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List of city nicknames

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This partial list of city nicknames compiles the aliases, sobriquets and slogans that cities are sometimes known by, officially and unofficially, to locals, outsiders or their tourism boards.

Patterns

There are some common types of city nicknames.

Agricultural or Industrial Capitals

Many cities have nicknames which claim that the international or, less commonly, the national or regional capital of a particular industry, hobby or other phenomenon, especially the agricultural production of a certain plant. These include:

Self-proclaimed Capitals of the World

Many cities and towns (particularly in North America) claim to be a "Capital of the World" of a certain subject or other item. These nicknames are usually based on the city's cultural heritage or history. Here is an incomplete list of those cities.

Birthplace

Some cities take nicknames based on an industry, invention or other phenomenon which allegedly arose there. These include:

Comparative nicknames

Some cities have nicknames which refer to other cities with established reputations. For example, a city might bill itself as the "Athens of the North" to establish a link with the major cultural contributions of Athens, Greece.

'Venice of the ...'

Many places have been described as the Venice of the North, Venice of the South, Venice of the East or Venice of the West, after Venice in Italy:

North

South

East

West

Brazil

China

Hong Kong

Mali

Middle East

By Specific River

Also, the country name of Venezuela means "little Venice".

There is Venice of America in Los Angeles, which is modeled on Venice, Italy, and includes a canal district. There is also Venise-en-Québec, Quebec.

Folk heroes

The American folk hero Paul Bunyan, and his blue ox Babe, have at least three towns vying for being considered his homeland. These include Bemidji, Minnesota, Brainerd, Minnesota and Westwood, California.

Complete list

Cities in Argentina

Cities in Australia

Cities in Brazil

Cities in Canada

Cities in China

Cities in Colombia

Cities in the Czech Republic

  • Prague [1]
    • The Golden City
    • The City of One Hundred Spires
    • The Heart of Europe
    • The Rome of the North
  • Ostrava
    • The Steel Heart of the Republic (historically)

Cities in Egypt

Cities in Finland

Cities in France

  • Paris
    • City of Lights
    • City of Love
    • Paname

Cities in Germany

  • Berlin
    • Spree-Athens (Spree river)
  • Dresden
    • Elbflorence (because of the Elbe river)
  • Frankfurt
    • Mainhattan (because of the Main river and the skyline)
    • Bankfurt
  • Hamburg
    • Gateway to the World (das Tor zur Welt)
  • Munich (München)
    • Cosmopolitan City with Heart (Weltstadt mit Herz)

Cities in Guatemala

Cities in Hungary

Cities in India

Cities in Iran

Cities in Ireland

Cities in Israel

Cities in Italy

Cities in Japan

Cities in Lebanon

Cities in Malaysia

Cities in Mexico

Cities in the Netherlands

Cities in New Zealand

Cities in Peru

Cities in the Philippines

Cities in Poland

Note: in Polish it's mostly the inhabitants who are nicknamed rather than the cities

Cities in Portugal

Cities in Puerto Rico

(note: almost every city in Puerto Rico has a nickname)

Cities in Romania

Cities in Russia

Cities in Serbia

Cities in South Africa

Cities in Spain

Cities in Sweden

Cities in Switzerland

Cities in Thailand

Cities in the United Kingdom

Cities in the United States

See List of city nicknames in the United States

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