Many cities around the United States have nicknames. Some of them, like Baltimore’s nickname of “City Of Neighborhoods”, is fairly obvious as to its meaning. Whereas other nicknames may be a little more confusing. Here are some of the more common city nicknames and what they mean.
Emerald City, Seattle
This nickname came about out of a contest. Back in 1982 the Seattle-King County Convention and Visitors Bureau started a contest to get the public to figure out a nickname for the city. Emerald City won out and the rest is history.
Magic City, Miami
Miami gets it nickname because it became a fairly well-known city practically overnight, almost magically. It used to be a citrus plantation and was purchased by Julia Tuttle, who was very wealthy and influential. After she moved to Miami, she got a railroad to be extended to the city and streets and buildings built. Once this happened, quite a few people started moving there and the city just seemed to spring up overnight.
Mile High City, Denver
This reasoning behind this nickname isn’t hard to figure out. Denver has an altitude that’s exactly one mile high. When visiting the city, don’t be surprised if the residents warn you of this altitude change.
Motor City, Detroit
The nickname ‘Motor City’ has to do with just that, motors. Detroit is basically where the automobile industry started thanks to Ransom Olds and Henry Ford. This city has also been referred to as ‘Motown” thanks to Berry Gordy.
Sin City, Las Vegas
This nickname probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise. Las Vegas is filled with a lot of ‘sinful’ behavior like strip clubs and casinos. Pretty much anything goes here, including what is considered naughty behavior.
The Big Apple, New York
This is probably one of the most well-known city nicknames, but a lot of people don’t even know what it means. The term ‘big apple’ used to mean that something was unique and an object that everyone wanted. Back in 1909, the city was referred to as ‘The Big Apple’ by Edward Martin and the name just sort of stuck as it was a very unique city.
The City Of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia
The city of Philadelphia got its nickname because the word ‘Philadelphia” translates in Greek to ‘brotherly love”. The city itself is known to be friendly to all, regardless of their religion or beliefs. The nickname does seem to be fairly fitting.
