It was Shakespeare who once posed the question, “What’s in a name?” It turns out we have the answer: Quite a lot. The importance of what we call people, places, and things is perhaps most obvious when it comes to city nicknames. Whether born in the bayou, a nod to location, modernization, or elevation, or in honor of cattle or cars, city nicknames say a lot without saying much at all. Here are the origins of 21 US city nicknames. Learn where they came from and how they subtly reflect the soul of a region.
#1: The Big Apple (New York City, New York)
New York is among the most fruitful cities in the nation, but its “Big Apple” nickname isn’t a nod to the hustle and bustle defining the metropolis; instead, it refers to the racetrack. Once upon a time, the city that never sleeps was the epicenter of horseracing, and the prizes awarded were referred to as big apples. While on assignment, John J. Fitz Gerald, a local sportswriter, overheard African American stablehands call New York City the “Big Apple,” and he soon incorporated the term into his writing. Fittingly, New York state is also a top domestic producer of apples, second to Washington.
