Why New Orleans is called "The Big Easy?"

The city of New Orleans is known for a lot of things. With its unique culture, mixture of Creole and Cajun foods, authentic music and festivals for just about anything, it is no wonder that New Orleans is one of the most popular tourist destinations year-round. But New Orleans is also known by other names, NOLA, Hollywood South, N'awlins, The Crescent City and The Big Easy. All the others are pretty obvious, but The Big Easy is the one that many question. While no one knows exactly where "The Big Easy" came from, there are several theories on why.

French Quarter in New OrleansPhoto byTripSavvy.com

According to Big Easy Magazine, one of the most popular theories suggests that the name was adopted from the Big Easy Hall, which was a popular dance hall in Gretna where legendary cornet player Buddy Bolden occasionally performed until it burned down in the early 1900's. New Orleans has been known as a haven for emerging jazz musicians with music remaining a huge part of the culture still today.

Another popular theory is attributed to the late Times-Picayune gossip columnist Betty Guillaud, who may have coined the phrase "The Big Easy" while chronicling the city’s peculiar lifestyle. During the late 1960s, Guillaud allegedly began using the term to contrast how different life was in “The Big Easy” compared to “The Big Apple.”

Crescent City Connection Bridge over the Mississippi RiverPhoto byMusement.com

Another theory is that the origin of the name comes from the laid back, carefree and "easy" attitude of New Orleanians towards alcohol during Prohibition. The ban on alcohol that occurred between 1920 and 1933 was created to help prevent corruption and crime but Prohibition really did not affect New Orleans, as people continued consume alcohol and enjoy the nightlife with total disregard of the drinking ban. So, it is believed that the city was named “The Big Easy” due to the lifestyle during this period.

Dennis Quaid and Ellen Barkin in The Big EasyPhoto byPinterest

According to The Culture Trip, there is also the theory that the nickname came from James Conaway’s 1970 crime novel titled The Big Easy, which was turned into a blockbuster film in 1987 that starred Dennis Quaid and Ellen Barkin. According to the author, the phrase had never been penned to a published book until then. He argued that, while working as a police reporter for the Times-Picayune himself, he overheard two men chatting, and the phrase “The Big Easy” came up one night and it stuck with him.

While all of the theories make sense, no one can really be sure which one is correct. But one thing is for sure, New Orleans will forever be known as The Big Easy.