Comments on: More like St. Smellmo

Question: More like St. Smellmo

Miko — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:39:17 -0800

Do you know a derogatory nickname for a town or city?

I'm interested in renaming as a form of unofficial culture, folk culture. Sometimes the new name carries a weight of opinion - one type of renaming is to give a locality an insulting version of its real name. I've seen this most prevalently in teenagers and in service personnel stationed somewhere away from home. For instance, my hometown of Red Bank was called "Dead Bank" by its disaffected teens. It's been studied a little bit by folklorists, but I'd love to assemble some more recent name versions. I understand that some of these ("Jew York") might not always be PC and certainly can accept that in this context as I hope others can.

This Onion piece was not my inspiration, but turned up in a search - you get the idea. So please share your town's insulting nickname!

By: billysumday

billysumday — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:42:35 -0800

Bodymore, Murdaland (Balitmore, Maryland); Naptown (Indianapolis); Mistake by the Lake (Cleveland)

By: generichuman

generichuman — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:44:39 -0800

Cowtown (Calgary)
La La Land (Vancouver. Also, I think, LA.)

By: burnmp3s

burnmp3s — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:45:53 -0800

I've heard Sonoma, CA referred to as "Slow-Coma"

By: SteveInMaine

SteveInMaine — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:46:42 -0800

Augusta, ME -> Disgusta

By: sneakin

sneakin — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:47:13 -0800

People call New Haven, CT Pistol Wavin'/Gun Wavin' New Haven. Now that I think about it I'm not sure if it's meant as derogatory or a badge of honor. You choose. Also: Waterbury, CT is Dirty Water (also not sure if that's good or bad). West Haven, CT = Waste Haven. Seymour, CT=See Less

I know the college kids of Troy, NY call the locals Troylets (get it, like toilets?). Tangental, I know. But still.

By: koeselitz

koeselitz — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:47:43 -0800

Aurora, out on the flats east of Denver, where slums and slightly-less-than-middle-class neighborhoods are sprawled, is often referred to (especially by older and more conservative residents, I've found) as 'Saudi Aurora.'

But not by me.

By: notsnot

notsnot — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:48:22 -0800

St. Screwy (St. Louis)...also 23rd city (making fun of our then-current ranking, since we like to talk about how we used to be third, behind NYC and Philly, a century ago)

By: zebra3

zebra3 — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:48:25 -0800

Hohenwald, TN = Hole In the Wall

By: Wolfdog

Wolfdog — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:48:54 -0800

A quick search reveals that people are still referring to Cumberland, MD as "Cumberhole", rather charmingly and reflexively typifying the local wit.

By: John Kenneth Fisher

John Kenneth Fisher — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:49:08 -0800

If we're talking Red Bank, NJ (possible. It was once called "Dead Bank" as well,) it's revitalized and has been referred to as "Hip City" in magazines, etc.

Which, although it does have some cool stuff now, is enough of an overstatement that that nickname is now used mainly ironically. So.. sort of what you're talking about.

By: cashman

cashman — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:50:04 -0800

Indiano-place (Indianapolis)

By: zsazsa

zsazsa — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:50:38 -0800

In high school we had nicknames like this for all the other schools we played against. I don't remember any of them any more except the one for my own high school town, Eureka. It was "you reek.... a."

Lame, I know.

By: Durin's Bane

Durin's Bane — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:52:17 -0800

I've heard Orlando called "O-bland-o" or maybe "Or-bland-o" due to its lack of restaurants and culture that can be enjoyed by the locals.

By: lisawin

lisawin — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:54:10 -0800

I've heard Nashua, NH referred to as "trashua", and back home, New Britain, CT is affectionately referred to as Hard Hittin' New Britain.

By: kaizen

kaizen — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:55:14 -0800

Hong Couver - Vancouver
Winterpeg - Winnepeg
Benton Harbour, MI - Benton Harlem

By: silby

silby — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:58:24 -0800

Woodbridge, VA is known as "Hoodbridge." West Potomac high school was called "West Pot" on occasion. That's all I can think of right now.

By: mkb

mkb — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:58:31 -0800

From Massachusetts:
* Lynn, Lynn, City of Sin
* Manchester-by-the-Snob

By: Steven C. Den Beste

Steven C. Den Beste — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:58:31 -0800

Lynn, City of Sin (Lynn, MA)

Berzerkeley

By: Steven C. Den Beste

Steven C. Den Beste — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:58:52 -0800

The People's Republic of Cambridge (MA)

By: saladin

saladin — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:58:53 -0800

Lake Worthless - Lake Worth, Florida

By: poppo

poppo — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:59:14 -0800

Jew York

By: timory

timory — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:59:16 -0800

for my hometown, shitsburgh.

By: clpage

clpage — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:59:41 -0800

Frederick, MD = Fredneck

I learned that one from friend of mine who grew up here in MD.

By: Magnakai

Magnakai — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:59:59 -0800

I thought Jew York was simply in a reference to the large semitic population - I had not idea it was a derogatory term, and would be curious to know exactly what insult is implied by that.

Anyway, I've literally only ever heard people use London's affectionate old nickname Blighty a couple of times, but I've heard Shitey a few more than that.

There are probably tons of nicknames for areas of London, but I really can't recall any. Maybe there's some cockney rhyming slang?

By: bristolcat

bristolcat — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:00:11 -0800

Our neighboring city to the south, Sioux City, is affectionately referred to as "Sewer City" by many people I know. We used to drive through the city on I-29, which ran near the packing plant, thereby making the 2-3 mile drive through Sioux City a smelly one.

By: owtytrof

owtytrof — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:00:34 -0800

When I was in high school, many people referred to the neighboring city of Lewisville, Tx as Loserville.

By: moonmilk

moonmilk — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:00:57 -0800

Filthadelphia.

By: oflinkey

oflinkey — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:01:10 -0800

Albany, NY= Smallbany
Cheektowaga, NY= Cheektowarsaw or Cheektavegas
I am trying to think of one for Buffalo, but I can't. Perhaps "Buffalo" is an epithet in and of itself (I love Buffalo).

By: mkb

mkb — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:01:11 -0800

Oh, and People's Republic of Cambridge.

By: Xurando

Xurando — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:01:34 -0800

When I was growing up in Minnesota, there was this joke that they were going to combine Minneapolis and St. Paul into a new town called Minnehaha. Minnie for Minneapolis and haha for St. Paul.

By: Johnny Assay

Johnny Assay — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:02:28 -0800

Burlington, ON is sometimes called Borington.

The things you learn by listening to the R3-30 podcast...

By: BozoBurgerBonanza

BozoBurgerBonanza — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:02:28 -0800

Double whammy:

Regina, Saskatchewan: Vagina, Sadcatchtochewon

(

By: JeremiahBritt

JeremiahBritt — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:02:49 -0800

Here's an obscure one: Ishpeming, MI, in the upper peninsula, is called Ishpetucky by other towns and cities in the area.

Pretty much any small town is called Bumfuck, [insert state here]

By: elmer benson

elmer benson — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:03:05 -0800

St. Small --> St. Paul, MN
Murderapolis --> Minneapolis, MN
Iowa Shitty --> Iowa City, IA
Galesbored --> Galesburg, IL
Rancine --> Racine, WI

Yep, that's pretty much a biographical road trip through the derogatorily-renamed cities I've chosen to live in.

By: poppo

poppo — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:03:46 -0800

Oops, sorry I didn't even realize Jew York showed up in the original question.

For Magnakai: Yeah, when someone who isn't Jewish says "Jew York" it's insulting. However, I'm Jewish, so I'm allowed to say it. I shouldn't have mentioned that.

By: Miko

Miko — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:03:52 -0800

If we're talking Red Bank, NJ (possible. It was once called "Dead Bank" as well,) it's revitalized and has been referred to as "Hip City" in magazines, etc.

Yep; I'm from Red Bank. My folks are still there. I've been there through every stage of the revitalization, and though it may not be as hip as one could ironically wish, and certainly has overgentrified insanely, I'll take it over the empty storefronts of 1985.

By: poppo

poppo — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:04:53 -0800

~~shouldn't~~ should

By: backseatpilot

backseatpilot — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:04:58 -0800

Filthadelphia.
I heard my hometown of Voorhees, NJ referred to as Bore-hees when I was a teen. Could also be Boor-hees, though, referring to all the nouveaux riche that live there.

By: waraw

waraw — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:06:52 -0800

Greensboro, NC ---> Greensboring (though my own attempt of Greebo, Inc. never really caught on)
Fayetteville, NC ---> Fayettenam (Fort Bragg is nearby)

By: adamwolf

adamwolf — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:07:37 -0800

Cedar Rapids, IA -- official slogan of "City of Five Seasons," unofficial slogan of "City of Five Smells," as it has one of the world's largest oats processing plants, IIRC.

I'm not sure if this is what you're looking for, as it isn't a change of the name itself, but its definitely derogatory.

By: twoporedomain

twoporedomain — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:08:12 -0800

In the western suburbs of Detroit, we called Westland "Wasteland" (more just because it was easy, not because it was true). We also oh-so-cleverly modified the names of several other lower-middle-class surburbs with "-tucky." Taylor --> "Taylortucky," Ypsilanti --> "Ypsitucky." Which was really more insulting to Kentuckians, since we were using it to denote a hillbilly/white-trashiness. Sorry, Kentuckians. And people from Taylor/Ypsilanti.
(on preview, highfive JeremiahBritt!

By: Plutor

Plutor — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:10:06 -0800

Not a city, but I've heard the (relatively dangerous) Savin Hill neighborhood in the south of Boston, MA called "Stab N' Kill".

Not really derogatory, but Brookline, MA, east of Boston, has a large Jewish population and a number of Judaica shops, and is sometimes called Baruchline.

By: Plutor

Plutor — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:10:28 -0800

~~east~~ west

By: adamrice

adamrice — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:10:45 -0800

Magnakai—I thought Jew York was simply in a reference to the large semitic population

On the face of it, you're right. However, the only people who would really be interested in drawing attention to that fact are A) Jews, and B) anti-semites. And I don't think I've ever heard a Jew call New York "Jew York"—perhaps that means I haven't been around enough.

Whenever I hear a city nicknamed something that associates it with a certain ethnic group (Hongcouver, etc), it seems more derogatory than not.

By: MaHaGoN

MaHaGoN — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:11:21 -0800

I was going to say Smallbany but oflinkey beat me to it, so...

Rottenfester = Rochester, NY

(From Albany but go to school in Rochester)

By: Wilder

Wilder — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:11:47 -0800

In Ireland, Limerick used to be known as "Stab City". (I've been away for years so don't know if that is till the case)

By: drezdn

drezdn — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:11:56 -0800

My hometown of West Allis is referred to as Stallis.

By: rxrfrx

rxrfrx — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:12:26 -0800

Somerville, MA -> Slumerville (not used much anymore)

By: xetere

xetere — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:12:32 -0800

Syracuse, NY called either Sorry-cuse, or Zero-cuse. I've been to Syracuse. It's not *that* bad.
The only person from North Dakota I've ever met used to call Fargo, Fart-go.

By: rmd1023

rmd1023 — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:13:53 -0800

in massachusetts, somerville used to be commonly called "slummerville" (although not so much lately) or "scummerville". i've heard people describe lowell as "low-hell".

new hampshire is sometimes called "cow hampshire".

By: hermitosis

hermitosis — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:15:02 -0800

My friend from Decatur, IL refers to it as "Decaytur".

A friend of mine constantly refers to NYC (especially certain neighborhoods) as "Jerk City".

Lately we have been making fun for Greenpoint by calling it "Greenpernt", an old provincial pronunciation.

By: mbd1mbd1

mbd1mbd1 — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:15:44 -0800

Not just Filthadelphia, but also Philasmellphia.

Back along the folk culture lines, North Little Rock, Arkansas is sometimes called Dogtown by people who live in Little Rock. The legend goes that the dogcatchers in Little Rock would round up the strays in the city, and then take them over the river and let them loose in NLR. So NLR is the abused little brother, getting the leftovers of the REAL city.

By: kuujjuarapik

kuujjuarapik — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:16:13 -0800

Murdapan - Mattapan, MA
Marsh Vegas- Marshfield MA
Deluxbury- Duxbury MA

By: CrayDrygu

CrayDrygu — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:16:26 -0800

I once saw (here on MeFi IIRC) New York City referred to as "New York Çity", which stuck with me just for its cleverness. (The "Ç" is, in some languages, pronounced roughly like "sh".)

By: bonehead

bonehead — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:17:10 -0800

Toronto:
Hogtown (for the old stockyards, I believe)
The Big Smoke
The Centre of the Universe

Ottawa: (Itself almost an insult, the way DC is in the US)
The town than fun forgot

By: candyland

candyland — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:17:15 -0800

Ashburn, VA = Cashburn

By: Lucinda

Lucinda — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:17:20 -0800

Rottenfester = Rochester, NY

Crotchester.

By: phoenixy

phoenixy — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:17:35 -0800

Somerville, MA->Slumerville (mostly pre-gentrification). And of course Massachusetts->Taxachusetts.

By: Dr. Wu

Dr. Wu — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:18:28 -0800

Some liminal cases:
Hicksville, Long Island, contains its own derogatory moniker. You merely have to pronounce it snidely, as we did in high school.

Chapel Hill, NC, is sometimes earnestly called "Chapel Thrill," since "there's so much to do there," but that nickname is so damn stupid and irony-inviting that it nearly qualifies for your search, Miko.

By: 517

517 — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:18:56 -0800

Bland Vapids. Grand Rapids, MI

By: mkb

mkb — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:19:57 -0800

Another Massachusetts one: Athol (rhymes with asshole) becomes rATHOLe every April.

By: JujuB

JujuB — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:20:35 -0800

The Big Sleazy - The Big Easy - New Orleans
On a bumper sticker "New Orleans - proud to crawl home"

By: drinkcoffee

drinkcoffee — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:20:50 -0800

Here in Filthadelphia, we have the "SureKill Depressway" (Schuylkill Expressway). There are also some neighborhoods with already ironic or strange connotations built in -- like Nicetown and Fishtown.

Philasmellphia -- heh heh. Never heard that one.

By: slimepuppy

slimepuppy — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:22:30 -0800

Helsinki = Hellsinki
London = The Smog

By: grabbingsand

grabbingsand — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:22:44 -0800

Just north of Chattanooga, TN, there is a little binary set of towns. Soddy and Daisy. Collectively, they are called Soddy-Daisy.

Of course, this means that the local kids call it Sodomy Daisy.

By: haqspan

haqspan — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:22:48 -0800

Slutboken = Hoboken, NJ

By: fancypants

fancypants — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:26:32 -0800

A few I've heard on the presidential campaign I'm working on:

Manchester, NH = Manchvegas
Iowa City, IA = Iowa Shitty
Cedar Rapids, IA = Cedar Crapids
Ames, IA = Lames

By: TedW

TedW — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:26:52 -0800

Augusta, ME -> Disgusta

Also used for Augusta, GA.

By: buttercup

buttercup — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:28:04 -0800

Bowling Green, OH => Blowing Green - its windy, but also boring.

To followup on the Pittsburgh/Sh*tsburgh nickname, actress Sienna Miller insulted Pittsburgh last year with that nickname and it was the major news story for several weeks and still frequently talked about in some circles.

By: sjuhawk31

sjuhawk31 — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:28:37 -0800

Also Killadelphia, per our murder epidemic.

By: evisceratordeath

evisceratordeath — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:29:42 -0800

Des Peres, Missouri - Despair, Misery.

(Des Peres is a suburb of St. Louis, and it now occurs to me that its proud nickname The Lou could also be spelled The Loo...)

By: wv kay in ga

wv kay in ga — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:31:17 -0800

Peterstown = Dick City

By: Durin's Bane

Durin's Bane — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:32:16 -0800

Pine Hills, an unincorporated suburb of Orlando, is often called Crime Hills.

By: generichuman

generichuman — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:32:38 -0800

Oshawa, Ontario: "The Dirty Shwa", or just "The Shwa."

By: jonmc

jonmc — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:34:04 -0800

Sodom On The Hudson=New York
Crooklyn=Brooklyn
Lake Failure=Lake Success, New York

By: cgg

cgg — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:35:45 -0800

Surrey, BC => Slurrey, BC, Canada
There are even a couple related entries in the Urban Dictionary.

By: timetoevolve

timetoevolve — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:36:58 -0800

Blacksburg, VA --> Bleaksburg (from my husband's dislike of the winters and boredom)
Roanoke, VA --> Broke-noke

By: konolia

konolia — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:36:59 -0800

Fayetteville has been called Fayettenam (stems from the Vietnam War area-I can give you a lot of detail on that one if you want it.) We also have been called Fatalburg.

I understand that some folks also have nicknamed us Gotham City.

By: tommasz

tommasz — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:37:25 -0800

Rochester, NY has been most (in)famously called Smugtown.

By: govtdrone

govtdrone — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:37:31 -0800

Big Sleazy=New Orleans (Big Easy)

By: tatiana wishbone

tatiana wishbone — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:37:31 -0800

Tallatrashee and Tallanastee (and sometimes just "the 'nastee"--> Tallahassee. They just roll off the tongue.

By: almostmanda

almostmanda — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:38:26 -0800

Roajoke, Virginia

By: xetere

xetere — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:41:58 -0800

Williamsburg, Brooklyn is universally called McWilliamsburg by my middle-aged New York native friends. Mc is becoming a wonderful prefix.

By: yerfatma

yerfatma — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:42:15 -0800

Scummersworth (Somersworth), NH
Dirty Dove (Dover, NH)

By: found missing

found missing — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:45:46 -0800

Whitefish Bay, WI, -> Whitefolks Bay

By: Gortuk

Gortuk — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:46:38 -0800

Vancouver, BC = No Fun City
Waterloo, ON = H2Oloo

By: Thorzdad

Thorzdad — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:47:07 -0800

Pretty much appending "tucky" to anything is a universal denigration.
Years ago, National Lampoon published a map of the US. Indiana was re-named Michi-tucky.

Personally, we refer to our little hoosier town as Muncie-tucky.

And, yeah, "Indy-no-place". Also, "Nap-town". Though that has a slightly better street vibe, rather than the "sleepy nowhere" that is intended.

By: backseatpilot

backseatpilot — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:47:26 -0800

Oh, I just remembered one more. The radio DJs back home always referred to Gloucester City, NJ as Gloucester-City-Tucky.

This almost makes me miss New Jersey.

By: DoctorFedora

DoctorFedora — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:47:43 -0800

Does "Pixburgh" count as a way of mocking how the locals pronounce "Pittsburgh"?

By: lou

lou — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:47:54 -0800

Berzerkeley

And nearby we have Hayward, or Hayweird, though it's not so much weird as it is boring.

By: ferociouskitty

ferociouskitty — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:48:56 -0800

Cleveland=Thieveland
Las Vegas=Lost Wages

By: Sassyfras

Sassyfras — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:49:48 -0800

Clarks Summit, PA = Clarks Scummit, or as we sometimes referred to it as "The Scummit"

By: amro

amro — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:51:33 -0800

Sea Isle City NJ --> Senile City

By: smitt

smitt — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:53:03 -0800

Oakville, ON -> Jokeville, Tokeville

Burlington, ON -> Borington, Girlington

By: Sassyfras

Sassyfras — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:55:37 -0800

ooh, and there's this senior community called Leisure World but has been nicknamed Seizure World.

By: Dr-Baa

Dr-Baa — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:57:15 -0800

Traverse City, Michigan has been referred to at various times as:

Traffic City
Tragic City

and various incarnations substituting 'City' with 'Shitty.'

By: garius

garius — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:58:30 -0800

Anyway, I've literally only ever heard people use London's affectionate old nickname Blighty a couple of times, but I've heard Shitey a few more than that.

"Blighty" is a nickname for the whole of Great Britain, not London.

It comes from an old hindustani word meaning "foreign land" (I think) and gained currency amongst the Soldiers/Expats there as a way of referring to "back home".

When said soldiers returned it thus became a standard bit of military/popular slang for the whole country.

London is, of course, "The Big Smoke".

It's one of those great positive/negative nicknames that conveys vibrancy, history and activity if you love the Old Girl, or a polluted, noisy, cesspit if you hate England's First City with every fibre of your being.

Oh... um... and Old Girl is obviously another nickname for London as well (although one you'd probably not here much outside the East End these days).

By: Ruki

Ruki — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:59:28 -0800

Pawtucket, RI - the Bucket

By: crinklebat

crinklebat — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:02:37 -0800

I've heard affected-ass Stanford students calling Palo Alto "Shallow Alto". I guess the Berkeley students' intentional misspelling "Stanfurd" may also be relevant here since Stanford is actually a town.

As a child I thought Pittsburgh WAS a derogatory nickname. I mean, it's the pits! I remember being completely shocked when someone of authority in my life told me that, no, Pittsburgh was the REAL name of the place; I'd thought my folks had been putting me on.

By: PossumCupCake

PossumCupCake — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:04:42 -0800

Pasadena, TX = Stinkadena (Chemical plants galore)

Greenspoint Area around Houston, TX = Gunspoint. Use your imagination.

By: xo

xo — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:05:22 -0800

In Connecticut, Darien is often called Aryan.

By: lobstah

lobstah — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:05:54 -0800

Lincoln ME -> Stinking Lincoln

Due to a pulp mill.

By: kirkaracha

kirkaracha — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:06:19 -0800

"Hymietown."

By: special-k

special-k — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:08:01 -0800

sacramento = excremento

By: cortex

cortex — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:11:23 -0800

I'm not sure "Stumptown" really functions as an earnestly derogatory nickname for Portland, OR in anyone's mind, but it's there. And I've heard Hillsboro called "Hillsburrito" more than once, presumably riffing on the latino population.

By: Lemurrhea

Lemurrhea — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:12:58 -0800

Hamilton, Ontario: Smog Town.

By: amro

amro — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:13:17 -0800

Cincinnati --> Cincinasty

By: sdevans

sdevans — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:14:09 -0800

Birmingham (UK) - known as Birmingham - no need for any derogatory nickname ;-)

Also more seriously Scumbridge for Cambridge...

By: explosion

explosion — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:14:43 -0800

"People's Republic of Cambridge."

I don't think this one counts as derogatory. It's pretty much been fully embraced by the city, and if Ann Coulter rolled into town calling people "Liberals", they'd smile as though she meant to compliment them.

By: booth

booth — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:16:05 -0800

Weirton and Steubenville, WV = Weirdtown and Stupidville.

By: clpage

clpage — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:18:26 -0800

By: thebigdeadwaltz

thebigdeadwaltz — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:24:14 -0800

Worcester, MA = Wormtown, 'The Worm'

I don't really get the connection, but I've heard it around.

By: utsutsu

utsutsu — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:26:01 -0800

Someone already mentioned that Winnipeg = Winterpeg, but there's another less popular nick name for this city.

Stink Town.

Maybe you have to live close to the mushroom plant that's across from the meat packers and down the road from the pet food factory for this to make sense though.

By: user92371

user92371 — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:29:04 -0800

The wiki on People's Republic has a list of PR'd cities.

By: Miko

Miko — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:31:42 -0800

the presidential campaign I'm working on
Huh, excellent, I hadn't even thought about campaign workers and other road warriors using city nicknames. Makes tons of sense. That'd be a good stream to fish in for more.

By: Dr. Wu

Dr. Wu — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:33:45 -0800

Not a specific city/town, but central Pennsylvania is soemtimes referred to as "Pennsyltucky" because it can be be much more small town/conservative/backwoods than its more urban neighbors of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.
posted by clpage at 12:18 PM on December 17

I am a new(ish) resident of Gettysburg, PA, and would like to express how remarkably apt this nickname is. I plan to use it often, and with relish.

By: inconsequentialist

inconsequentialist — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:33:53 -0800

Memphrica.

By: Ambrosia Voyeur

Ambrosia Voyeur — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:36:56 -0800

Ventura (CA) -> Ventucky

By: kimdog

kimdog — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:43:07 -0800

Brist-hell is the nickname of my hometown of Bristol, TN/VA, (home of the largest NASCAR stadium in the America and Chris Crocker of "Leave Britney Alone" fame).

By: delmoi

delmoi — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:45:05 -0800

Lames, Iowa.

By: Banky_Edwards

Banky_Edwards — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:50:01 -0800

Post-gentrification, Somerville (no longer Slummerville) is now known as Cambriville. When rent control in Cambridge ended, they all moved here.

By: exquisite_deluxe

exquisite_deluxe — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:52:54 -0800

Regina, SK - Vagina, SK
Edmonton, AB - Deadmonton, AB
Winnipeg, MB - Winterpeg

By: kidsleepy

kidsleepy — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:52:57 -0800

dr. wu beat me to the punch about Chapel Hill = Chapel Thrill. i immediately thought of it as an answer to your question, because we've always used it in a sarcastic manner.

By: djb

djb — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:53:20 -0800

Howellabama and Bricktucky for Howell and Brick, NJ

By: beachhead2

beachhead2 — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:56:28 -0800

Newport News, Virginia = Newport Bad News.

Allan Iverson has a tatoo of NBN on his forearm. Quote from him: "Here, on my left forearm, it says 'NBN'—for 'Newport Bad News.' That's what we call our hometown of Newport News, Virginia, because a lot of bad shit happens there."

Ladue, MO = La-dee-do, MO (it is a expensive part of town)

By: Uncle Jimmy

Uncle Jimmy — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:56:36 -0800

In the DFW area, the mid-cities (Hurst, Euless & Bedford) are often called Worst, Useless and Bedlam/Badford.

By: idiotfactory

idiotfactory — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:59:08 -0800

Tulsa = Aslut

By: j

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:01:15 -0800

In Portland, OR, I've often heard:
Vancouver, WA = Vantucky (sorry Kentucky-ians)

By: found missing

found missing — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:04:20 -0800

Tarpon Springs, FL -> Tampon Strings

By: lizzicide

lizzicide — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:11:29 -0800

Ashland, MA (or Ashland, Anywhere) -> Trashland.

By: remlapm

remlapm — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:15:12 -0800

I grew up in WasteField (westfield), NJ. Our rival border towns were Scummit (summit), CranFool (cranford) and CrotchPains (scotch plains).

By: LionIndex

LionIndex — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:17:16 -0800

Escondido, CA --> Escondildo, or just 'the dildo'.
A columnist in one of the local alt-rags used to call San Diego "Des-Moines-by-the-Sea", but that's pretty much just a local usage.

By: contessa

contessa — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:18:07 -0800

In Ireland, Limerick used to be known as "Stab City".

I heard the same thing, too.

By: LightMayo

LightMayo — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:28:01 -0800

Manassas, VA -> Manasty

By: Phalene

Phalene — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:29:47 -0800

Stinky City! With a bog in the middle, unfiltered sewage going straight out to the bay and multiple industrial smells (oil refinery, pulp mill) plus the odd waft from fish catches, locals sometimes give Saint John, New Brunswick this name.

By: nihlton

nihlton — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:32:23 -0800

in american sign language, the sign for Tacoma WA is the hand letter for T, then moved laterally about six inches then down 6 inches.

in slang, its the hand letter for T waved side to side, which means "toilet". This is probably due to the paper mills.

By: klangklangston

klangklangston — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:36:56 -0800

Well, in Michigan, Ypsitucky's already been mentioned, which goes along with Taylortucky, etc. Those have an interesting backstory that, while I can't personally confirm it, I doubt is apocryphal—those areas were primary settling grounds for the huge influx of folks who came north after the war to work in autoplants. There's still a heavy Southern accent in parts of Ypsi, among whites and blacks. I noticed that while doing census work there.

There's also Sagnasty for Saginaw, and the People's Republic of Ann Arbor, which has so many layers of irony (Ann Arbor's heavily Cambridge-aspirant) that it's hard to parse. Bland Arbor comes up too.

I've heard Beast Lansing for East Lansing, but I'm not sure if that's in common use or just among a group of guys I know at MSU. Also Least Lansing and (a good one, for a party invitation) Feast Lansing.

By: matkline

matkline — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:37:41 -0800

"The Smokey City" for Pittsburgh, as a reference to the pollution from steel mills.

By: i_am_joe's_spleen

i_am_joe's_spleen — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:50:27 -0800

-vegas is an ironic modifier for at least two small towns here in New Zealand:

Rotovegas - Rotorua
Wangavegas - Wanganui

My home town, Hamilton, is proverbially boring, and has adopted the slogan "Hamilton:city of the future". Its young people have started calling it Hamiltron, or "The 'Tron".

By: gottabefunky

gottabefunky — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:50:34 -0800

"Fanta Se" = Santa Fe

By: dmt

dmt — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:51:25 -0800

Swansea, Wales, UK: Pretty Shitty City. Popular culture reference.

By: ubersturm

ubersturm — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:54:25 -0800

I've always heard Cleveland's derogatory nickname as "The Mistake on the Lake" (not "by the Lake"). Never heard "Thiefland" (does anyone actually use that?) - references to burning rivers are generally a close second to "the Mistake on the Lake." Second "The People's Republic of Cambridge", although "Slummerville" is definitely not used anymore - with all the gentrification & the students, "Camberville" is definitely more common.

By: Ruby Doomsday

Ruby Doomsday — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:58:53 -0800

My hometown of Pasadena, Texas - Stinkadena, for the abundance of chemical plants along Highway 225, the main thoroughfare from Houston. The rest of the city isn't stinky, but if you are traveling through and that's the only part of town you visit, you wouldn't know any different.

By: yeti

yeti — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:59:32 -0800

Buffaloed, NY

By: psmealey

psmealey — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:03:12 -0800

Bellevue, WA - Blahview
Duluth, MN - DULLuth
LaDue, MO - LaJew (not cool)
Somerville, MA - Scummerville

Also, just for fun: (Area) Man has Derogatory Nickname for Every Neighboring Town.

By: psmealey

psmealey — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:09:24 -0800

And so it goes that I missed the onion piece in the original post. Crap.

By: Coatlicue

Coatlicue — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:10:45 -0800

My brother is of the group that refer to Hope Mills, NC as "Hopeless Mills". Other NC towns: I've heard "Lily White Lillington" (mostly from the older set in my family), and "Containment Area for Relocated Yankees" for Cary.

By: clavicle

clavicle — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:15:08 -0800

Greenpoint, Brooklyn: The inconvenient Williamsburg.
The Dumfries-Manassas area of nothern Virginia: Dumassas.
Scranton, PA: Scrotum.

By: General Malaise

General Malaise — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:18:11 -0800

I used to live in Brat-vegas (the city that always sleeps, Brattleboro, VT)

Now I live in the District of Criminals (DC).

By: ottereroticist

ottereroticist — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:23:40 -0800

Grants Pass OR > Grass Pants
And many people talk about the Aroma of Tacoma WA.

By: Melinika

Melinika — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:24:36 -0800

I have a friend from Buffalo that calls Buffalo "Flubbs".

Cheektowaga, NY: Cheektavagus
Fort Erie, ON: Fort Bleary, Fort Dreary
Cambridge, ON: Lamebridge
former town Preston, now part of Cambridge: Depresston
Tallahassee, FL: Talla-assy
Long Island: Lawn GUY-lind (mocking local accent)
Hicksville, LI, NY: just add snotty jokes
NY State has two parts: NYC and "Moo" (although "Moo" works for anywhere rural, really, sort of like saying someplace is Bumfuck Nowhere)

By: ethnomethodologist

ethnomethodologist — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:24:55 -0800

By: malapropist

malapropist — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:25:14 -0800

Some derogatory Orange County place names:

Anaslime (Anaheim)
Garbage Grove (Garden Grove)
Fullacrap (Fullerton)
Costa Misery (Costa Mesa)
Bore-ange (Orange)
Stanton (Stanton)

If you've ever been to Stanton, you'll understand how insulting that last one is.

By: blindcarboncopy

blindcarboncopy — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:28:06 -0800

Bellingham, WA is often referred to as "Smellingham". Nowadays it's just a funny bit for the college students to repeat, but it has real origins. Downtown Bellingham waterfront has long been dominated by the Georgia-Pacific paper company. The chemsitry used in processing and bleaching wood pulp is rather noxious, and if the wind blows just right, the entire town can stink like you would not believe. GP finally closed doors around 2000.

By: wheat

wheat — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:36:32 -0800

Springdale, Arkansas is derisively referred to as "Chickendale" by many because of the strong odor of its various chicken processing plants (Tyson and Cargill).

Nearby Fayetteville, Arkansas is often "Fayettenam" (like Vietnam), both derisively and affectionately, but not for any obvious reason.

The "West Ashley" area of Charleston, South Carolina is sometimes called "West Ashtray," a remark on its tidiness, I guess.

By: Metroid Baby

Metroid Baby — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:44:11 -0800

My hometown of Durham, NC is sometimes referred to as "Dur'm" in writing. I'm not quite sure if it's supposed to be affectionate or derogatory, or what its origin is - I always figured it was because of our Southern accents or because we're dumb.

When I was in college I referred to it as "Cracktown" after a comment by a local police officer.

Nearby Cary, we joke, stands for "Containment Area for Relocated Yankees."

By: jocelmeow

jocelmeow — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:46:42 -0800

Fresnowhere, CA.

By: Stewriffic

Stewriffic — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:50:15 -0800

Nashvegas, TN

By: oats

oats — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:51:24 -0800

Milpitas, CA is referred to among my Hispanophone friends as 'mil putas'.

I've never heard 'Smellpitas', but it would be entirely appropriate.

By: arianell

arianell — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:53:43 -0800

Scottsdale, AZ is known as "Snottsdale".

By: Steven C. Den Beste

Steven C. Den Beste — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:55:38 -0800

OP, you're going to have a hell of a time teasing out "derogatory" from "nicknames that locals embrace because they affirm every often-deluded but 'positive' stereotypes that they believe about themselves."

I was wondering about that myself. In Boston, it is often referred to as "the Hub", as in "the center of the universe, about which all else rotates." I never did figure out whether that term was being used sincerely or ironically.

By: parkerjackson

parkerjackson — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:55:49 -0800

Tuscaloosa, AL=Tuscaloser

By: newmoistness

newmoistness — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 12:01:38 -0800

Manassas = Manasshole

I've heard Massapequa, NY , referrred to as Matzoh-Pizza

By: Doctor Suarez

Doctor Suarez — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 12:11:46 -0800

My buddy lived in San Diego for a while and told me they refer to L.A. as "Smell-A". I know, brilliant.

I've also heard San Diego done as "Sandy Eggo". And, thanks to Anchorman, San Diego is often referred to as "Whale's Vagina".

By: thinkingwoman

thinkingwoman — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 12:32:00 -0800

a little offtopic, but here in nashville (nashvegas) the cumberland river is often referred to as the "scumberland."

By: thinkpiece

thinkpiece — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 12:47:27 -0800

Mineola, Long Island > Smallola

By: elendil71

elendil71 — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 12:56:35 -0800

I've heard Sacramento, Ca referred variously as "Sacratomato" or "Sacrademento". The latter may be more apropos. Not sure where the 'tomato' part comes in, but certain publications and locals have come to call the city "The Big Tomato".

By: SteveInMaine

SteveInMaine — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 12:58:28 -0800

Not names for a city, but states:

New Hampshire = Nude Hamster
Massachusetts = Taxachusetts
Massachusetts = Massatwoshits

By: srrh

srrh — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 13:08:35 -0800

Someone else mentioned Newport News above; I just wanted to say I've never heard it called "Newport Bad News" in my life, but I hear it referred to as "Bad News" daily. (I am a local.)

By: Pollomacho

Pollomacho — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 13:11:33 -0800

Chatta-nowhere

By: TheWhiteSkull

TheWhiteSkull — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 13:21:14 -0800

Scarborough, just outside of Toronto has been called Scarberia for as long as I can remember.

And a plaid flannel shirt is called a "Scarborough Dinner-Jacket."

By: lukemeister

lukemeister — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 13:24:54 -0800

Urban Dictionary link for Scarberia

By: Madamina

Madamina — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 13:28:59 -0800

Beloit (Wisconsin): the sound a marble makes when you drop it in the toilet.

By: kittyprecious

kittyprecious — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 14:03:19 -0800

sacramento = excremento

Fresnowhere, CA.

And right in the middle: Molesto.

By: pinto

pinto — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 14:34:45 -0800

Philthy = Philadelphia
New Jack City (?)
The Rotten Apple
Crooklyn (got your shit tooklyn)
Upper Least Side (Upper Best Side)
Whorlando
Berliniamsburg

By: Quarter Pincher

Quarter Pincher — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 14:37:14 -0800

Wichititty City = Wichita Falls, TX

By: found missing

found missing — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 14:47:12 -0800

Belchertown, MA -> oh, wait; that one doesn't need a nickname.

By: clair-de-lune

clair-de-lune — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 14:58:56 -0800

Lake Oswego, Oregon (Portland's wealthiest suburb): Lake Ego, Lake No-Negro, Fake Oswego.
Seconding the mention of "Vantucky" for Vancouver, WA.

By: web-goddess

web-goddess — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:36:38 -0800

Here in Australia, I've heard people refer to Brisbane as "BrisVegas" (presumably because it's trashy and full of tourists).

By: spork

spork — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 18:10:31 -0800

elendil71: I've heard Sacramento, Ca referred variously as "Sacratomato" or "Sacrademento". The latter may be more apropos. Not sure where the 'tomato' part comes in, but certain publications and locals have come to call the city "The Big Tomato".

Sacramento is in the heart of the Central Valley, a place where millions of tons of tomatoes are grown each year. Trucks hauling tomatoes are a common sight on Sacramento highways in the summer.

By: notswedish

notswedish — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 18:48:02 -0800

My left-leaning hometown is known in some circles as "the People's Republic of Oak Park" (that's Oak Park, IL).

By: buttercup

buttercup — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 18:54:30 -0800

Another one is Wilkinsburg, PA (just east of Pittsburgh), which has been called "We'll kill yins burg", refering to its level of violence and the word 'yins'- local Pittsburghese for 'you'

By: Ashley801

Ashley801 — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 19:34:09 -0800

New Lisbon, WI --> New Lesbian

By: TochterAusElysium

TochterAusElysium — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 19:48:03 -0800

Ocean Shores, WA = Open Sores.

By: TochterAusElysium

TochterAusElysium — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 19:49:28 -0800

Oh, and any WA native knows that my home, Shoreline, is often called "Whoreline" because of all the...well, business gals. Farther south than where we live, fortunately.

By: genghis

genghis — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 20:42:56 -0800

In Ireland, Limerick used to be known as "Stab City".

"Used to". Riiiiiight.

To the person way up higher asking indirectly about parts of London, I refer the honourable member to Scumstead, in the arse end of Greenwich borough.

By: kyleg

kyleg — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 21:20:32 -0800

Manhappenin' (Manhattan), KS, in a similar vein as Chapel Thrill.

The town also uses the nickname "The Little Apple" completely without irony.

By: b33j

b33j — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 22:35:44 -0800

Some people refer to Ipswich (Australia) as two-head city. I think it's because of some of the more prominent poor who seem to have a tiny genepool problem. Oh and Brisvegas gets that name also because of the casino, back when not every town had one.

By: misozaki

misozaki — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 23:08:04 -0800

Scarborough, ON = Scarberia

By: brujita

brujita — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 23:48:49 -0800

Hell-A
La-LA Land
Tinseltown

By: unrepentanthippie

unrepentanthippie — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 06:28:52 -0800

Springfield IL, which is the capitol, is often called Springpatch, for it's "downstate" location, and presumptive attitudes.
Hanover Park, a suburb of Chi-town, is usually referred to as Hangover Park, for the number of bars inside the city limits (and corresponding number of drunk drivers).

By: mbd1mbd1

mbd1mbd1 — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 09:32:01 -0800

Everyone knows it's Chapel Hell. (Duke 2000)

By: RedEmma

RedEmma — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 10:19:47 -0800

psmealey gave DULLuth for Duluth, MN. but we also call it DullYouth.

By: RedEmma

RedEmma — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 10:21:16 -0800

i also had a friend once who called it "Birmingham by the Bay" to denote its problem of accepting black folks, but i think that was his own thing, and it didn't catch on.

By: peep

peep — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:46:08 -0800

More from the Portland, OR area:

Clackamas = Crack o' my ass
Estacada = Incest-a-cada (rural area)

By: lemuel

lemuel — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:06:06 -0800

Fall River, MA during frequent economic downturns (and increased drug use) is sometimes referred
to as "City of Despair". Usually by people who managed to get out and find jobs elsewhere. Also as "faw riva", sometimes River Falls.

New Bedford, MA is is often pronounced 'new bej' or new 'new bedg'.

Before the gentrification of Woonsocket.RI (oon-so-sek in French Canadien), it was called the armpit
of RI because young lads could score women who had ... so i'm told.

Oonsockek is also where they park cars "side by each".

By: theseampsgoto11

theseampsgoto11 — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 18:39:01 -0800

I'm from "dirty jersey" so I have a few to add:

West Babylon, NY = West Breast or West Titty
Mineola, NY = Minny-HO-la (referring to the girls who live there)
Staten Island, NY = Staten Italia

By: theseampsgoto11

theseampsgoto11 — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 18:39:55 -0800

I've also heard college kids from the respective areas refer to themselves and others as "Massholes" and "Baltimorons"