Slang terms for the most populous city in the United States
During its four-century history,
New York City has been known by a variety of alternative names and euphemisms, both officially and unofficially. Frequently shortened to simply "New York", "NY", or "NYC", New York City is also known as "The City" in some parts of the
Eastern United States, in particular, the
State of New York and surrounding U.S. states.[1] New Yorkers also use "The City" to refer specifically to the
borough of
Manhattan.[2]
Common nicknames
The Big Apple – first published as a euphemism for New York City in 1921 by sportswriter
John J. Fitz Gerald, who claimed he had heard it used the year prior by two stable hands at the New Orleans Fair Grounds because of the large prizes available at
horse races in New York.[3] Later made popular by a 1970s advertisement campaign.[4][5]
The Center of the Universe – used repeatedly by New York City mayor
Robert F. Wagner Jr. during his terms from 1954 to 1965,[11][12] it is also commonly applied to
Times Square specifically,[4][13][14] and similarly used with adjectives such as the "Theatrical Center of the Universe" or "Economic Center of the Universe"[15]
The Empire City – derived from
George Washington in the alleged quote "Surely this is the seat of the empire!" though first published in an 1836 newspaper as "the Empire City of the New World";[18] also in reference to New York City's status as the most populous city in the
State of New York,[22] whose primary nickname is The
Empire State.
The Melting Pot – a reference to the wide variety of ethnicities and language groups in the city, and popularized by various authors including playwright
Israel Zangwill in his 1908 play The Melting Pot
Metropolis – popularized as
the location of
Superman comics, first specified in September 1939's Action Comics #16, written by
Jerry Siegel and
Joe Shuster, and itself an allusion to the setting of the
Fritz Lang film Metropolis (1927),[28] used to describe New York City in the daytime, in contrast to Gotham, sometimes used to describe New York City at night.[22]
Historic nicknames
America's City – a term positioning New York City as emblematic of the country post
9/11, as its premier
metropolis[29][30][31]
Fun City – taken from a phrase in 1966 uttered by then mayor
John Lindsay in response to being asked if he still liked being mayor during a crippling transit strike.[32][22] This nickname was also later derisively played on by NYPD's largest police union, who used the term "Fear City" in response to city budget cutbacks during the 1970s.[33][34]
Names by which the parts of New York City in
Lower Manhattan were officially deemed during the 17th century included:
New Amsterdam – the original name of the
Dutch colony from 1624 until 1665, when the
English captured and renamed the colony during the
Second Anglo-Dutch War. Derived from
Fort Amsterdam, and though the colony's administration at the time simply used the name "Amsterdam" for the village north of the fort, the inclusion of "Nieuw" was popularized in the 1650s by
Adriaen van der Donck in his pamphlets advertising the colony to potential settlers.[35]
Slang terms for the most populous city in the United States
During its four-century history,
New York City has been known by a variety of alternative names and euphemisms, both officially and unofficially. Frequently shortened to simply "New York", "NY", or "NYC", New York City is also known as "The City" in some parts of the
Eastern United States, in particular, the
State of New York and surrounding U.S. states.[1] New Yorkers also use "The City" to refer specifically to the
borough of
Manhattan.[2]
Common nicknames
The Big Apple – first published as a euphemism for New York City in 1921 by sportswriter
John J. Fitz Gerald, who claimed he had heard it used the year prior by two stable hands at the New Orleans Fair Grounds because of the large prizes available at
horse races in New York.[3] Later made popular by a 1970s advertisement campaign.[4][5]
The Center of the Universe – used repeatedly by New York City mayor
Robert F. Wagner Jr. during his terms from 1954 to 1965,[11][12] it is also commonly applied to
Times Square specifically,[4][13][14] and similarly used with adjectives such as the "Theatrical Center of the Universe" or "Economic Center of the Universe"[15]
The Empire City – derived from
George Washington in the alleged quote "Surely this is the seat of the empire!" though first published in an 1836 newspaper as "the Empire City of the New World";[18] also in reference to New York City's status as the most populous city in the
State of New York,[22] whose primary nickname is The
Empire State.
The Melting Pot – a reference to the wide variety of ethnicities and language groups in the city, and popularized by various authors including playwright
Israel Zangwill in his 1908 play The Melting Pot
Metropolis – popularized as
the location of
Superman comics, first specified in September 1939's Action Comics #16, written by
Jerry Siegel and
Joe Shuster, and itself an allusion to the setting of the
Fritz Lang film Metropolis (1927),[28] used to describe New York City in the daytime, in contrast to Gotham, sometimes used to describe New York City at night.[22]
Historic nicknames
America's City – a term positioning New York City as emblematic of the country post
9/11, as its premier
metropolis[29][30][31]
Fun City – taken from a phrase in 1966 uttered by then mayor
John Lindsay in response to being asked if he still liked being mayor during a crippling transit strike.[32][22] This nickname was also later derisively played on by NYPD's largest police union, who used the term "Fear City" in response to city budget cutbacks during the 1970s.[33][34]
Names by which the parts of New York City in
Lower Manhattan were officially deemed during the 17th century included:
New Amsterdam – the original name of the
Dutch colony from 1624 until 1665, when the
English captured and renamed the colony during the
Second Anglo-Dutch War. Derived from
Fort Amsterdam, and though the colony's administration at the time simply used the name "Amsterdam" for the village north of the fort, the inclusion of "Nieuw" was popularized in the 1650s by
Adriaen van der Donck in his pamphlets advertising the colony to potential settlers.[35]