An etymological dictionary

Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases.

Hustle Town or Hustletown (Houston nickname)

"Hustle Town" (or "Hustletown") is a nickname for the city of Houston. There was a night club (ca. 2000) called Hustle Town in Houston. The nickname "Hustle Town" is…

Panther City (Fort Worth nickname)

Why on earth would Fort Worth be called the "Panther City"? It all began when Dallas (a rival city) made fun of Fort Worth, about 1875, and stated that a panther was roaming the Fort…

Hell Paso (El Paso nickname)

"Hell Paso" is an unflattering nickname for El Paso. The nickname became popular in the 1990s, but citations of it can be found before World War I. Google Groups: rec.music.gdeadFrom:…

Silicon Hills (Austin nickname)

The city of Austin is sometimes called "Silicon Hills." The name is a take-off on "Silicon Valley" (California) and "Silicon Prairie" (Dallas-Fort Worth) of the late…

Silicon Prairie

Texas has many high tech industries. The nickname "Silicon Prairie" (a take-off of California's "Silicon Valley") dates from 1979, and it was much imitated by other cities…

America’s Team (Dallas Cowboys)

"America's Team" was the title that Bob Ryan of NFL Films said that he coined for its highlight film of the 1978 Dallas Cowboys. (A December 1979 UPI story reported that "no one…

“Live Large. Think Big” (Dallas slogan)

"Live Large. Think Big" is the slogan promoted by the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau. The city slogan is from June 2004, and it was replaced in October 2012 with "Big Things…

“Texas Friendly Spoken Here”

"Texas Friendly Spoken Here" is a tourist slogan from 1988. It's almost unknown outside of Texas. 6 September 1989, New York Times, "Promoting Texas: Ribs to Chili" by Anne…

“Keep Austin Weird”

"Keep Austin Weird" has appeared on bumper stickers since 2000. To some, the slogan promotes Austin's character and local businesses. To others, it shows that Austin is more liberal…

“No Brag, Just Fact”

"No brag, just fact" is sometimes said to be an old Texas saying, but it originated on the short-lived television western The Guns of Will Sonnett (1967). Will Sonnett (played by Walter…