Words for where you're from
August 8, 2006 10:17 AM Subscribe
LanguageFilter: Cypriot. Cairene. Dubliner. These are beautiful, and I'd like more. Name some favourite or exotic words denoting city of origin or residence. And what is the word for this type of word?
Used as noun or adjective, doesn't matter. I'm having trouble with a Google search for what these words might be called, so if anyone knows, do share.
Used as noun or adjective, doesn't matter. I'm having trouble with a Google search for what these words might be called, so if anyone knows, do share.
Utahn. Tangerine. Phoenician.
posted by ottereroticist at 10:22 AM on August 8, 2006
posted by ottereroticist at 10:22 AM on August 8, 2006
Haligonian - Halifax.
posted by Dipsomaniac at 10:28 AM on August 8, 2006
posted by Dipsomaniac at 10:28 AM on August 8, 2006
Liverpudlian. Glasvegian. Moose Javian.
posted by Brian James at 10:30 AM on August 8, 2006
posted by Brian James at 10:30 AM on August 8, 2006
Response by poster: Oh, that's embarassing to have another AskMe post as the first comment. (Thanks vacapinta. Even the word demonym itself is a byoot.)
Phoenician... that's wonderful. And proves that not all the North American variants are stone-cold boring. Keep 'em coming!
posted by poweredbybeard at 10:32 AM on August 8, 2006
Phoenician... that's wonderful. And proves that not all the North American variants are stone-cold boring. Keep 'em coming!
posted by poweredbybeard at 10:32 AM on August 8, 2006
Not that excitng, but in Seattle (where you'd be a Seattlite) there's a neighborhood called Freemont. I've heard people from that area referto themselves as Freemontsters. (The "t" at the end of "Freemont" tend to gets swallowed)
posted by piratebowling at 10:39 AM on August 8, 2006
posted by piratebowling at 10:39 AM on August 8, 2006
Those of us from the Great Lakes State (Michigan, USA) are known as 'Michiganders' or 'Michiganians'.
posted by TheAnswer at 10:46 AM on August 8, 2006
posted by TheAnswer at 10:46 AM on August 8, 2006
Torontonian here.
posted by Robot Johnny at 10:50 AM on August 8, 2006
posted by Robot Johnny at 10:50 AM on August 8, 2006
Nutmeggers are from Connecticut. I never stop finding this funny. YMMV.
posted by dame at 10:51 AM on August 8, 2006
posted by dame at 10:51 AM on August 8, 2006
Buckeye.
Note, despite common usage this is not always a sports reference.
posted by m@ at 10:53 AM on August 8, 2006
Note, despite common usage this is not always a sports reference.
posted by m@ at 10:53 AM on August 8, 2006
It's actually Cantabrigian, since it is of Latin origin.
I like Tridentine, also Latin. And while it's well-known, Provençal is pretty beautiful.
posted by cacophony at 10:55 AM on August 8, 2006
I like Tridentine, also Latin. And while it's well-known, Provençal is pretty beautiful.
posted by cacophony at 10:55 AM on August 8, 2006
Not cities, but I like the names for denizens of various planets:
Mercurians ???
Venusians
Terrans
Martians
Asteroid Beltians ????
Jovians
Saturnites? Saterines?
Uranians???
Neptunians???
Plutonians???
What do we call someone from the moon? A Looney?
posted by grumblebee at 10:58 AM on August 8, 2006
Mercurians ???
Venusians
Terrans
Martians
Asteroid Beltians ????
Jovians
Saturnites? Saterines?
Uranians???
Neptunians???
Plutonians???
What do we call someone from the moon? A Looney?
posted by grumblebee at 10:58 AM on August 8, 2006
People from Indiana are Hooziers. I'm not sure that qualifies as beautiful.
One word for a New Yorker is a Gothamite.
posted by grumblebee at 11:00 AM on August 8, 2006
One word for a New Yorker is a Gothamite.
posted by grumblebee at 11:00 AM on August 8, 2006
Manx (of or pertaining to the Isle of Man).
Mancunians are people from Manchester.
Paulistas are natives of Sao Paulo.
posted by nyterrant at 11:06 AM on August 8, 2006
Mancunians are people from Manchester.
Paulistas are natives of Sao Paulo.
posted by nyterrant at 11:06 AM on August 8, 2006
Considering the very humble status of being from a small town in Middle Tennessee, I can astound people by telling them I'm a Mancunian.
posted by 1f2frfbf at 11:10 AM on August 8, 2006
posted by 1f2frfbf at 11:10 AM on August 8, 2006
Residents of Newcastle-on-Tyne call themselves "Geordies" but I don't know why.
People from Indiana are Hooziers.
But they spell it Hoosiers.
posted by Rash at 11:16 AM on August 8, 2006
People from Indiana are Hooziers.
But they spell it Hoosiers.
posted by Rash at 11:16 AM on August 8, 2006
As a native of Denver, it always amused me that I was a "Denverite" and a "Coloradan" (and not Colora-do-an, as the state name might suggest).
People from Olympia are, naturally, Olympians.
And some friends of mine who moved to Seattle many years ago wondered about the mysterious Taco Man who was occasionally in the headlines - he was a Tacoma resident, called "Tacoman", and pronounced entirely unlike Taco Man.
posted by dbmcd at 11:17 AM on August 8, 2006
People from Olympia are, naturally, Olympians.
And some friends of mine who moved to Seattle many years ago wondered about the mysterious Taco Man who was occasionally in the headlines - he was a Tacoma resident, called "Tacoman", and pronounced entirely unlike Taco Man.
posted by dbmcd at 11:17 AM on August 8, 2006
Amsterdammers, Athenians, Winnipegers, Calgarians, Edmontonians, Vancouverites, Londonners, Parisians (and Parigots)
posted by Robot Johnny at 11:22 AM on August 8, 2006
posted by Robot Johnny at 11:22 AM on August 8, 2006
Some African ones are pretty too:
Benin - Beninois (pronounced Benin-wa)
Burkina Faso - Burkinabe (pronounced Burk -in- abey)
Madagascar - Malagasy
Western Sahara - Sahrawi
As are the smaller islands in the various oceans:
St Kitts and Nevis - Kittsian
St. Croix - Cruzan
Kiribati - I-Kiribati
Mayotte - Mahorais
posted by ramix at 11:26 AM on August 8, 2006
Benin - Beninois (pronounced Benin-wa)
Burkina Faso - Burkinabe (pronounced Burk -in- abey)
Madagascar - Malagasy
Western Sahara - Sahrawi
As are the smaller islands in the various oceans:
St Kitts and Nevis - Kittsian
St. Croix - Cruzan
Kiribati - I-Kiribati
Mayotte - Mahorais
posted by ramix at 11:26 AM on August 8, 2006
Massachusetts residents are officially "Bay Staters" but we are more commonly referred to as "Massholes."
posted by justkevin at 11:27 AM on August 8, 2006
posted by justkevin at 11:27 AM on August 8, 2006
Newfoundlander from St. John's: Townie
Newfoundlander from outside of St. John's: Bayman (applies even when the community is miles and miles from the ocean)
posted by hangashore at 11:28 AM on August 8, 2006
Newfoundlander from outside of St. John's: Bayman (applies even when the community is miles and miles from the ocean)
posted by hangashore at 11:28 AM on August 8, 2006
What a great question.
Aberdeen -> Aberdonian
Brighton -> Brightonian
Cardiff -> Cardiffian
And residents of Sunderland are called Mackems.
posted by randomination at 11:39 AM on August 8, 2006
Aberdeen -> Aberdonian
Brighton -> Brightonian
Cardiff -> Cardiffian
And residents of Sunderland are called Mackems.
posted by randomination at 11:39 AM on August 8, 2006
Any one from Maine?
Guess that would make you a Maineac!
posted by ramix at 11:41 AM on August 8, 2006
Guess that would make you a Maineac!
posted by ramix at 11:41 AM on August 8, 2006
Residents of Carsac, Dordogne, France are Carsacois; those from the neighboring town of Sarlat are Sarladais.
posted by The Michael The at 11:45 AM on August 8, 2006
posted by The Michael The at 11:45 AM on August 8, 2006
Americans will often call a Canadian a "Canuk," a word of (I think) Huron origin meaning "Francophone European."
Many erroneously believe this to be insulting (it may once have been, particularly for the Quebecois), but few Canadians now use this term for anything other than the Vancouver hockey team.
As a Canadian myself, I prefer "Hoser."
However, since moving to Chicago I have learned that the Potawatomi word "Sauganash" (a neighborhood in Chicago named after an early settler) meant something like "Anglophone from the North," which kind of appeals to me.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:45 AM on August 8, 2006
Many erroneously believe this to be insulting (it may once have been, particularly for the Quebecois), but few Canadians now use this term for anything other than the Vancouver hockey team.
As a Canadian myself, I prefer "Hoser."
However, since moving to Chicago I have learned that the Potawatomi word "Sauganash" (a neighborhood in Chicago named after an early settler) meant something like "Anglophone from the North," which kind of appeals to me.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:45 AM on August 8, 2006
Scousers are Liverpudlians.
posted by randomination at 11:53 AM on August 8, 2006
posted by randomination at 11:53 AM on August 8, 2006
Dundonians (Dundee)
posted by fire&wings at 12:03 PM on August 8, 2006
posted by fire&wings at 12:03 PM on August 8, 2006
Novocastrian is the more elegant alternative for Geordie.
Here in Ireland, the residents of Galway are Galwegians, while the denizens of Cork are Corkonians. To us Dubliners though, they're both Culchies, while they call us Jackeens.
I love language, me.
posted by macdara at 12:08 PM on August 8, 2006
Here in Ireland, the residents of Galway are Galwegians, while the denizens of Cork are Corkonians. To us Dubliners though, they're both Culchies, while they call us Jackeens.
I love language, me.
posted by macdara at 12:08 PM on August 8, 2006
What do we call someone from the moon? A Looney?
Mooninites. Or Lunatacs.
My personal Washington (state) favorite: Bellingham -> Bellinghamsters. Gotta love a place whose motto is "The City of Subdued Excitement". (Still waiting to find out what the residents of Humptulips are called, though.)
posted by Vervain at 12:17 PM on August 8, 2006
Mooninites. Or Lunatacs.
My personal Washington (state) favorite: Bellingham -> Bellinghamsters. Gotta love a place whose motto is "The City of Subdued Excitement". (Still waiting to find out what the residents of Humptulips are called, though.)
posted by Vervain at 12:17 PM on August 8, 2006
Folks in the country in Scotland are sometimes called Teuchters, (pronounced 'tyoochters') though it's pretty much a North East thing. People from Fife are Fifers, people from Orkney are Orcadians (I like that one). Never been able to come up with a satisfactory one for Edinburgh (my home town) myself, most people say, 'er, Edinburgher?' jokingly and then realise there's no real alternative.
Currently I'm a Londoner.
Oh, of course, there's the Cornish, and Pompeys (people from Portsmouth) not to mention Brummies (Birmingham).
posted by Happy Dave at 12:23 PM on August 8, 2006
Currently I'm a Londoner.
Oh, of course, there's the Cornish, and Pompeys (people from Portsmouth) not to mention Brummies (Birmingham).
posted by Happy Dave at 12:23 PM on August 8, 2006
Baltimorons.
posted by OmieWise at 12:36 PM on August 8, 2006 [1 favorite]
posted by OmieWise at 12:36 PM on August 8, 2006 [1 favorite]
Residents of Timaru, a South Island town in New Zealand, are sometimes known as Timaruvians. We also have Dunedinites and Hamiltonians.
Somehow most of our Maori placenames don't seem to lend themselves to this sort of thing (Timarui being the exception) and local news articles are full of expressions like "Rotorua residents", "Oamaru townsfolk", "the people of Whangarei", and so on.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 12:38 PM on August 8, 2006
Somehow most of our Maori placenames don't seem to lend themselves to this sort of thing (Timarui being the exception) and local news articles are full of expressions like "Rotorua residents", "Oamaru townsfolk", "the people of Whangarei", and so on.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 12:38 PM on August 8, 2006
I also like Muscovites.
San Diegites?
San Diegoans?
San Diegans?
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 12:47 PM on August 8, 2006
San Diegites?
San Diegoans?
San Diegans?
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 12:47 PM on August 8, 2006
While "Dubliner" may be the proper word, we mostly call ourselves "Doobs".
posted by jamesonandwater at 1:10 PM on August 8, 2006
posted by jamesonandwater at 1:10 PM on August 8, 2006
Awesome! You asked a question to which I've wanted an answer for literally years.
posted by scrump at 1:12 PM on August 8, 2006
posted by scrump at 1:12 PM on August 8, 2006
I think people from the Upper Peninsula in Michigan call themselves "Yoopies" (sp?). Or is it that others call them that?
People from Somerville Mass. often call themselves Somervillains.
posted by jesourie at 1:24 PM on August 8, 2006
People from Somerville Mass. often call themselves Somervillains.
posted by jesourie at 1:24 PM on August 8, 2006
Tar Heels are from North Cackalacky.
(Links pop to wikipedia etymologies.)
posted by 10ch at 1:26 PM on August 8, 2006
(Links pop to wikipedia etymologies.)
posted by 10ch at 1:26 PM on August 8, 2006
People from the city of Gloucester are Gloucestrians - pronounced glowcesstrians - which I think slides rather indulgently off the tongue...
posted by prentiz at 1:35 PM on August 8, 2006
posted by prentiz at 1:35 PM on August 8, 2006
not sure why link doesn't work - not very interesting anyway...
posted by prentiz at 1:35 PM on August 8, 2006
posted by prentiz at 1:35 PM on August 8, 2006
Gloucester. It didn't work because you missed off the "http://" part.
People from Sydney are "Sydney-siders". People from Tasmania are referred to as "Taswegians", derived from "Glaswegians", but not officially.
posted by AmbroseChapel at 2:15 PM on August 8, 2006
People from Sydney are "Sydney-siders". People from Tasmania are referred to as "Taswegians", derived from "Glaswegians", but not officially.
posted by AmbroseChapel at 2:15 PM on August 8, 2006
Picksburgher.
Meaning, someone from Picksburg, or course.
posted by god hates math at 2:19 PM on August 8, 2006
Meaning, someone from Picksburg, or course.
posted by god hates math at 2:19 PM on August 8, 2006
jesourie - they call themselves "youpers", the spelling of which I'm not certain, unfortunately.
posted by ooga_booga at 2:23 PM on August 8, 2006
posted by ooga_booga at 2:23 PM on August 8, 2006
Minneapolis: Minneapolitan
posted by Utilitaritron at 3:11 PM on August 8, 2006
posted by Utilitaritron at 3:11 PM on August 8, 2006
Oh yeah, when I lived in the Black Country in the UK, the inhabitants of Netherton, Brierley Hill and neighbouring villages were referred to as Yamyams. In that area they conjugate the verb "to be" "I am", "you am", "he am" ...
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 3:26 PM on August 8, 2006
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 3:26 PM on August 8, 2006
People from Michigan are Michiganders - whence the d?
People from Arkansas are Arkansans, pronounced ar-kans-ans, i.e. not like the actual state of Arkansas.
People from Maine are Down Easters, aren't they?
posted by xetere at 3:38 PM on August 8, 2006
People from Arkansas are Arkansans, pronounced ar-kans-ans, i.e. not like the actual state of Arkansas.
People from Maine are Down Easters, aren't they?
posted by xetere at 3:38 PM on August 8, 2006
You may find a few more in the responses to my tangentially related question a ways back.
Around here it's mostly predictable names such as Portlander, Greshamite and Beavertonian.
Utahn and Illini are personal favourites.
posted by geckoinpdx at 3:42 PM on August 8, 2006
Around here it's mostly predictable names such as Portlander, Greshamite and Beavertonian.
Utahn and Illini are personal favourites.
posted by geckoinpdx at 3:42 PM on August 8, 2006
Around here it's mostly predictable names such as Portlander, Greshamite and Beavertonian.
Although you'll sometimes hear native Oregonians refer to themselves as Webfoots or Webfeet. (The original state sobriquet of the Webfoot State was changed to the Beaver State in 1909. I wish they'd kept the original!)
posted by ottereroticist at 4:18 PM on August 8, 2006
Although you'll sometimes hear native Oregonians refer to themselves as Webfoots or Webfeet. (The original state sobriquet of the Webfoot State was changed to the Beaver State in 1909. I wish they'd kept the original!)
posted by ottereroticist at 4:18 PM on August 8, 2006
Trinbagonian--from Trinidad and Tobago.
posted by feathermeat at 4:26 PM on August 8, 2006
posted by feathermeat at 4:26 PM on August 8, 2006
My Romanian French teacher's last name was Timaru- rather interesting that it's a Maori word.
posted by MadamM at 4:38 PM on August 8, 2006
posted by MadamM at 4:38 PM on August 8, 2006
People from Tasmania are called Taswegians.
People from Brisbane are called Brisvegans.
posted by wilful at 5:58 PM on August 8, 2006
People from Brisbane are called Brisvegans.
posted by wilful at 5:58 PM on August 8, 2006
Buenos Aires → Porteños
Bosnia (Muslim only) → Bosniak
Cuzco → Cuzqueño
Flanders → Fleming
Key West → Conch
Oklahoma → Sooner (or Okie)
Leeds → Loiner
Perth → Perthite
and, more recently:
Auckland → JAFA (its profane origins notwithstanding, the word has been adapted and adopted by many isthmusians)
posted by rob511 at 6:11 PM on August 8, 2006
Bosnia (Muslim only) → Bosniak
Cuzco → Cuzqueño
Flanders → Fleming
Key West → Conch
Oklahoma → Sooner (or Okie)
Leeds → Loiner
Perth → Perthite
and, more recently:
Auckland → JAFA (its profane origins notwithstanding, the word has been adapted and adopted by many isthmusians)
posted by rob511 at 6:11 PM on August 8, 2006
Costa Rica - ticos
Madrid - madrileños, gatos, manolos/manolas (this one is more specific, and refers to working-class Madrid residents in certain neighborhoods)
Rio de Janeiro - Cariocas
posted by anjamu at 9:04 PM on August 8, 2006
Madrid - madrileños, gatos, manolos/manolas (this one is more specific, and refers to working-class Madrid residents in certain neighborhoods)
Rio de Janeiro - Cariocas
posted by anjamu at 9:04 PM on August 8, 2006
Canadian
Alabamian
WHY are they not Canadan / Alabaman?
I will henceforth commence referring to those places as Canadia and Alabamia, respectively.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 9:46 PM on August 8, 2006
Alabamian
WHY are they not Canadan / Alabaman?
I will henceforth commence referring to those places as Canadia and Alabamia, respectively.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 9:46 PM on August 8, 2006
I will henceforth commence referring to those places as Canadia and Alabamia, respectively.
A person from Bermuda is a Bermudian, so you better add Bermudia to your new atlas as well.
posted by Robot Johnny at 9:49 PM on August 8, 2006
A person from Bermuda is a Bermudian, so you better add Bermudia to your new atlas as well.
posted by Robot Johnny at 9:49 PM on August 8, 2006
Residents of Yakima, Washington, have been known to refer to themselves as "Yakimaniacs."
Vervain, residents of Humptulips (all 216 or so of 'em) but I'm sure they're be called Humptulians.
posted by lhauser at 10:15 PM on August 8, 2006
Vervain, residents of Humptulips (all 216 or so of 'em) but I'm sure they're be called Humptulians.
posted by lhauser at 10:15 PM on August 8, 2006
People from Tasmania -- the island state off the south-east coast of Australia -- are called Vand(i)emonians, because Tasmania used to be known as Van Diemen's Land.
posted by robcorr at 10:26 PM on August 8, 2006
posted by robcorr at 10:26 PM on August 8, 2006
A current or former inhabitant of the island of Rhodes, now a part of Greece, is called a Rhodesli. It sounds like some kind of flower, doesn't it? I suppose the adjective form would be Rhodeslian, but I've never seen or heard that in use.
posted by Asparagirl at 11:54 PM on August 8, 2006
posted by Asparagirl at 11:54 PM on August 8, 2006
According to Simon Winchester's book Outposts, residents of the island of St. Helena are called Saints.
posted by lukemeister at 12:11 AM on August 9, 2006
posted by lukemeister at 12:11 AM on August 9, 2006
Residents of Taradale, a suburb of Napier, New Zealand, are Taradidlians.
posted by TiredStarling at 12:16 AM on August 9, 2006
posted by TiredStarling at 12:16 AM on August 9, 2006
People born in Salvador, Brazil are known as soteropolitanos.
posted by wallaby at 4:44 AM on August 9, 2006
posted by wallaby at 4:44 AM on August 9, 2006
Krakow, Poland → Cracovian, Krakovian ("krak-oo-vian").
posted by mdonley at 5:39 AM on August 9, 2006
posted by mdonley at 5:39 AM on August 9, 2006
People from Chalmette, LA are Chalmations.
People from Violet, LA are Violations.
posted by Mr. Gunn at 9:02 AM on August 9, 2006
People from Violet, LA are Violations.
posted by Mr. Gunn at 9:02 AM on August 9, 2006
People from York, England are called Yorkists
But New York, NY people are called New Yorkers. I think New Yorkist is much cooler.
The Italians call people from Munich, Germany "Monacins". This may be because the Italian word for Munchen is Manaco (Monk).
posted by parmanparman at 9:40 AM on August 9, 2006
But New York, NY people are called New Yorkers. I think New Yorkist is much cooler.
The Italians call people from Munich, Germany "Monacins". This may be because the Italian word for Munchen is Manaco (Monk).
posted by parmanparman at 9:40 AM on August 9, 2006
It's San Diegans.
And people from Fresno are Fresnans, I recently learned.
posted by exceptinsects at 11:25 AM on August 10, 2006
And people from Fresno are Fresnans, I recently learned.
posted by exceptinsects at 11:25 AM on August 10, 2006
Hmm, I just found this. As a current resident of Santa Barbara (California), I've Santa Barbarans (boring), but I've also frequently heard Santa Barbarians. This might be dergatory, though. I'm not sure.
posted by JMOZ at 4:12 PM on May 19, 2007
posted by JMOZ at 4:12 PM on May 19, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by vacapinta at 10:20 AM on August 8, 2006