/392114/1 "2007-02-14T00:22:34Z")
Hello: Does anyone know the rule(s) of grammar that govern how city names are modified to describe residents? Examples are: - New York residents are New Yorkers - Cairo residents are Cairenes - Toronto residents are Torontonians I’ve searched the archives, Google and gammer discussion groups. Thanks in advance for any guidance you can provide. Diogenes1 ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modifying-city-names-to-describe-residents/392114/2 "2007-02-14T00:25:31Z")
Any group that includes such constructions as Liverpudlian, Mancusian, Baltimoron, and Masshole can have no set grammar rules. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modifying-city-names-to-describe-residents/392114/3 "2007-02-14T00:30:42Z")
We have done variations of this question bunches of times on this board but you can’t search. There is no sin in repeat topics anyway. There aren’t any real rules although you might find some tendencies based on the makeup of the name in terms of probunciation. There are plenty of irregular ones like “cantabrigians” for the citizens of Cambridge, MA and England. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modifying-city-names-to-describe-residents/392114/4 "2007-02-14T00:33:44Z")
No need to call the grammar police, this is usually an issue resolved by local preference, clever maketing and “catchiness”. Previous thread: [What are people from your city/town/area called?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=333147) > [@](#): > > What about people from Truth of Consequences, New Mexico? Truth-or-Consequencians? And what about people from King of Prussia? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modifying-city-names-to-describe-residents/392114/5 "2007-02-14T00:34:00Z")
Sorry. Serious answer: I honestly don’t believe there are any actual codified grammar rules for this. There are SO many different constructions, even sincere ones (rather than the joke ones like Baltimoron), and they’re mostly SO different from each other. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modifying-city-names-to-describe-residents/392114/6 "2007-02-14T00:49:16Z")
The majority of them appear to have one of four derivations: [ul][li]The suffixes -(i)an(s) or -er(s)[/li][li]Derivation from the city name by relatively simple rules, e.g., cities with names ending in -town are often inhabited by -tonians; Names such as Toronto or Cairo are treated as if Latin nominatives.[/li][li]The rules applicable in the language spoken in the foreign city and its namesakes are applied also in English, e.g., Moscow, Muscovite; Krakow, Krakovian; Madrid, Madrileño; Padua, Padovan.[/li][li]The actual old Latin name for the community is reverted to for the derived inhabitan name: Manchester, Mancunia, Mancunian; Cambridge, Cantabrigia, Cantabri(d)gian; Marseilles, Massilia, Massilian [rare but I have seen it]; Carthage, Carthago [gen. -aginis], Carthaginian.[/ul] [/li] Occasionally, English will borrow a slangy foreign form, e.g., Rio de Janeiro, Ca. Rio, Carioca. ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modifying-city-names-to-describe-residents/392114/7 "2007-02-14T01:12:56Z")
[QUOTE=diogenes1] I’ve searched the archives, Google and grammar discussion groups. Thanks in advance for any guidance you can provide. [/QUOTE] You might try looking for the word “demonym”, which is the name for a word which describes a population. As long as there are Glaswegians and Bay Staters, though, you won’t find any solid rules. There are many hundreds of standard ones that are easy to figure out, but this is English, so there’s also weirdness afoot. ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modifying-city-names-to-describe-residents/392114/8 "2007-02-14T01:27:48Z")
[QUOTE=Polycarp] [li]The rules applicable in the language spoken in the foreign city and its namesakes are applied also in English, e.g., **Moscow, Muscovite;** Krakow, Krakovian; Madrid, Madrileño; Padua, Padovan.[/li] [/QUOTE] A modern Russian derivation would be Moscvich not Muscovite. Muscovite is an old Russian derivation that is typically used to refer to Moscow residents of that period. As for Krakovian, I think that’s an English formation, not Polish. I’d guess a Polish derivation would be Krakowianin or Krakowiak ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modifying-city-names-to-describe-residents/392114/9 "2007-02-14T01:47:28Z")
[QUOTE=Jurph] As long as there are Glaswegians and Bay Staters, though, you won’t find any solid rules. [/QUOTE] Don’t forget Michiganders. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modifying-city-names-to-describe-residents/392114/10 "2007-02-14T02:55:44Z")
[QUOTE=MikeS] Don’t forget Michiganders. [/QUOTE] What’s sauce for the Portuguese is sauce for the Michiganders! ::: :D, D & R :::: ---
**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 14, 2007, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modifying-city-names-to-describe-residents/392114/11 "2007-02-14T03:07:16Z")
People in Bangkok are called Bangkokians. In English anyway. I’ve tried to get Bangkoker to catch on, but to no avail. ---
**Author:** ![Tiamatpuppy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Tiamatpuppy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tiamatpuppy)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modifying-city-names-to-describe-residents/392114/12 "2007-02-14T03:29:22Z")
People from Boca Raton FL are called Bocanuts. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modifying-city-names-to-describe-residents/392114/13 "2007-02-14T13:51:36Z")
SYDNEY: Sydneysiders MELBOURNE: Cun… um… Melburnians (note ‘o’ is dropped) CANBERRA: Canberrans ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modifying-city-names-to-describe-residents/392114/14 "2007-02-14T16:45:55Z")
[QUOTE=Polycarp] Names such as Toronto or Cairo are treated as if Latin nominatives. [/QUOTE] How do you mean? Toronti and Cairi? Or Torontenses and Cairenses? ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modifying-city-names-to-describe-residents/392114/15 "2007-02-14T17:04:18Z")
[QUOTE=Tiamatpuppy] People from Boca Raton FL are called Bocanuts. :dubious: [/QUOTE] I’m from Tampa… don’t ask. ---
**Author:** ![Gymnopithys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@Gymnopithys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gymnopithys)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modifying-city-names-to-describe-residents/392114/16 "2007-02-14T20:41:52Z")
[QUOTE=MikeS] Don’t forget Michiganders. [/QUOTE] Are women from Michgan Michigeese?