′ This partial list of city nicknames in Michigan compiles the

aliases A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individu ...

sobriquet A sobriquet ( ), or soubriquet, is a nickname, sometimes assumed, but often given by another, that is descriptive. A sobriquet is distinct from a pseudonym, as it is typically a familiar name used in place of a real name, without the need of expla ...

s and slogans that

cities A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

Michigan Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...

are known by (or have been known by historically), officially and unofficially, to municipal governments, local people, outsiders or their

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism mor ...

boards or

chambers of commerce A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to a ...

. City nicknames can help in establishing a civic identity, helping outsiders recognize a community or attracting people to a community because of its nickname; promote civic pride; and build community unity. Nicknames and slogans that successfully create a new community "ideology or myth" are also believed to have economic value. Their economic value is difficult to measure, but there are anecdotal reports of cities that have achieved substantial economic benefits by "

brand A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create ...

ing" themselves by adopting new slogans.Alfredo Andia
Branding the Generic City :)
, MU.DOT magazine, September 10, 2007 Some unofficial nicknames are positive, while others are derisive. The unofficial nicknames listed here have been in use for a long time or have gained wide currency. *

Adrian Adrian is a form of the Latin given name Adrianus or Hadrianus. Its ultimate origin is most likely via the former river Adria from the Venetic and Illyrian word ''adur'', meaning "sea" or "water". The Adria was until the 8th century BC the mai ...

– The Maple City *

Alma Alma or ALMA may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Alma'' (film), a 2009 Spanish short animated film * ''Alma'' (Oswald de Andrade novel), 1922 * ''Alma'' (Le Clézio novel), 2017 * ''Alma'' (play), a 1996 drama by Joshua Sobol about Alma ...

– Scotland, USA * Ann Arbor **A² or A-squared **Tree Town *

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

– Elk Capital of MichiganClaims to Fame - Animals
Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007 *

Battle Creek Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek rivers. It is the principal city of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which en ...

**Breakfast Capital of the World **Cereal Bowl of the WorldClaims to Fame - Food
, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007 **Cereal City * Beaver Island – America's Emerald Isle * Belding **Apple CapitalClaims to Fame - Agriculture
Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007 **Silk City *

Berrien Springs Berrien Springs is a village in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,800 at the time of the 2010 census. The village is located within Oronoko Charter Township. History Berrien Springs, like Berrien County, is na ...

–

Christmas Pickle The Christmas pickle is a lesser-known Christmas tradition. A decoration in the shape of a pickle is hidden on a Christmas tree, with the finder receiving either a reward or good fortune for the next year. There are a number of different origin ...

Capital of the WorldClaims to Fame - Favorites
Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007 * Cadillac – Chestnut Town USA * Calumet – Coppertown USA *

Champion A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, a ...

– Horse Pulling Capital of the U.P. * Colon – Magic Capital of the World * Davison – City of Flags *

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

**America's Comeback City **Arsenal of Democracy **City of Trees **Hitsville, USA **

Hockeytown Hockeytown and Hockey Town are generic words used in common practice throughout the United States and Canada to identify any town, city or community that has a history and reputation of participating in the sport of ice hockey. Many North American ...

U.S. City Monikers
Tagline Guru website, accessed January 5, 2008Saul Anuzis
All Eyes Look to Michigan: A Report From the Presidential Hustings
''Human Events'', November 6, 2007 **The Motor City
Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007 ** Motown ** The D ** The Paris of the MidwestThe Greening of Detroit
, accessed May 8, 2007 "The Greening of Detroit seeks to return the city of Detroit to its former glory as 'The City of Trees' and 'The Paris of the Midwest' by reforesting the city through tree planting projects and by using environmental education to generate the resolve, the necessary support, and the essential abilities necessary to ensure a safe, sustainable ecosystem for healthy trees with the city of Detroit." ** The Renaissance City *

Drummond Island Drummond may refer to: Places Antarctica * Drummond Peak, King Edward VII Land * Drummond Glacier, Graham Land Canada * Drummond (electoral district), a Quebec federal riding * Drummond (provincial electoral district), Quebec * Drummon ...

– Gem of the Huron * Dundee – Hub of the Highways * Eaton Rapids – The Island City * Eau Claire – Cherry Pit Spitting Capital of the World * Elsie – Michigan's Dairy Capital *

Escanaba Escanaba ( ), commonly shortened to Esky, is a port city in Delta County in the U.S. state of Michigan, located on Little Bay de Noc in the state's Upper Peninsula. The population was 12,616 at the 2010 census, making it the third-largest city i ...

– Esky * Fairview – Wild Turkey Capital of Michigan *

Flint Flint, occasionally flintstone, is a sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as the variety of chert that occurs in chalk or marly limestone. Flint was widely used historically to make stone tools and sta ...

** The Auto City ** The Birthplace of General Motors ** Buick City ** The Vehicle City *

Frankenmuth Frankenmuth is a city in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,944 at the 2010 census. The city is surrounded by Frankenmuth Township. Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, which bills itself as "the World's Largest Christ ...

– Michigan's Little Bavaria * Fremont – Baby Food Capital of the World * Gaylord – Michigan's Alpine Village * Glenn – The Pancake Town *

Grand Haven Grand Haven is a city within the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Ottawa County. Grand Haven is located on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Grand River, for which it is named. As of the 2010 census, Grand H ...

– Coast Guard City, USA * Grand Rapids ** Furniture City ** Beer City USA * Greenville – The Danish Festival City *

Hamtramck Hamtramck ( ) is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 28,433. Hamtramck is surrounded by the city of Detroit except for a small portion that borders the fellow enclave city of Hi ...

** City Within the City ** The World Within Two Square Miles *

Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands. From the 10th to the 16th c ...

– Tulip City * Huntington Woods – City of Homes *

Jackson Jackson may refer to: People and fictional characters * Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Qu ...

– Birthplace of the Republican Party *

Kalamazoo Kalamazoo ( ) is a city in the southwest region of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Kalamazoo County. At the 2010 census, Kalamazoo had a population of 74,262. Kalamazoo is the major city of the Kalamazoo-Portage Metropoli ...

** Bedding Plant Capital of the World ** Celery City ** Kazoo (or K'Zoo) ** Mall City (first outdoor pedestrian mall in the US)The History of Kalamazoo MI
accessed May 8, 2007 "It's been called 'The Paper City', for its many paper and cardboard mills; 'The Celery City', after the crop once grown in the muck fields north, south, and east of town; and 'The Mall City', after construction of the first outdoor pedestrian shopping mall in the United States in 1959. The fertile soil on which Kalamazoo is built has led the area to most recently be called the 'Bedding Plant Capital of the World', as the county is home to the largest bedding plant cooperative in the U.S." ** The Paper City * Kalkaska – Trout Capital of Michigan *

Kingsley Kingsley may refer to: People * Kingsley (given name) * Kingsley (surname) Places Australia * Kingsley, Western Australia Canada * Rural Municipality of Kingsley No. 124, Saskatchewan England * Kingsley, Cheshire * Kingsley, Hampshire *Kingsley ...

– A Little Bit of Paradise * Lake City – Christmas Tree Capital *

Linwood Linwood may refer to: Places Many of the place names for Linwood come from the presence of linden trees. Australia *Linwood, South Australia * Linnwood, Guildford, 11-35 Byron Road, Guildford, New South Wales Canada * Linwood, Ontario * Linwood, ...

– Michigan's Walleye Capital * Manistee – Salt City * Marquette – Queen City of the North * Mayfield – Birthplace of the Adams Fly * Mesick – Mushroom Capital of the World * Mount Clemens – Bath City * Mount Pleasant – The Oil Capital of Michigan *

Muskegon Muskegon ( ') is a city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Muskegon County. Muskegon is known for fishing, sailing regattas, pleasure boating, and as a commercial and cruise ship port. It is a popular vacation destination because of the expans ...

** The Beer Tent Capital of the World ** Port CityHistory of Muskegon
, accessed May 8, 2007 "A river meets the lake at a place that's been known as the Lumber Queen of the world, the Port City and the Riviera of the Midwest; our own Muskegon." ** The Riviera of the Midwest ** Lumber Queen of the World ** The Skee ** Skeetown * Naubinway – Top of the Lake * Negaunee – Irontown, USA *

Newberry Newberry is a surname, a variant of Newbury. Notable people with the surname include: * Booker Newberry III (born 1956), American singer and keyboardist * Brennan Newberry (born, 1990), American professional stock car racing driver * Brian Newb ...

– Moose Capital of Michigan * Niles **The City of Four Flags **Garden City * Northville – Switzerland of Wayne County * Oceana County – Asparagus Capital of the World *

Omer Omer may refer to: __NOTOC__ * Omer (unit), an ancient unit of measure used in the era of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem * The Counting of the Omer (''sefirat ha'omer''), a 49 day period in the Jewish calendar * Omer (Book of Mormon), a Jaredite ...

– Michigan's Smallest City * Onaway – Sturgeon Capital of MichiganClaims to Fame - Fish
Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007. * Oscoda – Paddletown USA *

Paradise In religion, paradise is a place of exceptional happiness and delight. Paradisiacal notions are often laden with pastoral imagery, and may be cosmogonical or eschatological or both, often compared to the miseries of human civilization: in parad ...

– Wild Blueberry Capital of Michigan * Pellston – Icebox of the Nation * Pinconning – Cheese Capital of Michigan *

Plainwell Plainwell is a city in Allegan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,804 at the 2010 census. Plainwell is located on M-89 just east of its junction with US 131. The city of Otsego is about to the west. The city of K ...

– The Island City *

Port Huron Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administered separately. Located along the St. Clair ...

– Maritime Capital of the Great Lakes *

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

– City of Two Rivers * Rogers City ** The Nautical City ** Rocket City * Romulus – Gateway to the World, Romtown * Rudyard – Snowy Owl Capital of Michigan * Saint Johns – The Mint City * Saint Louis – Middle of the Mitten * Sault Ste. Marie ** The Soo ** Michigan's Oldest City (founded 1668) * South Haven – Blueberry Capital of the World * Sturgis – Electric City *

Taylor Taylor, Taylors or Taylor's may refer to: People * Taylor (surname) ** List of people with surname Taylor * Taylor (given name), including Tayla and Taylah * Taylor sept, a branch of Scottish clan Cameron * Justice Taylor (disambiguation) Pl ...

– Taylortucky *

Traverse City Traverse City ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although a small portion extends into Leelanau County. It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region. The population was ...

**Cherry Capital of the World **Hockeytown North * Utica **Hothouse Rhubarb Capital of the World"Retired teacher completes work on history book
," ''The Macomb Daily'', June 12, 2010. Accessed Jan. 13, 2011. **Mushroom Capital of Michigan * Vassar – Cork Pine City *

Vicksburg Vicksburg most commonly refers to: * Vicksburg, Mississippi, a city in western Mississippi, United States * The Vicksburg Campaign, an American Civil War campaign * The Siege of Vicksburg, an American Civil War battle Vicksburg is also the name of ...

– The Village with a Vision *

Whitefish Point Whitefish Point is a cape of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, United States, marking the entry point of Whitefish Bay. It is north of the unincorporated community of Paradise, Michigan. Whitefish Point is known for the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, i ...

– Cranberry Capital of MichiganCentennial Cranberry Farm
accessed Sept. 5, 2010. * Ypsilanti ** Ypsi ** Ypsiltucky

References

External links

a list
of American and a few Canadian nicknames

{{U.S. settlement nicknames Michigan cities and towns Populated places in Michigan

City nicknames This is a list of nickname-related list articles on Wikipedia. A nickname is "a familiar or humorous name given to a person or thing instead of or as well as the real name." A nickname is often considered desirable, symbolising a form of acceptance ...

See also

References

External links