Brownie; Meter Maid
"Brownie" and "Meter Maid" have been replaced by "Traffic Enforcement Agent." The new term makes sense for two reasons: (1) they now wear black and not brown, and (2)…
Dude
The "dude" craze began in New York City in 1883. The figure had existed before under different names, such as "swell" and "dandy" and "fop" and…
Library Lions (Patience and Fortitude; Lord Lenox and Lady Astor; Leo and Leonora)
There are two lions in front of the New York Public Library at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street. The "reading between the lions" joke is not new. Here are some of their names. 11 December…
Herald Square and Times Square
"Herald Square" was named after the New York Herald newspaper in 1893. It is the area around West 34th Street. "Times Square" was named after the New York Times newspaper in…
Forty Deuce (42nd Street)
"Forty Deuce," or "Deuce" for short, is (or was) West 42nd Street, between Sixth Avenue and Eighth Avenue. The term dates from the seedy 1960s and 1970s, when the block…
Bridge and Tunnel People
The "bridge-and-tunnel people" or "bridge-and-tunnel crowd" is a holdover term from the Studio 54-era of the 1970s. It's usually a disparaging term, but why look down on…
Straphanger
A "straphanger" is someone who rides the trains or buses. NYPIRG has a branch it calls "Straphangers Campaign" that studies transit issues. The subway is about 100 years old,…
City That Never Sleeps
In the song "New York, New York" (1977), Frank Sinatra (in a 1979 recording) said that he wanted to wake up in a city that doesn't sleep. The phrase is much, much older than the…
Cappuccino
Cafe Reggio on Macdougal Street did not invent the "cappuccino," but it certainly was one of the first places in America to offer it. "Cappuccino" was cited in an 1893 guidebook…
General Tso’s Chicken
General Tso's Chicken (deep-fried chicken in a sweet sauce) was popularized at Peng's restaurant in Manhattan on 291 East 44th Street, from about 1973-74. The similar "General…
Naked City
"There are eight million stories in the Naked City. This has been one of them." Does anyone remember that line? There was a tv show called Naked City and a movie called Naked City.…
Statue of Liberty Play (football)
The Statue of Liberty play -- usually called "the old Statue of Liberty Play" -- is a trick football play that fakes a pass, but is really a handoff to someone just behind the passer. The…
Gang Green (New York Jets nickname)
Somewhat later than "Big Blue" (Giants) came "Gang Green" (Jets). The nickname comes from the green color of the Jets' uniforms and logos. Although "Gang Green"…
1963: John J. Fitz Gerald obituaries
John J. Fitz Gerald died during a newspaper strike in New York City. He never received proper credit for "the Big Apple." Much historical work on the Fitz Gerald family has been done by…
Lipstick Building
The "Lipstick" building, at Third Avenue and East 53rd Street, was completed in 1986, but was given that name by 1985. The name is from the building's shape -- like a lipstick…
Black Rock (CBS); Hard Rock (ABC); 30 Rock (NBC)
"Black Rock" is the name of the CBS building at West 52nd Street and Avenue of the Americas. The outside of the building shows the black stuff. The name also comes from the John…
Big Board
The New York Stock Exchange refers to itself as "the Big Board." The name is over 100 years old. 2 November 1897, Chicago Daily Tribune, pg. 1: Old Stock Exchange men agree that there…
Big Blue; Big Blue Wrecking Crew
"Big Blue" is the nickname for the New York Giants football club, who used to play in Yankee Stadium, but who now play in Giants Stadium in...ahhh...New Jersey. There are other "Big…
Tenderloin
The once-seedy heart of New York City was once called the "Tenderloin." Police Captain Alexander Williams allegedly coined the term in the late 1870s, but the earliest citations that I…
Silk Stocking District
I live in the "Silk Stocking District" on the upper east side of Manhattan. The term is an old one, meaning wealthy people who dress expensively. 8 September 1895, New York Times, pg.…