# What do you call this? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 3, 2016, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this/753737 "2016-05-03T00:31:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this/753737/21 "2016-05-03T02:59:27Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > It says what it is right there in your link. But the OP didn’t ask what it **is** ; he asked what we **call** it. And yeah, I’m another who calls them porta-potties. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this/753737/22 "2016-05-03T03:21:21Z")
Port-a-pot. Don’t need no “-ty” at the end. ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this/753737/23 "2016-05-03T03:32:18Z")
I’ve heard them called “Johnny on the spot”, but porta potty is most common. Most everyone I know would understand what a porta potty was. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this/753737/24 "2016-05-03T03:40:26Z")
At the history events we often call them _Fort Necessity_. I am not kidding. And because of all our gear in full kit we sometimes go for the larger models which I have sometimes heard referred to as “handi-crappers”. [http://www.aroyalflush.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/handicap-toilet.jpg](http://www.aroyalflush.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/handicap-toilet.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this/753737/25 "2016-05-03T03:51:14Z")
Porta potties, yessir. Or as I like to call them ‘the utter hell that I would have to have explosive diarrhea to use, rather than hold it for the next several hours’. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this/753737/26 "2016-05-03T06:07:16Z")
> [@Lord\_Mondegreen](#): > > Australian here - port-a-loo. Same for the UK. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this/753737/27 "2016-05-03T06:13:19Z")
Portable toilet. Anything else is either a brand name or too cutesy ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this/753737/28 "2016-05-03T06:16:49Z")
Porta-potty Which is probably a brand name but I call all large waste bins “Dumpsters” as well. Bring on the lawyers! ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this/753737/29 "2016-05-03T07:22:21Z")
99% of the time: “NOPE!” ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this/753737/30 "2016-05-03T08:31:43Z")
Another Australian: Portaloo. That seems to be the standard word in Commonwealth English, while Porta-potty is the standard US term. ---
**Author:** ![JacobSwan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@JacobSwan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JacobSwan)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this/753737/31 "2016-05-03T11:55:20Z")
Sometimes they’re called ‘Turdis’ as they look a bit like a police box. ---
**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:** [May 3, 2016, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this/753737/32 "2016-05-03T12:34:11Z")
Porta potties. A company near us is in the portapotty business and has the great name **Royal Flush** , complete with the playing cards logo. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this/753737/33 "2016-05-03T12:58:05Z")
> [@Lord\_Mondegreen](#): > > port-a-loo. Portaloo is where the Dookie of Wellington defeated NaPOOleon. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this/753737/34 "2016-05-03T13:31:12Z")
> [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](#): > > I’ve heard them called “Johnny on the spot”, but porta potty is most common. Most everyone I know would understand what a porta potty was. Oh yeah, I remember hearing “Johnny on the Spot” too now. I hadn’t heard that in a long time. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this/753737/35 "2016-05-03T14:20:38Z")
Port-a-san ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this/753737/36 "2016-05-03T14:43:32Z")
> [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](#): > > I’ve heard them called “Johnny on the spot”, but porta potty is most common. Most everyone I know would understand what a porta potty was. The company that provided them where I grew up was called “Johnny on the Job”. I remember they were made of wood (still painted blue though, IIRC) and they were super icky. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this/753737/37 "2016-05-03T14:44:17Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > Help settle an argument… > > Seen at job construction sites, races, & other events (concerts in the park, etc.), frequently in this shade of blue but sometimes in other colors, too. They go by many names, some of them kind of cutesy. What do you call one of [these](http://www.davesseptic.com/construction_portable_toilets.php)? > I’m purposely not listing any names nor making this a poll so as to not jade the results. OK, Spidey… who won the argument? ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this/753737/38 "2016-05-03T14:56:25Z")
Back home they were called Joy Johns. Where I live now, Super Bowls. I’m pretty sure both of these started as company names, but much like Kleenex and Xerox, the company name has become the product name. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this/753737/39 "2016-05-03T15:06:25Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Porta Potty or Porta John This. Not sure which I use more. At one time, it was definitely the latter, but now I think I use more the former. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this/753737/40 "2016-05-03T15:17:12Z")
Can Spidey–in that costume of his–actually USE a portable toilet? Will the Green Goblin wait his turn in line? And what about the Hulk? Be sure to catch your next issue. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this/753737.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this/753737.md?page=3)