Amber Alert
"Amber Alert" is a notification system to law enforcement and the media about a child abduction. "Amber Alert" is named for Amber Hagerman, the 9-year-old who was kidnapped…
Ambrosia
Ambrosia (Greek for "not mortal") is the food of the immortals or "food of the gods." Ambrosia is also the name for a Southern dish that resembles a fruit cup. The origins of…
America’s Sweethearts (Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders nickname)
The Dallas Cowboys football team is popular, but the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders also have a large following. The football team has had cheerleaders since 1969, but the 1972 season is considered…
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…
Antojitos (“little whims” or Mexican appetizers/snacks)
Antojitos (Spanish for "little whims" or "little cravings") are usually fried snacks containing masa, such as tostadas, tacos, tamales, and quesadillas. The term…
Antonette’s Leap (Mount Bonnell in Austin)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Mount BonnellMount Bonnell (pronounced /bəˈnɛl/), also known as Covert Park, is a prominent point alongside Lake Austin in Austin, Texas. It has been a…
Anyone Can Come (Austin Community College/ACC nickname)
Austin Community College (ACC) is not as prestigious as another school of higher learning in the city of Austin -- the University of Texas. Some have written that "ACC" stands for…
Arbuckle (coffee)
Arbuckle's was a popular brand of coffee that was made in Pittsburgh (PA) after the Civil War. The coffee quickly became a favorite with cowboy cooks and so dominated the market that…
Arklatex (Ark-La-Tex, ArkLaTex, also Arklatexoma)
"Arklatex" (also spelled "Ark-La-Tex" and ""ArkLaTex") is a regional name composed of the state names of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. Sometimes Oklahoma is…
Arlingtonian (inhabitant of Arlington)
"Arlingtonian" is the name of an inhabitant of Arlington, Texas. The name "Arlingtonite" has been cited in print since at least 1912. An inhabitant of Arlington has also been…
Arlingtonite (inhabitant of Arlington)
"Arlingtonite" is the name of an inhabitant of Arlington, Texas. The name "Arlingtonite" has been cited in print since at least 1907. An inhabitant of Arlington has also been…
Armadillo Droppings (praline candy)
"Armadillo Droppings" is the name of a praline candy from the Armadillo Candy Co. Lammes Candies has "Choc'Adillos" made from almonds, but "Armadillo Droppings"…
Armadillo Eggs (stuffed jalapeños)
"Armadillo eggs" are jalapeño peppers stuffed with cheese. Armadillos don't lay eggs. It's not known who coined the name. 15 August 1992, San Francisco (CA) Chronicle, pg.…
Asphalt Capital of the World (Talco nickname)
Oil was discovered at the small town of Talco, Texas in 1936. The oil was low gravity crude, but it yielded a high percentage of asphalt. By at least March 1939, Talco was being called the…
Asstros (Houston Astros baseball team unofficial nickname)
Non-fans of the Houston Astros baseball club sometimes call them the "Asstros" or "ASStros." The derogatory term has been recorded frequently starting from the late 1990s, with…
Asylum Street (Guadalupe Street nickname in Austin)
Guadalupe Street in Austin used to be nicknamed "Asylum Street" because just down the block from the University of Texas was the State Lunatic Asylum (at 4110 Guadalupe, now called the…
Athenian (inhabitant of Athens, Texas)
"Athenian” is the name of an inhabitant of Athens, Texas. The name “Athenian” has been cited in print since at least 1926. "Athenian," of course, originally refers to a person…
Athens of Texas (nickname of many Texas cities)
Athens, Greece, in the classical period was widely known as a city of arts and learning. Boston, Massachusetts, was called the "Athens of America" in the early 1800s. Many cities…
Atomic Buffalo Turds or ABTs (bacon-wrapped stuffed jalapeños)
Atomic Buffalo Turds (ABTs) are hollowed-out jalapeños stuffed with cream cheese ("Armadillo Eggs") wrapped in bacon, with a smoked sausage added in the middle. Depite the…
Atomic Deer Turds
"Atomic deer turds" were named by food writer Robb Walsh in a November 19, 2008 post on the Houston (TX) Press food blog (see below). The "turd" name follows several others,…