Little Old New York
"Little Old New York" is an affectionate term for the city. I couldn't find the term before the song (circa 1898). 22 August 1898, New York Times, pg. 6:And, just incidentally,…
Little Venezuela
"Little Venezuela" is a nickname for a city, state or even a country that embraces socialism and falls into economic and social decline. The nickname refers to Venezuela under the…
Mamdanabad or Mamdanibad (Zohran Mamdani + -abad)
Zohran Mamdani became, in 2026, New York City's first Muslim and first Asian American mayor. Some people dubbed New York City "Mamdanistan," from "Mamdani" and…
Mamdanistan (Zohran Mamdani + -stan)
Zohran Mamdani became, in 2026, New York City's first Muslim and first Asian American mayor. Some people dubbed New York City "Mamdanistan," from "Mamdani" and…
Mecca of Telephone Men
Around 1900, when the telephone was new, New York City was the "mecca of telephone men." The nickname was rarely used then and quickly died, but it's sometimes given in lists of New…
Mecca on the Hudson
The proposed "Ground Zero Mosque" in 2009-2010 caused some fears of the Islamization of New York City. The nickname "Manhattanistan" for "Manhattan" began to be used.…
Melting Pot; Mixing Bowl; Mosaic
"Melting Pot" and "Mixing Bowl" and "Mosaic" have all been used to describe New York City or America. "Melting Pot" conveys the image of many many different…
Metropolis (New Metropolis)
"Metropolis" (from the Greek word polis for "city") means "a large city" and is not a city nickname peculiar to New York City. Philadelphia was called the…
Metropolis of America
"Metropolis” (from the Greek word polis for “city") means “a large city” and is not a city nickname peculiar to New York City. In the 1700s, Philadelphia (and sometimes Boston)…
Modern Gomorrah
The Biblical city names of Sodom and Gomorrah have been used to describe any modern city that is sinful. New York City (nicknamed "Gotham") has infrequently been called a…
N.Y.C.
The Oxford English Dictionary's March 2004 revision contains my 1869 entry as the earliest for the initials "N.Y.C." representing New York City. "N.Y." is far more common.;…
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.…
Nazi York City (Nazi + New York City)
"Nazi York City" (Nazi + New York City) is a term used by those who feel that the city government and its bureaucracy is overly controlling, comparable to Nazi Germany. "Nazi York…
New Amsterdam
The Encyclopedia of New York City (1995) is terse on New Amsterdam. The following entry is credited to no one: "The former name of New York City, first used in the mid-1620s. On 1 February…
New Jack City
"New Jack City" is a hip-hop term for New York City. The 1991 film of this name popularized the term, but also limited its use. If you say "New Jack City," people think…
New Wild Boar Village
"York" has been translated as "place of yew trees" and as "wild boar town." In 2008, The Atlas of True Names suggested that the true name of New York City is "New…
New York Fucking City (New York Fuckin’ City)
"New York Fucking City" (or "New York Fuckin' City") has been printed on many gift items, such as T-shirts and hats. The saying can have various meanings -- that New York…
No Fun City (New York City; Vancouver)
New York City was called "Fun City" in 1966 by Mayor John Lindsay -- on one of his first days on the job. The nickname was used derisively and "the Big Apple" replaced "Fun…
Noisyville-on-the-Subway
American writer O. Henry (the pen name of William Sydney Porter, 1862-1910) wrote in the short story "The Duel: A Story of New York" (1906): "What's that? Oh, you've still…
Noo Yawk; New Yawk; Noo York
"New York" has been given the folksy spelling "Noo Yawk" or "New Yawk" or "Noo York." (New York Public Library "catnyp" record)Call # Pub. Cat.…