# Name calling rules? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 4, 2001, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-calling-rules/71255 "2001-07-04T21:58:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![labradorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@labradorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/labradorian)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2001, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-calling-rules/71255/21 "2001-07-05T18:47:31Z")
Ottawa people are Ottawans. My hoose is in the Provisional Republic of New Edinburgh, though. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2001, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-calling-rules/71255/22 "2001-07-05T22:25:57Z")
about ulster (northern ireland) technically we’re all british (says so on the passport) some of us like to be british, and some of us prefer to be called irish. it’s political. (if you can’t work out where i stand by now…you’re dumber than i thought) remembering the Ali G episode in belfast. i take it you know who Ali G is? if not, do start a thread and you shall find out. Ali: so, you’re irish then. Unionist: no, i’m british Ali: what, is you a tourist then? ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2001, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-calling-rules/71255/23 "2001-07-06T00:03:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by RealityChuck \* > > -ian is probably most common, but the ending is usually determined by euphony – what sounds good. One example of this is that the natives of Troy, NY are called “Trojans.” Ignoring the obvious joke, the change from “y” to “j” is an attempt to make the word sound better. > > And here I thought it had something to do with the city of Troy and some silly war they had… Oh, and some wooden horse thingy, too. 😛 Well, yeah, residents of ancient Troy are called Trojans as well. Actually, I think rather than simple euphony, it was likely due to the original name (in Latin, at least)being Troia. This got anglicised to Troy, dropping the Latin ending of -a. Meanwhile, the adjectival form would have had the i between two vowels, and those generally got anglicised to j’s. But at RPI, we always called the residents Troylets. The British seem to be the masters of screwed up adjectival forms of places. For example, Liverpool -\> Liverpudlian, Cambridge -\> Cantabridgian, Manchester -\> Mancunian, Isle of Man -\> Manx, Oxford -\> Oxonian. Why they do this, I have no idea. My home state of Massachusetts seems to be the most defiant of being used in a name for the residents. Massachusettsian, Massachusettser, Massachusettsite all fail to sound at all correct. Hmm… Let’s see what I can recall of Europe: France -\> French(man) England -\> English(man) Scotland -\> Scottish, Scot Switzerland -\> Swiss Britain -\> British, Brit, Briton Portugal -\> Portugese Spain -\> Spanish, Spaniard Germany -\> German Poland -\> Polish, Pole Denmark -\> Danish, Dane Ireland -\> Irish(man) Italy -\> Italian Belgium -\> Belgian Netherlands -\> Dutch(man), Netherlander? Sweden -\> Swedish, Swede Norway -\> Norwejian Finland -\> Finnish, Finn Greece -\> Greek, Grecian?, Hellenic? Albania -\> Albanian Romania -\> Romanian Luxembourg -\> ? Leichtenstein -\> ? Iceland -\> Icelandic, Icelander? Czech Republic -\> Czech Slovakia -\> Slovak?, Slovakian? Austria -\> Austrian Hungary -\> Hungarian Wales -\> Welsh(man) Yugoslavia -\> Yugoslavian Andorra -\> Andorran Estonia -\> Estonian Lithuania -\> Lithuanian Latvia -\> Latvian Russia -\> Russian Ukraine -\> Ukranian Bosnia-Herzegovia -\> Bosnian? (never heard Herzegovian) Macedonia -\> Macedonian Bulgaria -\> Bulgarian OK, I think that’s about it. I notice that -ish endings can’t be used as a term for a resident (one can say (I am a German" but not “I am a Spanish”), so all those have two terms (e.g. Spanish and Spaniard). I suspect that the difference is primarily whether the country’s name entered English through Latin, or through Anglo-Saxon. The Anglo-Saxons probably had names for many of the peoples around them before 1066 (the Celts, Franks, Scots, Swedes, etc.), and many of these names stuck. Other names entered through Latin and/or French (e.g. Germany from Germania). Although I’d imagine that some changed over time. Incidentally, Dutch, Greek, Portugese and Czech seem rather unique. Can one refer to a person as “a Portugese”? ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2001, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-calling-rules/71255/24 "2001-07-06T12:01:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by waterj2 \* > **Well, yeah, residents of ancient Troy are called Trojans as well. Actually, I think rather than simple euphony, it was likely due to the original name (in Latin, at least)being Troia. This got anglicised to Troy, dropping the Latin ending of -a. Meanwhile, the adjectival form would have had the i between two vowels, and those generally got anglicised to j’s. But at RPI, we always called the residents Troylets.** If there are three of them, are they a Troika? Boy, I’m producing a lot in this thread… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2001, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-calling-rules/71255/25 "2001-07-06T12:15:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by waterj2 \* > My home state of Massachusetts seems to be the most defiant of being used in a name for the residents. Massachusettsian, Massachusettser, Massachusettsite all fail to sound at all correct. Officially, it’s “Massachutensian”, BION - an English ending on a Latinized form of an Algonquin name. That’s why the term you always hear is “Massachusetts resident” - or, if you’re in Maine, “Masshole”. > [@](#): > > Incidentally, Dutch, Greek, Portugese and Czech seem rather unique. Can one refer to a person as “a Portugese”? \*\* Soitenly. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2001, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-calling-rules/71255/26 "2001-07-06T13:50:11Z")
Darn - somebody got to the joke about Massachusetts before I did - as a Californian, I just heard it a couple of years ago and thought it was pretty funny… How about folks from Connecticut? Obviously, I don’t want the easy refuge of “Nutmeggers” because CT is the Nutmeg State. The only remotely possible entry I have heard from somebody from Westport is “Connecticucian”… What’s the Straight Dope? ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2001, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-calling-rules/71255/27 "2001-07-06T14:04:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ruby \* > \*\* > > And all this time I thought we were just plain “Hoosiers”. Of course, no one knows what the _hell_ that means either 😃 \*\* [hijack] Another Hoosier? Wow. Me, too. Southern Indiana here. Right on the Ohio. What about you? [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-calling-rules/71255/28 "2001-07-07T00:12:28Z")
An obvious bump to get this back up the posting list, but I really do want to hear if somebody has an alternative way to refer to somebody from CT… ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-calling-rules/71255/29 "2001-07-07T02:09:12Z")
Let’s consult the 2001 World Almanac for the states. Under state listing they have a Famous ‘resident’ with resident being replaced by a nickname in plural AL = Alabamians AK = Alaskans AZ = Arizonans AR = Arkansans CA = Californians CO = Coloradans CT = Nutmeggers DE = Delawareans FL = Floridians GA = Georgians HI = Islanders ID = Idahoans IL = Illinoisans IN = Hossiers IA = Iowans KS = Kansans KY = Kentuckians LA = Louisianans ME = Down Easters MD = Marylanders MA = Bay Staters MI = **People** MN = Minnesotans MS = Mississippians MO = Missourians MT = Montanans NE = Nebraskans NV = Nevadans NH = New Hampshirites NJ = New Jerseyans NM = New Mexicans NY = New Yorkers NC = North Carolinians ND = North Dakotans OH = Ohioans OK = Oklahomans OR = Oregonians PA = Pennsylvanians RI = Rhode Islanders SC = South Carolinians SD = South Dakotans TN = Tennesseans TX = Texans UT = Utahans VT = Vermonters VA = Virginians WA = Washingtonians WV = West Virginians WI = Wisconsinites WY = Wyominites Ending # -an(s) 23 -ian(s) 14 -ite(s) 3 -er(s) 9 people 1 What’s up with the poor people for Michigan. Why’d the World Almanac not give them a nickname? I wonder if the -ite are old Hebrew words. Isrealite, Canaanite, etc. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-calling-rules/71255/30 "2001-07-07T13:26:27Z")
Since you asked, people stuck in Michigan are Michiganders, notwithstanding the bumper stickers that call them Michugganehs. (xref: Mainiacs). ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-calling-rules/71255/31 "2001-07-07T21:05:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Superdude \* > \*\* > [hijack] > Another Hoosier? Wow. Me, too. Southern Indiana here. Right on the Ohio. What about you? > [/hijack] \*\* I hail from Fort Wayne. Didja see the post from Jinxie… What the hell is HOSSier?? Are we back on the Ponderosa, dude? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chanteuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de053/32.png) [@Chanteuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chanteuse)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-calling-rules/71255/32 "2001-07-07T21:59:22Z")
I always wondered about these three: 1. Why are people from Holland not Hollanders, Hollandites,or Hollandians, but instead are Dutch. 2. Why “Norwegian” for residents of Norway, and 3. Why are people from Glasgow called Glaswegians? I suppose there are some out there who know the answers and will think I’m incredibly stupid for asking, but hey, I’ve had two babies and I’ve lost millions of brain cells and counting… ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2001, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-calling-rules/71255/33 "2001-07-07T22:31:52Z")
As a life-long Michigander (Detroit) myself, I’d like to add that we’ve always thrown around the terms: Lowpers (low-perrs) and Yoopers for the residents of the Lower and Upper penninsulas respectively. As for the OP, We’ve always said “Buckeyes”. But if we had to use the state name, I’d say Ohioans. Say Yah, to da U.P. eh! ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2001, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-calling-rules/71255/34 "2001-07-08T05:53:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ruby \* > \*\*I hail from Fort Wayne. Didja see the post from Jinxie… > > What the hell is HOSSier?? Are we back on the Ponderosa, dude? 😃 \*\* allright allright… Hoosier, but hey 2% isn’t that bad of a typo rating! ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2001, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-calling-rules/71255/35 "2001-07-09T01:47:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jinxie \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Ruby \* > > \*\*I hail from Fort Wayne. Didja see the post from Jinxie… > > > > What the hell is HOSSier?? Are we back on the Ponderosa, dude? 😃 \*\* > > allright allright… Hoosier, but hey 2% isn’t that bad of a typo rating! \*\* No offense meant, **Jinxie**. I just giggled at the thought of being a HOSSier. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2001, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-calling-rules/71255/36 "2001-07-09T02:07:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ruby \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Jinxie \* > > \*\* > > > > > [@](#): > > > > > > \*Originally posted by Ruby \* > > > \*\*I hail from Fort Wayne. Didja see the post from Jinxie… > > > > > > What the hell is HOSSier?? Are we back on the Ponderosa, dude? 😃 \*\* > > > > allright allright… Hoosier, but hey 2% isn’t that bad of a typo rating! \*\* > > No offense meant, **Jinxie**. I just giggled at the thought of being a HOSSier. > > 🙂 \*\* None taken, nor accounted for. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-calling-rules/71255.md?page=1)