# Nicknames of the area you live in **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 9, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-of-the-area-you-live-in/174034 "2003-05-09T02:54:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![penny\_dreadful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/71c47a/32.png) [@penny\_dreadful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penny_dreadful)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-of-the-area-you-live-in/174034/41 "2003-05-09T21:35:03Z")
I live a few miles north of the Navy’s basic training command in Great Lakes, Illinois. A lot of the sailors refer to this area as Great Mistakes. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-of-the-area-you-live-in/174034/42 "2003-05-09T21:41:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Green Bean \* > \*\*The Armpit of the Nation! \*\* If New Jersey is the Armpit, and Florida is obviously the Penis, then that makes South Carolina the Pubic Hair of America. Columbia, SC is also known as Cola. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-of-the-area-you-live-in/174034/43 "2003-05-09T21:41:57Z")
Now: Gainesville, G-ville. In this city, last summer I lived in the area known as student ghetto… guess why? 🙂 Now I moved a couple of blocks to the east and live just outside from student ghetto. Back home: Río Piedras, Ciudad Universitaria. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Sarang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jack\_Sarang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Sarang)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-of-the-area-you-live-in/174034/44 "2003-05-09T23:30:21Z")
Toronto has several local nicknames… The Big Smoke Tee Ohh Tee Dot Trannaah Although most people who live in the “Greater Metropolitan Area” or the seperate cities which are suburbs of Toronto simply refer to it as “Downtown”. Do you want to go Downtown? Means do you want to go into the city. ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-of-the-area-you-live-in/174034/45 "2003-05-09T23:52:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Troy McClure SF \* > \*\*Come to think of it, I can’t think of any for San Francisco besides “Frisco.” > \*\* Are you being funny, there, **Troy**? If you use that term at a restaurant in the city make sure to look for the gob of spit in your food. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MaryEFoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MaryEFoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaryEFoo)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-of-the-area-you-live-in/174034/46 "2003-05-10T00:05:50Z")
San Francisco is just called the City. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-of-the-area-you-live-in/174034/47 "2003-05-10T00:46:52Z")
Long Beach [ul][li]Iowa by the Sea (because of a huge influx of midwesterners in the early 20th Century)[/li][li]International City (because of the port)[/li][li]Willmore City (after its first land developer, the name changed later, obviously)[/li][li]Bahia de los Fumos (“Bay of Smokes”, named by explorer Cabrillo for brush fires or smoke signals from Signal Hill)[/ul][/li]Lakewood [ul][li]Flakewood[/ul][/li]Sacramento: [ul][li]Sac[/li][li]Sacto[/li][li]Sacratomato (to honor the local agriculture)[/li][li]Tree City (many nice trees here)[/li][li]River City[/li][li]Sactown[/ul][/li]San Diego [ul][li]Blandiego[/li][li]America’s Finest City[/li][li]San Miguel (the original name or the bay, designated by explorer Cabrillo)[/ul][/li]Los Angeles [ul][li]Smell-A[/li][li]Hell-A[/li][li]City of Angels[/li][li]Los An-gel-eeze[/ul][/li]Hawaiian Gardens [ul][li]Hawaiian Garbage[/ul][/li]Simi Valley [ul][li]Slimy Valley[/ul][/li]Moorpark [ul][li]Kraproom (Moorpark backwards)[/ul][/li]National City [ul][li]Shelltown (bullet shells, not sea shells)[/ul][/li]San Francisco [ul][li]Frisco (abhorred by many locals)[/li][li]San Fran[/li][li]The City (preferred by many locals)[/li][li]Yerba Buena (“Good Grass” original name, before hippies)[/ul][/li]San Buenaventura [ul]Ventura (a shorthand version so the name would fit on railroad timetables)[/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-of-the-area-you-live-in/174034/48 "2003-05-10T01:02:52Z")
Oops, I forgot a couple: Los Angeles used to be called “El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciúncula” or The Town of Our Lady the Queen of Angels of the Little Portion. Long Beach has also been called “Queen City” for the old Queen Mary ship stationed there. ---
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-of-the-area-you-live-in/174034/49 "2003-05-10T03:15:01Z")
“The City of Enchantment” At least that’s what [the people in charge](http://www.ci.lake-jackson.tx.us/citylj/index.html) call it. It’s not really all that enchanting. A more common nickname is “L. J.” ---
**Author:** ![cmonidareya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@cmonidareya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmonidareya)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-of-the-area-you-live-in/174034/50 "2003-05-10T05:31:58Z")
The Big Easy The Crescent City ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-of-the-area-you-live-in/174034/51 "2003-05-10T05:42:04Z")
The Best Place on Earth (according to KPIX) The Bay Area The Peninsula (San Francisco to Sunnyvale) East Bay (Oakland to Milpitas) South Bay (San Jose and whatnot) San Francisco is definitely “The City” (and Palo Alto is most certainly “Shallow Alto”) ---
**Author:** ![Daver914](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@Daver914](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daver914)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-of-the-area-you-live-in/174034/52 "2003-05-11T17:21:17Z")
My hometown of Toledo goes by: [ul] [li]The Glass City[/li][li]T-Town[/li][li]Or more recently, due to an unfortunate publicity campaign, ToleD’OH![/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![vix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a88e4f/32.png) [@vix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vix)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-of-the-area-you-live-in/174034/53 "2003-05-11T17:55:08Z")
The part of Brooklyn, NY where I live, Park Slope, is sometimes called Dyke Slope. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![dbygawdcapn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dbygawdcapn/32/3995_2.png) [@dbygawdcapn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dbygawdcapn)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-of-the-area-you-live-in/174034/54 "2003-05-13T01:42:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by El Marko \* > \*\*nothing special, my area is Southern Maryland, though it is home to SMIBs (So. MD InBreds - those who were born and raised here and have never been anywhere else) > > \*\* Nothing special? I have always heard Southern Maryland referred to as The Land of Pleasant Living. [SMIB voice]You got a purty mouth[/SMIB voice] ---
**Author:** ![soulburnz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@soulburnz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulburnz)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-of-the-area-you-live-in/174034/55 "2003-05-13T02:20:46Z")
The city I live in is officially called “The City of Five Seasons” Unofficially we like to refer to it as “The City of Five Smells” (Quaker Oats, General Mills, Cargill, ADM [corn sweeteners] & a few others - I’m sure) you can smell it for miles. ~ The town I grew up in (also in Hawkeyeville) was called “Little Chicago” because of the drug traffic. [disclaimer] no offense to the real Chicago or anyone who lives there [disclaimer] ---
**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:** [May 13, 2003, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-of-the-area-you-live-in/174034/56 "2003-05-13T03:28:32Z")
Hi Desert… Apple Valley - Appleless Valley or Crapple Valley Hesperia - Desperia Victorville - Victimville Adelanto - Idleanto Lucerne Valley - None of Your Concern Valley (due to meth labs) Phelan - Felon The 909 - Inland Empire… San Bernardino - San Berdoo Fontana - Fontucky Redlands - Deadlands ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-of-the-area-you-live-in/174034/57 "2003-05-13T04:18:07Z")
I’m from B.C., or the “Wet Coast”. Pretty accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-of-the-area-you-live-in/174034/58 "2003-05-13T05:39:02Z")
The region including my town and the next town downriver is called the Mid-Columbia. That’s particularly unoriginal, considering a larger region another 80 or 90 miles upriver (The Tri-Cities of Kennewick, Pasco and Richland, Washington) also considers itself the Mid-Columbia. The one for my town (The Dalles, Oregon) I like dates back to the late 1950s – “The Best Little Town by a Dam Site.” Oregon and Washington have a few classics. Tillamook, Oregon, on the Oregon Coast, is known for its brand of high quality cheese. Its slogan: “The Land of Cheese, Trees and Ocean Breeeze.” Walla Walla, Washington used to go by “The Town So Nice, They Named It Twice.” We’re a wild bunch, that’s for sure. ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-of-the-area-you-live-in/174034/59 "2003-05-13T11:51:07Z")
Lets see… Was born in Hitchin which is only known as **Hitchin** to its residents. Its **Pikeyville** to everyone else. Grew up in Stevenage which has certainly gone downhill since i left. Its now generally referred to by us ex-Stevenagers as **Johnboy County** because its full of little sh\*ts in korn hoodies and baggy trousers who think they have something to prove. Trips back to see my parents (who still live there) by any of their kids (We all live in various parts of London baring my 15yr old sister) are generally refered to as **Johnboy Hunts**. Used to live in Twickenham (Greater London/Middlesex) which is known as **Twickers** (if you are a public school boy or rugby fan). To be honest we tended to call it **'Nam** because of its skanky (and often violent) nightlife. Nearby Teddington is known as (you guessed it) **Teddy Town.** Also lived in Hampton Nurserylands or **Legoland** to its residents. have been living in London for bloody ages now so everything outside of the city tends to go under the collective nickname **The Sticks** London itself is a tricky one when it comes to nicknames. The problem is that the area known as “London” is a huge sprawling mass of a city which doesn’t really have a nickname. Unless you are my mother in which case it is called either: **That Filth-ridden City** or **That Horrible City Which You Insist On Calling Home When It Isn’t Really Is It?! Your Real Home Is Here With Us! Why Don’t You Move Back Home?!** Generally though, it tends to be the areas themselves within London that pick up nicknames not normally the city as a whole. So a few examples would be: **Holborn** (where i work) is generally known as **The Bunker** due to the presence of a rather large Cold War era Nuclear Bunker Complex beneath the area. **Covent Garden** (where i lunch) is simply known as **The Garden**. **The City of London** is frequently referred to as **The Square Mile**. A nickname you Yanks (gawd bless ya! 😉 ) often mistakenly apply to the whole of London. **Aldwych** and its surroundings are often referred to as **Theaterlands** and so on. ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-of-the-area-you-live-in/174034/60 "2003-05-13T21:00:33Z")
Albuquerque is “Duke City” because it was named after a Spanish noble, the Duke of Alb_ur_querque. New Mexico is sometimes called the Land of Enchantment, but I’ve heard people call it the Land of Entrapment. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-of-the-area-you-live-in/174034.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicknames-of-the-area-you-live-in/174034.md?page=4)