12 U.S. Cities With The Coolest Nicknames, According to Americans
2024-09-04
Some city nicknames are obvious, like Sin City, but have you ever wondered why New Orleans is called The Big Easy? Explore this list of the coolest city nicknames and discover where the origins of these fun monikers come from.
With an abundance of alcohol, gambling, scantily clad people lining the streets, and general debauchery, it's no wonder that Las Vegas is nicknamed Sin City. Although there are a lot of family-friendly activities and entertainment available in Las Vegas now, you can always find trouble there if you're looking for it.
In New York City you can find food, bars, and entertainment open at any hour of the night, so the nickname "The City That Never Sleeps" is aptly named. For anyone with insomnia, NYC is a dream come true.
Why is New Orleans called "The Big Easy"? No one knows for sure, but there are a few theories. One traces this nickname to how easy it was to get alcohol here during prohibition; some think it refers to the abundance of live music and how simply a musician can book gigs in this Southern city.
It's clear why Detroit has been coined the Motor City. As the American capital of the automotive industry, Detroit is home to Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler, to name a few.
The Biggest Little City in the World: Reno, Nevada
With a population of about 240,000 people (compare that to the 3.8 million people residing in Los Angeles), it's no wonder that Reno is called the biggest little city in the world. Reno offers the kind of entertainment and amenities available in larger cities, like gambling, resorts, shows, and world-class dining.
You may think this nickname sounds pretty arrogant, and there's a reason for that. In 1858, author Oliver Wendell Holmes referred to Boston as "the hub of the solar system" as a jab to the city. The good-humored residents of Boston turned around this insult and adopted it as their own, so it lovingly morphed into "the hub of the universe."
No, we're not talking about The Wizard of Oz here, just the jewel of the Pacific Northwest, Seattle. Even though you may associate Seattle with coffee and 90s grunge music, it also has an abundance of greenery in the way of parks and nature.
Phoenix is located in the Salt River Valley of Arizona, surrounded by beautiful mountain ranges. With lots of annual sunshine and hot weather, it's aptly named The Valley of the Sun.
Pittsburg, located in Southwestern Pennsylvania, sits on the picturesque Ohio River. During the 19th century, Pittsburg was the center of the steel industry, helping to produce much of the railroads across the United States.
This mountainous city sits at 5,280 feet in elevation, which is one full mile. At Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies baseball team, there's a spot in the stands where green seats become purple seats to delineate the mile-high elevation line.
The literal translation of the Spanish name Los Angeles is "The Angels", so it's clear why it's called "The City of Angels", but where did this name come from? In the 1700s, Spanish missionaries settled in this Southern California region and named the LA river Nuestra Señora de los Angeles de la Porciúncula, which translated to Our Ladyof the Angels at the Little Portion.
The City of Brotherly Love: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Although most Philadelphia residents use this name with sarcasm nowadays, this nickname traces its roots to the literal Greek translation of the city name. In Greek phileo is brother and adelphos translates to love. Put them together, and Philadelphia becomes brotherly love.
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