Informal names of towns and cities - Revision history

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DavidWalker: Created page with "Many towns and cities have an informal name in addition to their official name – in much the same way as many individuals have a nickname, i.e., an additional name by which..."

2021-06-22T10:05:16Z

Created page with "Many towns and cities have an informal name in addition to their official name – in much the same way as many individuals have a nickname, i.e., an additional name by which..."

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Many towns and cities have an informal name in addition to their official name – in much the same way as many individuals have a nickname, i.e., an additional name by which they are known among family members and friends. These additional names for towns and cities are formed in a variety of ways, many though not all, referring to, or reflecting, a prominent or distinctive feature of the town or city, of its history, or of its inhabitants. The purpose of this page is simply to illustrate the variety.

*A city’s or town’s informal name may be a shortened form of its (often rather long) official name, e.g., '''Philly''' (for Philadelphia); '''Brid''' (for Bridlington, in East Yorkshire); '''Frisco''' (for San Francisco – though its present-day inhabitants seem to dislike this nickname, and not to like the alternative, '''San Fran''', much better); '''Brum''' (for Birmingham).

*A city’s or town’s informal name may refer to or reflect a prominent or distinctive feature of, e.g., its location, its history, or its inhabitants, such as

**a distinctive natural feature, e.g., '''City of Four Rivers''' (Turin, the four rivers are the Po and three of its tributaries); '''Mile High City''' (Denver, capital of Colorado, situated exactly 5280 feet (i.e., one mile) above sea level); '''City of Trees''' (Boise (pronounced as two syllables, ‘bɔɪ siː/ (BOY-see)), capital of Idaho; from the French, ''boisé'', ‘wooded’).

**a feature of its weather or climate, e.g., '''The Windy City''' (Port Elizabeth, in South Africa); '''Rain City''' (Vancouver); '''Rain City''' (Seattle).

**a distinctive industry or trade, e.g., '''Motor City''' (Detroit); '''Steel City''' (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania); '''Cottonopolis''' (Manchester, a 19th century nickname); '''Porkopolis''' (Cincinnati, from the large number of Cincinnatians employed in pork packing.).

**a personal quality (believed to be) widely possessed among its inhabitants, e.g., '''The Big Easy''' (New Orleans, from the lax attitude of its inhabitants to alcohol consumption during Prohibition); '''The Friendly City''' (Port Elizabeth, in South Africa).

**a feature of its built environment, e.g., '''The City of a Hundred Spires''' (Prague); '''The Red City''' (Bologna).

**a significant historical event or figure associated with the city, e.g., '''Birthplace of Democracy''' (Athens); '''Cradle of the Renaissance'''/'''''Culla del Rinascimento''''' (Florence); '''Luther’s City'''/'''''Lutherstadt''''' (Wittenberg - '''''Lutherstadt''''' was an unofficial name for Wittenberg until 1938, when it became part of the official name, Wittenberg’s official name now being '''''Lutherstadt-Wittenberg'''''); '''Birthplace of Italian Liberty'''/'''''Culla del Risorgimento''''' (Turin).

**the central or pre-eminent position of a city within its region, e.g., '''Pearl of the Danube''' (Budapest), '''Capital of the Alps''' (Grenoble); '''Daughter of the Desert''' (Marrakech); '''Pearl of the Mediterranean''' (Alexandria).

**the resemblance of a town or city to a more famous city or location, e.g., '''Venice of the North''' (Amsterdam); '''Paris of the Nile''' (Cairo); '''The Europe of Australia''' (Melbourne); '''Venice of the North''' (Bruges); '''Little London''' (Gothenberg).

See also [[Place Names Derived |From Names Of Persons]].

[[Category:Names]][[Category:Place-names]][[Category:Onomastics]]

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 **a personal quality (believed to be) widely possessed among its inhabitants, e.g., '''The Big Easy''' (New Orleans, from the lax attitude of its inhabitants to alcohol consumption during Prohibition); '''The Friendly City''' (Port Elizabeth, in South Africa).
-**a feature of its built environment, e.g., '''The City of a Hundred Spires''' (Prague); '''The Red City''' (Bologna); '''The City of Dreaming Spires''' (Oxford); '''Granite City''' (Aberdeen); City of Churches (Adelaide).
+**a feature of its built environment, e.g., '''The City of a Hundred Spires''' (Prague); '''The Red City''' (Bologna); '''The City of Dreaming Spires''' (Oxford); '''Granite City''' (Aberdeen); '''City of Churches''' (Adelaide).
 **a significant historical event or figure associated with  the city, e.g., '''Birthplace of Democracy''' (Athens); '''Cradle of the Renaissance'''/'''''Culla del Rinascimento''''' (Florence); '''Luther’s City'''/'''''Lutherstadt'''''  (Wittenberg - '''''Lutherstadt''''' was an unofficial name for Wittenberg until 1938, when it became part of the official name, Wittenberg’s official name now being '''''Lutherstadt-Wittenberg'''''); '''Birthplace of Italian Liberty'''/'''''Culla del Risorgimento''''' (Turin).

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 **a personal quality (believed to be) widely possessed among its inhabitants, e.g., '''The Big Easy''' (New Orleans, from the lax attitude of its inhabitants to alcohol consumption during Prohibition); '''The Friendly City''' (Port Elizabeth, in South Africa).
-**a feature of its built environment, e.g., '''The City of a Hundred Spires''' (Prague); '''The Red City''' (Bologna); '''The City of Dreaming Spires''' (Oxford); '''Granite City''' (Aberdeen).
+**a feature of its built environment, e.g., '''The City of a Hundred Spires''' (Prague); '''The Red City''' (Bologna); '''The City of Dreaming Spires''' (Oxford); '''Granite City''' (Aberdeen); City of Churches (Adelaide).
 **a significant historical event or figure associated with  the city, e.g., '''Birthplace of Democracy''' (Athens); '''Cradle of the Renaissance'''/'''''Culla del Rinascimento''''' (Florence); '''Luther’s City'''/'''''Lutherstadt'''''  (Wittenberg - '''''Lutherstadt''''' was an unofficial name for Wittenberg until 1938, when it became part of the official name, Wittenberg’s official name now being '''''Lutherstadt-Wittenberg'''''); '''Birthplace of Italian Liberty'''/'''''Culla del Risorgimento''''' (Turin).
-**the central or pre-eminent position of a city within its region, e.g., '''Pearl of the Danube''' (Budapest), '''Capital of the Alps''' (Grenoble); '''Daughter of the Desert''' (Marrakech); '''Pearl of the Mediterranean''' (Alexandria).
+**the central or pre-eminent position of a city within its region, e.g., '''Pearl of the Danube''' (Budapest), '''Capital of the Alps''' (Grenoble); '''Daughter of the Desert''' (Marrakech); '''Pearl of the Mediterranean''' (Alexandria); '''Pearl of the Adriatic''' (Dubrovnik).
 **the resemblance of a town or city to a more famous city or location, e.g., '''Venice of the North''' (Amsterdam); '''Paris of the Nile''' (Cairo); '''The Europe of Australia''' (Melbourne); '''Venice of the North''' (Bruges); '''Little London''' (Gothenberg); '''Athens of the North''' (Edinburgh); '''Paris of South America''' (Buenos Aires).

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 Many towns and cities have an informal name in addition to their official name – in much the same way as many individuals have a nickname, i.e., an additional name by which they are known among family members and friends. These additional names for towns and cities are formed in a variety of ways, many though not all, referring to, or reflecting, a prominent or distinctive feature of the town or city, of its history, or of its inhabitants. The purpose of this page is simply to illustrate the variety.
-*A city’s or town’s informal name may be a shortened form of its (often rather long) official name, e.g., '''Philly''' (for Philadelphia); '''Brid''' (for Bridlington, in East Yorkshire); '''Frisco''' (for San Francisco – though its present-day inhabitants seem to dislike this nickname, and not to like the alternative, '''San Fran''', much better); '''Brum''' (for Birmingham); '''San''' or '''Santi''' (for Santiago); Bomo (for Bournemouth).
+*A city’s or town’s informal name may be a shortened form of its (often rather long) official name, e.g., '''Philly''' (for Philadelphia); '''Brid''' (for Bridlington, in East Yorkshire); '''Frisco''' (for San Francisco – though its present-day inhabitants seem to dislike this nickname, and not to like the alternative, '''San Fran''', much better); '''Brum''' (for Birmingham); '''San''' or '''Santi''' (for Santiago); '''Bomo''' (for Bournemouth).
 *A city’s or town’s informal name may refer to or reflect a prominent or distinctive feature of, e.g., its location, its history, or its inhabitants, such as

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 Many towns and cities have an informal name in addition to their official name – in much the same way as many individuals have a nickname, i.e., an additional name by which they are known among family members and friends. These additional names for towns and cities are formed in a variety of ways, many though not all, referring to, or reflecting, a prominent or distinctive feature of the town or city, of its history, or of its inhabitants. The purpose of this page is simply to illustrate the variety.
-*A city’s or town’s informal name may be a shortened form of its (often rather long) official name, e.g., '''Philly''' (for Philadelphia); '''Brid''' (for Bridlington, in East Yorkshire); '''Frisco''' (for San Francisco – though its present-day inhabitants seem to dislike this nickname, and not to like the alternative, '''San Fran''', much better); '''Brum''' (for Birmingham); '''San''' or '''Santi''' (for Santiago).
+*A city’s or town’s informal name may be a shortened form of its (often rather long) official name, e.g., '''Philly''' (for Philadelphia); '''Brid''' (for Bridlington, in East Yorkshire); '''Frisco''' (for San Francisco – though its present-day inhabitants seem to dislike this nickname, and not to like the alternative, '''San Fran''', much better); '''Brum''' (for Birmingham); '''San''' or '''Santi''' (for Santiago); Bomo (for Bournemouth).
 *A city’s or town’s informal name may refer to or reflect a prominent or distinctive feature of, e.g., its location, its history, or its inhabitants, such as
@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 **a personal quality (believed to be) widely possessed among its inhabitants, e.g., '''The Big Easy''' (New Orleans, from the lax attitude of its inhabitants to alcohol consumption during Prohibition); '''The Friendly City''' (Port Elizabeth, in South Africa).
-**a feature of its built environment, e.g., '''The City of a Hundred Spires''' (Prague); '''The Red City''' (Bologna); '''The City of Dreaming Spires''' (Oxford).
+**a feature of its built environment, e.g., '''The City of a Hundred Spires''' (Prague); '''The Red City''' (Bologna); '''The City of Dreaming Spires''' (Oxford); '''Granite City''' (Aberdeen).
 **a significant historical event or figure associated with  the city, e.g., '''Birthplace of Democracy''' (Athens); '''Cradle of the Renaissance'''/'''''Culla del Rinascimento''''' (Florence); '''Luther’s City'''/'''''Lutherstadt'''''  (Wittenberg - '''''Lutherstadt''''' was an unofficial name for Wittenberg until 1938, when it became part of the official name, Wittenberg’s official name now being '''''Lutherstadt-Wittenberg'''''); '''Birthplace of Italian Liberty'''/'''''Culla del Risorgimento''''' (Turin).

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 Many towns and cities have an informal name in addition to their official name – in much the same way as many individuals have a nickname, i.e., an additional name by which they are known among family members and friends. These additional names for towns and cities are formed in a variety of ways, many though not all, referring to, or reflecting, a prominent or distinctive feature of the town or city, of its history, or of its inhabitants. The purpose of this page is simply to illustrate the variety.
-*A city’s or town’s informal name may be a shortened form of its (often rather long) official name, e.g., '''Philly''' (for Philadelphia); '''Brid''' (for Bridlington, in East Yorkshire); '''Frisco''' (for San Francisco – though its present-day inhabitants seem to dislike this nickname, and not to like the alternative, '''San Fran''', much better); '''Brum''' (for Birmingham); '''San''' or '''Santi''' for Santiago.
+*A city’s or town’s informal name may be a shortened form of its (often rather long) official name, e.g., '''Philly''' (for Philadelphia); '''Brid''' (for Bridlington, in East Yorkshire); '''Frisco''' (for San Francisco – though its present-day inhabitants seem to dislike this nickname, and not to like the alternative, '''San Fran''', much better); '''Brum''' (for Birmingham); '''San''' or '''Santi''' (for Santiago).
 *A city’s or town’s informal name may refer to or reflect a prominent or distinctive feature of, e.g., its location, its history, or its inhabitants, such as

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 Many towns and cities have an informal name in addition to their official name – in much the same way as many individuals have a nickname, i.e., an additional name by which they are known among family members and friends. These additional names for towns and cities are formed in a variety of ways, many though not all, referring to, or reflecting, a prominent or distinctive feature of the town or city, of its history, or of its inhabitants. The purpose of this page is simply to illustrate the variety.
-*A city’s or town’s informal name may be a shortened form of its (often rather long) official name, e.g., '''Philly''' (for Philadelphia); '''Brid''' (for Bridlington, in East Yorkshire); '''Frisco''' (for San Francisco – though its present-day inhabitants seem to dislike this nickname, and not to like the alternative, '''San Fran''', much better); '''Brum''' (for Birmingham).
+*A city’s or town’s informal name may be a shortened form of its (often rather long) official name, e.g., '''Philly''' (for Philadelphia); '''Brid''' (for Bridlington, in East Yorkshire); '''Frisco''' (for San Francisco – though its present-day inhabitants seem to dislike this nickname, and not to like the alternative, '''San Fran''', much better); '''Brum''' (for Birmingham); '''San''' or '''Santi''' for Santiago.
 *A city’s or town’s informal name may refer to or reflect a prominent or distinctive feature of, e.g., its location, its history, or its inhabitants, such as
-**a distinctive natural feature, e.g., '''City of Four Rivers''' (Turin, the four rivers are the Po and three of its tributaries); '''Mile High City''' (Denver, capital of Colorado, situated exactly 5280 feet (i.e., one mile) above sea level); '''City of Trees''' (Boise (pronounced as two syllables, ‘bɔɪ siː/ (BOY-see)), capital of Idaho; from the French, ''boisé'', ‘wooded’).
+**a distinctive natural feature, e.g., '''City of Four Rivers''' (Turin, the four rivers are the Po and three of its tributaries); '''Mile High City''' (Denver, capital of Colorado, situated exactly 5280 feet (i.e., one mile) above sea level); '''City of Trees''' (Boise (pronounced as two syllables, ‘bɔɪ siː/ (BOY-see)), capital of Idaho; from the French, ''boisé'', ‘wooded’); '''City of the Island Hills''' (Santiago, capital of Chile).
 **a feature of its weather or climate, e.g., '''The Windy City''' (Port Elizabeth, in South Africa); '''Rain City''' (Vancouver); '''Rain City''' (Seattle).
@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 **the central or pre-eminent position of a city within its region, e.g., '''Pearl of the Danube''' (Budapest), '''Capital of the Alps''' (Grenoble); '''Daughter of the Desert''' (Marrakech); '''Pearl of the Mediterranean''' (Alexandria).
-**the resemblance of a town or city to a more famous city or location, e.g., '''Venice of the North''' (Amsterdam); '''Paris of the Nile''' (Cairo); '''The Europe of Australia''' (Melbourne); '''Venice of the North''' (Bruges); '''Little London''' (Gothenberg); '''Athens of the North''' (Edinburgh).
+**the resemblance of a town or city to a more famous city or location, e.g., '''Venice of the North''' (Amsterdam); '''Paris of the Nile''' (Cairo); '''The Europe of Australia''' (Melbourne); '''Venice of the North''' (Bruges); '''Little London''' (Gothenberg); '''Athens of the North''' (Edinburgh); '''Paris of South America''' (Buenos Aires).
 See also [[Place Names Derived From Names Of Persons]].
 [[Category:Names]][[Category:Place-names]][[Category:Onomastics]]

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 **the resemblance of a town or city to a more famous city or location, e.g., '''Venice of the North''' (Amsterdam); '''Paris of the Nile''' (Cairo); '''The Europe of Australia''' (Melbourne); '''Venice of the North''' (Bruges); '''Little London''' (Gothenberg).
-See also [[Place Names Derived |From Names Of Persons]].
+See also [[Place Names Derived From Names Of Persons]].
 [[Category:Names]][[Category:Place-names]][[Category:Onomastics]]