Presidents of the United States The president of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States, indirectly elected to a four-year term via the Electoral College. Under the U.S. Constitution, the officeholder leads the executive bra ...

have often acquired nicknames, both flattering and unflattering. This list is intended to note those nicknames that were in common use at the time they were in office or shortly thereafter.

George Washington

* The American Cincinnatus, like the famous Roman

Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus () was a Ancient Rome, Roman patrician (ancient Rome), patrician, Roman Senate, statesman, and Roman army, military leader of the early Roman Republic who became a famous model of Virtus (virtue), Roman virtue—parti ...

, he won a war, then became a private citizen instead of seeking power or riches as a reward. He became the first president general of the

Society of the Cincinnati The Society of the Cincinnati is a lineage society, fraternal, hereditary society founded in 1783 to commemorate the American Revolutionary War that saw the creation of the United States. Membership is largely restricted to descendants of milita ...

, formed by Revolutionary War officers who also "declined offers of power and position to return to his home and plough". * The American

Fabius In Roman mythology, Fabius was the son of Hercules and an unnamed mother. In "The Life of Fabius Maximus" from the ''Parallel Lives'' by Plutarch, Fabius, the first of his name, was the son of Hercules by a nymph or a woman native to the country, ...

, for his Fabian military strategy during the Revolutionary War * The Father of His Country * His Excellency * Sage of

Mount Vernon Mount Vernon is the former residence and plantation of George Washington, a Founding Father, commander of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, and the first president of the United States, and his wife, Martha. An American landmar ...

John Adams

* Bonny Johnny, "Bonny" meaning a sizeable person. * The Colossus of Independence, for his leadership in Congress in 1776 * The Duke of Braintree, due to residing in

Braintree, Massachusetts Braintree () is a municipality in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It is officially known as a town, but Braintree is a city with a mayor-council form of government, and it is considered a city under Massachusetts law. The populat ...

and his strong opinions on the use of

honorifics An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an honorary academic title. It ...

for important officers of the government * Father of American Independence * His Rotundity, for his girthy bodily figure * Old Oak * Old Sink or Swim, for the speech in which he vowed "sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish, I am with my country from this day on"

Thomas Jefferson

* The Apostle of Democracy * Father of the

Declaration of Independence A declaration of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another state or failed state, or are breaka ...

* Long Tom * The Man of the People * The Moonshine Philosopher of Monticello, as Jefferson was known for his interest for alcohol * Red Fox * The Sage of

Monticello Monticello ( ) was the primary residence and plantation of Thomas Jefferson, a Founding Father, author of the Declaration of Independence, and the third president of the United States. Jefferson began designing Monticello after inheriting l ...

James Madison

* Father of the

Constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed. When these pri ...

* Little Jemmy or His Little Majesty, at only , the shortest U.S. president * The Sage of Montpelier * Withered Little Apple

James Monroe

* The Era of Good Feelings President, for "The

Era of Good Feelings The Era of Good Feelings marked a period in the political history of the United States that reflected a sense of national purpose and a desire for unity among Americans in the aftermath of the War of 1812. The era saw the collapse of the Fe ...

", the period following the victorious end of

War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...

. The term was first coined by the Boston Federalist newspaper

Columbian Centinel The ''Columbian Centinel'' (1790–1840) was a Boston, Massachusetts, newspaper established by Benjamin Russell (journalist), Benjamin Russell. It continued its predecessor, the ''Massachusetts Centinel and the Republican Journal'', which Russe ...

on July 12, 1817, following President James Monroe’s visit to Boston. * The Last Cocked Hat, because he was the last U.S. president to wear a

tricorne hat The tricorne or tricorn is a style of hat in a triangular shape, which became popular in Europe during the 18th century, falling out of style by the early 1800s. The word "tricorne" was not widely used until the mid-19th century. During the 18th ...

according to the old-fashioned style of the 18th century

John Quincy Adams

* The Abolitionist or Old Man Eloquent, famed for routinely bringing up the slavery issue against Congressional rules, and for his role later on in the ''Amistad'' case. He is the only American president to be elected to the

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...

after his presidency. The nickname gained currency as a result of his campaign against slavery waged as a congressman, and as the attorney in the ''Amistad'' case. * Mad Old Man From

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

Andrew Jackson

* The Hero of New Orleans, for his military victory in the

Battle of New Orleans The Battle of New Orleans was fought on January 8, 1815, between the British Army under Major General Sir Edward Pakenham and the United States Army under Brevet Major General Andrew Jackson, roughly 5 miles (8 km) southeast of the Frenc ...

* Jackass, Jackson's critics disparaged him as a "Jackass"; however, Jackson embraced the animal, making it the unofficial symbol of the Democratic Party. * King Andrew, for his supposedly excessive use of the veto power * King Mob * Mad Dog Jackson, for his aggressive military tactics * Mischievous Andy * The Old Hero was derivative of the ''Hero of New Orleans'' sobriquet, but it had a more disparaging, slightly disdainful connotation. * Old Hickory, allegedly given to him by his soldiers for being as "tough as old hickory," although the

Oxford English Dictionary The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the principal historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP), a University of Oxford publishing house. The dictionary, which published its first editio ...

suggests an association with the euphemism ''hickory oil'', a reference to punishment by whipping * The Old Roman * People's President * Sharp Knife, for his fighting tactics

Martin Van Buren

* The American Talleyrand * Blue Whiskey Van, a reference to his excessive drinking of

whiskey Whisky or whiskey is a type of liquor made from Fermentation in food processing, fermented grain mashing, mash. Various grains (which may be Malting, malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, Maize, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky ...

* The Careful Dutchman_, Van Buren's first language was

Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...

* Dandy President, critics called him for his fancy expensive outfits * The Enchanter * The Great Manager * The Little Magician, given to him during his time in the state of

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

, because of his smooth politics and short stature * Machiavellian Bellshazzar, given to him by detractors * Martin Van Ruin * The Master Spirit * Matty Van from "Tippecanoe Songs of 1840" * The Mistletoe Politician, so called by Joseph Peyton of

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

, a Whig opponent, who charged that "Martin Van Buren was a mere political parasite, a branch of

mistletoe Mistletoe is the common name for obligate parasite, obligate parasitic plant, hemiparasitic plants in the Order (biology), order Santalales. They are attached to their host tree or shrub by a structure called the haustorium, through which they ...

, that owed its elevation, its growth--nay, its very existence, to the tall trunk of an aged hickory" (i.e. Andrew Jackson) * Old Kinderhook (OK), a reference to his home town * Red Fox of Kinderhook, a reference to his red hair and home town * The Sly Fox * The Sage of

Lindenwald Martin Van Buren National Historic Site is a unit of the United States National Park Service in Columbia County, New York, south of the village of Kinderhook, north of New York City and south of Albany. The National Historic Site preser ...

William Henry Harrison

* The Cincinnatus of the West, Harrison's military victories in the

made him a folk-like hero, similar to

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

and Cincinnatus * General Mum, as in the expression, "keep it mum," because of his avoidance of speaking out on controversial issues during his election campaign * Old Granny, his opponents called him for he was the oldest person at the time to be president; his age was 68. * Tippecanoe or also Old Tippecanoe, a reference to Harrison's victory at the 1811

Battle of Tippecanoe The Battle of Tippecanoe ( ) was fought on November 7, 1811, in Battle Ground, Indiana, between United States Armed Forces, American forces led by then Governor William Henry Harrison of the Indiana Territory and tribal forces associated with Sh ...

; used in the campaign song

Tippecanoe and Tyler Too "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too", originally published as "Tip and Ty", is a campaign song of the Whig Party's Log Cabin Campaign in the 1840 United States presidential election. Its lyrics sang the praises of Whig candidates William Henry Harriso ...

during the 1840 presidential election * Washington of the West, a reference to Harrison's victories at the 1811 Battle of Tippecanoe and 1813

Battle of the Thames The Battle of the Thames , also known as the Battle of Moraviantown, was an American victory in the War of 1812 against Tecumseh's Confederacy and their United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, British allies. It took place on October 5, 1813, ...

John Tyler

* His Accidency, a nickname given by his opponents; the first president to be elevated to the presidency by the death of his predecessor, William Henry Harrison * The President without a Party

James K. Polk

* First Dark Horse President, he was not well known before the

1844 United States presidential election United States presidential election, Presidential elections were held in the United States from November 1 to December 4, 1844. Democratic Party (United States), Democratic nominee James K. Polk narrowly defeated Whig Party (United States), Whi ...

* Napoleon of the Stump, for his short stature and potent oratory skills * Polk the Purposeful * Polk the Plodder or Polk the Mendacious, multiple politicians saw him as untrustworthy and scheming. * Punctilious James * Young Hickory, because he was a particular protégé of "Old Hickory", Andrew Jackson

Zachary Taylor

* Old Rough and Ready * Old Zack

Millard Fillmore

* The American

Louis Philippe Louis Philippe I (6 October 1773 – 26 August 1850), nicknamed the Citizen King, was King of the French from 1830 to 1848, the penultimate monarch of France, and the last French monarch to bear the title "King". He abdicated from his throne ...

* Last of the Whigs, he was the last member of the Whigs to become president * Wool Carder President, when he was 15, he was sent to be an apprentice to a wool carder

Franklin Pierce

* Fainting Frank or the Fainting General, used by Whig Party opponents for his record in the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War (Spanish language, Spanish: ''guerra de Estados Unidos-México, guerra mexicano-estadounidense''), also known in the United States as the Mexican War, and in Mexico as the United States intervention in Mexico, ...

* Handsome Frank * Purse * Young Hickory of the Granite Hills, "Young Hickory" compared his military deeds (in the Mexican–American War) with those of Andrew Jackson. "The Granite Hills" were his home state of

New Hampshire New Hampshire ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

James Buchanan

* Bachelor President, per his unmarried status * Miss Nancy, alongside

William King William King may refer to: Arts * Willie King (1943–2009), American blues guitarist and singer * William King (author) (born 1959), British science fiction author and game designer, also known as Bill King * William King (artist) (1925–2015), ...

's Aunt Fancy. Andrew Jackson reportedly used these names to suggest

effeminacy Effeminacy or male femininity is the embodiment of feminine traits in boys or men, particularly those considered untypical of men or masculinity. These traits include roles, stereotypes, behaviors, and appearances that are socially associated wi ...

. * Old Buck, from a shortening of his last name, used later in life * Old Public Functionary, used by Buchanan in his December 1859

State of the Union The State of the Union Address (sometimes abbreviated to SOTU) is an annual message delivered by the president of the United States to a Joint session of the United States Congress, joint session of the United States Congress near the beginning ...

address and adopted by newspapers * Ten-Cent Jimmy, derogatory, as a reaction to Buchanan's campaign statement that ten cents a day was decent pay for a worker

Abraham Lincoln

* Abe * Honest Abe * Uncle Abe, for his avuncularity in his later years. * The Ancient One, Association of Lincoln Presenters, Lincoln Quotes, "LINCOLN had many nicknames such as Honest Abe, the Railsplitter, the Liberator, the Emancipator, the Ancient One, the Martyr". a nickname favored by

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...

insiders because of his "ancient wisdom". * Grand Wrestler, Lincoln was great at wrestling and only had one recorded loss * The Great Emancipator and The Liberator, for the emancipation of the slaves. * The Rail-Splitter * Spotty Lincoln * The Uncommon Friend of the Common Man * The Tycoon, for the energetic and ambitious conduct of his administration

Andrew Johnson

* Andy the Sot * King Andrew or King Andy * Sir Veto, because of the large number of legislative vetoes he issued during his presidency; 29 in total, (the most at the time) * The Tennessee Tailor, for his career as a tailor before going into politics

Ulysses S. Grant

* The American

Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war. He ...

* The Butcher, Grant's unmatched persistence led him to win several key victories for the Union forces earning him this nickname * The Galena Tanner * The Great Hammerer * The Hero of Appomattox * Little Beauty, a nickname mocking his good looks * Ulyss, childhood nickname * Useless Grant * U.S. Grant **

Uncle Sam Uncle Sam (with the same initials as ''United States'') is a common national personification of the United States, depicting the federal government of the United States, federal government or the country as a whole. Since the early 19th centu ...

Grant, a name given to him by his classmates at

West Point The United States Military Academy (USMA), commonly known as West Point, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York that educates cadets for service as Officer_(armed_forces)#United_States, comm ...

** Unconditional Surrender Grant, a

backronym A backronym is an acronym formed from an already existing word by expanding its letters into the words of a phrase. Backronyms may be invented with either serious or humorous intent, or they may be a type of false etymology or folk etymology. The ...

for his uncompromising demand for

unconditional surrender An unconditional surrender is a surrender in which no guarantees, reassurances, or promises (i.e., conditions) are given to the surrendering party. It is often demanded with the threat of complete destruction, extermination or annihilation. Anno ...

during the

Battle of Fort Donelson The Battle of Fort Donelson was fought from February 11–16, 1862, in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. The Union capture of the Confederate fort near the Tennessee–Kentucky border opened the Cumberland River, an important ave ...

in 1862, which made him a hero **

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

Grant, his classmates soon began to call after he got his new initials USG

Rutherford B. Hayes

* Dark Horse President * Granny Hayes * His Fraudulency or Rutherfraud, because after the disputed results of the 1876 Election, many Democrats did not consider him legitimately to be president * President De Facto * Rud, childhood nickname * The Great Unknown, for his obscurity as a candidate

James Garfield

* Boatman Jim, referencing his work on the Ohio canals in his youth * Canal Boy, also referring to his old job on Ohio canals as a boy * Gar, nickname from college * The Plow Boy of Ohio, sung in a campaign song. * Preacher President

Chester A. Arthur

* Chet or Our Chet, shortened version of his name used by publications of that era * Elegant Arthur, for his style and large wardrobe of clothes * Gentleman Boss, as the dapper leader of New York State's Republican party * Prince Arthur and The Dude President, for his fancy attire and indulgence in extravagant luxury * Walrus, because of his mustache

Grover Cleveland

* Big Steve, as his full name was Stephen Grover Cleveland * Grover the Good, for his honesty and public integrity * His Obstinacy, he vetoed more bills than the first 21 presidents combined * Uncle Jumbo * The Stuffed Prophet

Benjamin Harrison

* The Centennial President * The Front Porch Campaigner; during the 1888 election, he gave nearly ninety speeches from his front porch to crowds gathered in the yard of his

Indianapolis Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...

home; this nickname has been widely but erroneously attributed to William McKinley. * Grandfather's Hat, for his grandfather William Henry Harrison was the 9th president of the

* The Human Iceberg, although he could warmly engage a crowd with his speeches, he was cold and detached when speaking with people on an individual basis * Kid Gloves Harrison * Little Ben, given to him by Democrats of his era because of his stature; this could also be a reference to his being the grandson of former president William Henry Harrison, who had served fifty years before. * Pious Moonlight Dude, because of his romance

William McKinley

* Idol of Ohio * The Major * The Napoleon of Protection, referring to high tariffs such as the one he wrote in 1890 * Wobbly Willie, due to flip-flopping on issues such as

expansionism Expansionism refers to states obtaining greater territory through military Imperialism, empire-building or colonialism. In the classical age of conquest moral justification for territorial expansion at the direct expense of another established p ...

Theodore Roosevelt

* The Colonel, for his

rank A rank is a position in a hierarchy. It can be formally recognized—for example, cardinal, chief executive officer, general, professor—or unofficial. People Formal ranks * Academic rank * Corporate title * Diplomatic rank * Hierarchy ...

in the

Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...

* The Cyclone Assemblyman * The Hero of San Juan Hill, for leading his

Rough Riders The Rough Riders was a nickname given to the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, one of three such regiments raised in 1898 for the Spanish–American War and the only one to see combat. The United States Army was small, understaffed, and diso ...

up San Juan Hill during the

Battle of Santiago de Cuba The Battle of Santiago de Cuba was a decisive naval engagement that occurred on July 3, 1898 between an United States, American fleet, led by William T. Sampson and Winfield Scott Schley, against a Restoration (Spain), Spanish fleet led by Pascu ...

in 1898 * The Lion * Teddy, used in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' at least as early as 1900, even though he hated the nickname * Telescope Teddy, because he had all his rifles fitted with a small telescope * Teedie, childhood nickname * TR, for signing communications this way; perhaps the first president to be known by his initials * The Trust Buster, so called as a pioneer of

busting ''Busting'' is a 1974 American buddy cop film, directed by Peter Hyams in his theatrical directorial debut, starring Elliott Gould and Robert Blake as police detectives of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). The film was the main inspirati ...

business trusts

William Howard Taft

* Big Bill, for his large appearance * Big Chief * Big Lub, his boyhood nickname * Sleeping Beauty, a nickname his wife

Helen Herron Taft Helen Louise Taft (née Herron; June 2, 1861 – May 22, 1943) was First Lady of the United States from 1909 to 1913 as the wife of President William Howard Taft. Born to a politically well-connected Ohio family, she took an early interest ...

called him because he was always falling asleep

Woodrow Wilson

* Coiner of Weasel Words, given by former president Theodore Roosevelt in a speech * The Phrasemaker, as an acclaimed historian, Wilson had no need of speech-writers to supply his oratorical eloquence * Professor, for his job was a college professor * The Schoolmaster, a bespectacled academic who lectured his visitors

Warren G. Harding

* Charming Harding * Winnie, childhood nickname * Wobbly Warren, because of his flip-flopping and closeness to his cabinet during important events, similar to William McKinley

Calvin Coolidge

* Cal, short for Calvin * Cautious Cal * Cool Cal, since his reelection campaign used the slogan, "Keep It Cool With Coolidge" * Silent Cal * Red, because of his hair color * The

Sphinx A sphinx ( ; , ; or sphinges ) is a mythical creature with the head of a human, the body of a lion, and the wings of an eagle. In Culture of Greece, Greek tradition, the sphinx is a treacherous and merciless being with the head of a woman, th ...

of the Potomac, because he was non talkative and a man of few words

Herbert Hoover

* The Chief, a nickname picked up at the age of 23 as a geologist surveying in the

Australian Outback The Outback is a remote, vast, sparsely populated area of Australia. The Outback is more remote than the bush. While often envisaged as being arid, the Outback regions extend from the northern to southern Australian coastlines and encompass ...

, that stuck for the rest of his life * The Grand Old Man, for the Grand Old Party * The Hermit Author of Palo Alto * The Great Engineer and the Great Humanitarian, he was a civil engineer of some distinction and when the

Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...

burst its banks in 1927, engulfing thousands of acres of agricultural land, he volunteered his services and did extensive flood control work. The latter nickname would later be used facetiously in reference to his perceived indifference to the hardships faced by his constituents during the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

. However, the nickname dates back to 1921, when the

ARA Ara may refer to: Biology * ''Ara'' (bird), a genus of parrots * Ara (fish) (''Niphon spinosus''), a species of fish * L-arabinose operon, also known as ara Places * Ara (mountain), a mountain in Armenia * Ara, Armenia, a village in Armenia ...

under Hoover saved millions of Russians suffering from famine. "It was such considerations that

Walter Lippmann Walter Lippmann (September 23, 1889 – December 14, 1974) was an American writer, reporter, and political commentator. With a career spanning 60 years, he is famous for being among the first to introduce the concept of the Cold War, coining t ...

took into account when he wrote of Hoover's Russian undertaking in the New York World in May 1922: 'probably no other living man could have done nearly so much'".

Franklin D. Roosevelt

* Delano, middle name that also meant "of the

anus In mammals, invertebrates and most fish, the anus (: anuses or ani; from Latin, 'ring' or 'circle') is the external body orifice at the ''exit'' end of the digestive tract (bowel), i.e. the opposite end from the mouth. Its function is to facil ...

" in

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

, used by

Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who, upon assuming office as Prime Minister of Italy, Prime Minister, became the dictator of Fascist Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 un ...

* FDR, abbreviation of his full name * Feather-duster, boys at

Groton School Groton School is a Private school, private, college-preparatory school, college-preparatory, day school, day and boarding school located in Groton, Massachusetts, United States. It is affiliated with the Episcopal Church (United States), Episcop ...

called him because they thought he was snobbish and "a bit of a sissy" * King Franklin * Sphinx, in reference to his initial silence on whether or not he would run for a third term. Later visually depicted in a caricature sculpture commissioned by Secretary James D. Preston of the

National Archives National archives are the archives of a country. The concept evolved in various nations at the dawn of modernity based on the impact of nationalism upon bureaucratic processes of paperwork retention. Conceptual development From the Middle Ages i ...

* Squire of Hyde Park * That Man in the White House, used by those who disliked Roosevelt so much that they outright avoided saying his name

Harry S. Truman

* Give 'Em Hell Harry (also a campaign slogan) * Haberdasher Harry * High Tax Harry, after a veto on a bill to reduce income taxes * Man From Independence * The Second

Missouri Compromise The Missouri Compromise (also known as the Compromise of 1820) was federal legislation of the United States that balanced the desires of northern states to prevent the expansion of slavery in the country with those of southern states to expand ...

* The Senator From Pendergast, for his connection with political boss

Tom Pendergast Thomas Joseph Pendergast (July 22, 1872 – January 26, 1945), also known as T. J. Pendergast, was an American political boss who controlled Kansas City and Jackson County, Missouri, from 1925 to 1939. Pendergast only briefly held elected ...

Dwight D. Eisenhower

* Ike, known for being in his campaign slogan " I like Ike" * The Kansas Cyclone

John F. Kennedy

* The American Erlander, as he was known in

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

, due to his friendship with

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

Tage Erlander Tage Fritjof Erlander (; 13 June 1901 – 21 June 1985) was a Swedish politician and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Sweden and leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party, Social Democratic Party from 1946 to 1969. Previously, h ...

and their shared interest in

social welfare Welfare spending is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specifically to social insurance p ...

* Jack, Kennedy was usually referred to as either "John F. Kennedy" or "Jack Kennedy". See also '' Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy''. * JFK, most prominent nickname and abbreviation of his full name * The King of Camelot * Little Boy Blue, he was called by his predecessor Dwight D. Eisenhower * Rat Face, kids at his school called him for his skinny appearance

Lyndon B. Johnson

* Bull Johnson, for his reputation for

boasting Boasting or bragging is speaking with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about one's achievements, possessions, or abilities. Boasting tends to be an attempt to prove one's superiority by recounting accomplishments so that others will feel adm ...

at Southwest Texas State Teachers College * Landslide Lyndon, ironic reference to the

Box 13 scandal A box (plural: boxes) is a container with rigid sides used for the storage or transportation of its contents. Most boxes have flat, parallel, rectangular sides (typically rectangular prisms). Boxes can be very small (like a matchbox) or very ...

, a hotly disputed 87-vote win that put him into the Senate in 1948, which became more appropriate in his supporters' eyes following his victory in the 1964 presidential election * Rufus Cornpone, used as an attack on his rural accent by members of the Kennedy administration at dinner parties * LBJ, he liked to be known by his initials, which was used in the campaign slogan, "All the way with LBJ"; later it would be used in the anti-

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

political slogan Slogan, Slogans and Catchphrase, catchphrases are used by politicians, political parties, militaries, activists, and protestors to express or encourage particular beliefs or actions. List International usage * Better dead than RedAnti-communi ...

"Hey, hey, LBJ, how many kids did you kill today?" * Light-Bulb Lyndon, because he hated wasting electricity, and would often storm around the White House shutting off unnecessary lights

Richard Nixon

* Iron-Butt * Mad-Monk * Richard the Chicken-Hearted * Tricky Dick, from a Democratic Party ad leading up to the 1950 U.S. Senate election in California saying "Look at 'Tricky Dick' Nixon's Republican Record"

Gerald Ford

* Jerry * Jerry the Jerk * Junie, childhood nickname * Klutz or Klutz-in-Chief * Mr. Nice Guy, for his clean-cut and non-partisan image

Jimmy Carter

* Hot, short for Hot Shot, which was a childhood nickname * Jimmy, the first president to use his nickname in an official capacity, rather than his first name James * Jimmy Cardigan, got the nickname after he wore a sweater instead of a suit one day * The Peanut Farmer, he owned a peanut farm and fostered this image in his early campaigns, as a contrast to elite Washington insiders

Ronald Reagan

* Dutch, shortly after his birth, his father said he looked like a "fat little Dutchman"; reinforced when he wore a Dutch boy haircut as a youngster * The Gipper, after his role as George "The Gipper" Gipp in the film ''

Knute Rockne, All American ''Knute Rockne, All American'' is a 1940 American biographical film that tells the story of Knute Rockne, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame's legendary football coach. It stars Pat O'Brien (actor), Pat O'Brien as Rockne and Ronald Reagan as p ...

''. Gipp exhorted his teammates to "Win one for the Gipper". * The Great Communicator, for his ability to communicate * The Teflon President, coined by Representative

Pat Schroeder Patricia Nell Scott Schroeder (July 30, 1940 – March 13, 2023) was an American politician who represented Colorado's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1973 to 1997. A member of the Democratic Party, ...

because nothing negative "stuck to" him (like a

Teflon Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene, and has numerous applications because it is chemically inert. The commonly known brand name of PTFE-based composition is Teflon by Chemours, a spin-off from ...

skillet); he remained blame-free in the eyes of the American people. * Bonzo, from the name of the chimp in ''

Bedtime for Bonzo ''Bedtime for Bonzo'' is a 1951 American comedy film directed by Fred de Cordova and starring Ronald Reagan, Diana Lynn, and a chimpanzee named Peggy as Bonzo. Its central character, a psychology professor (Reagan), tries to teach human morals t ...

'', a film that Reagan starred in

George H. W. Bush

* 41, Papa Bush, Bush 41, Bush Sr., Senior, and similar names that were used after his son

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...

became the 43rd president, to differentiate between the two * Little Pop, because he was named after a grandfather * Poppy, a nickname used from childhood on

Bill Clinton

* Boy Governor, at only 32 years of age, Clinton was the second-youngest governor of Arkansas. * Bubba, common nickname for males in the Southern U.S. * The Comeback Kid, coined by press after strong second place showing in the 1992 New Hampshire primary, following polling slump * Explainer-in-Chief, for his directness when speaking about political concerns. * Slick Willie, a term originally coined when he was

Governor of Arkansas The governor of Arkansas is the head of government of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Governor (United States), governor is the head of the Executive (government), executive branch of the Politics and government of Arkansas, Arkansas government a ...

and popularized by newspaper '' Pine Bluff Commercial'', whose staff disagreed with his political views

George W. Bush

* 43, Bush Jr., Junior, Bush 43, and similar names, used to differentiate him from his father * Decider-in-Chief * Dubya, based on a Texas pronunciation of "W" * Jefe, meaning "the boss" or "chief", by his grandchildren * Shrub, nickname his high school classmate

Molly Ivins Mary Tyler "Molly" Ivins (August 30, 1944 – January 31, 2007) was an American newspaper columnist, author, and political commentator, known for her humorous and insightful writing, which often used satire and wit to critique political fig ...

gave to him

Barack Obama

* Barry, short for Barack * Barry O'Bomber, teammates in High School called him because he was great at scoring baskets in basketball * Deporter-in-Chief, used by immigrants rights activists for his record number of deportations * Nobama, primarily by Republicans and South African protestors * No Drama Obama, for his cautious and meticulous presidential campaign in 2007–2008 and for his patient, relaxed demeanor * Obamna, from a mispronunciation of his name by his successor

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

, which later became an

Internet meme An Internet meme, or meme (, Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''MEEM''), is a cultural item (such as an idea, behavior, or style) that spreads across the Internet, primarily through Social media, social media platforms. Internet memes manif ...

Donald Trump

* 45, the 45, and 47 and similar names, referencing his being the 45th president, and his penchant for wearing monogrammed "45" apparel (and after the

2024 United States presidential election United States presidential election, Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 5, 2024. The Republican Party (United States), Republican Party's Ticket (election), ticket—Donald Trump, who was the 45th president of ...

, with the number 47) * The Donald, since his first wife

Ivana Trump Ivana Marie Trump (; February 20, 1949 – July 14, 2022) was a businesswoman, socialite, and model. She lived in Canada in the 1970s, before relocating to the United States and marrying Donald Trump in 1977. She held key managerial positions ...

referred to him as such in a 1989 ''

Spy Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering, as a subfield of the intelligence field, is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information (intelligence). A person who commits espionage on a mission-specific contract is called an ''e ...

'' magazine cover story * Mr. Drumpf, from the ancestral German spelling of his surname, considered humorous by modern American standards. When exactly '' Drumpf'' was

Anglicized Anglicisation or anglicization is a form of cultural assimilation whereby something non-English becomes assimilated into or influenced by the culture of England. It can be sociocultural, in which a non-English place adopts the English language ...

as ''

Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

'' in his family is unknown, but appears to have happened sometime during the

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War, fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648, was one of the most destructive conflicts in History of Europe, European history. An estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died from battle, famine ...

(1618–1648). The nickname was adopted by detractors of Trump after comedian and political commentator

John Oliver John William Oliver (born 23 April 1977) is a British and American comedian who hosts ''Last Week Tonight with John Oliver'' on HBO. He started his career as a stand-up comedian in the United Kingdom and came to wider attention for his work ...

highlighted the etymology in a segment on ''

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver ''Last Week Tonight with John Oliver'' (often abridged as ''Last Week Tonight'') is an American news satire late-night talk show hosted by comedian John Oliver. The half-hour-long show premiered in the end of April 2014 on HBO and currently has ...

'' and encouraged his audience to " Make Donald Drumpf Again". * The Former Guy, coined by

Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...

to avoid using Trump's name (Biden also used "my predecessor" to refer to Trump.) * Orange Man, in reference to his prominent orange makeup. Especially used in the phrase " Orange man bad," a phrase meant to suggest that Trump's opponents have "

Trump derangement syndrome Trump derangement syndrome (TDS) is a pejorative term used to describe negative reactions to U.S. President Donald Trump that are perceived to be irrational and to have little regard for Trump's actual policy positions. The term has mainly b ...

" * President Snowflake and Snowflake-in-Chief, using the term "

Snowflake A snowflake is a single ice crystal that is large enough to fall through the Earth's atmosphere as snow.Knight, C.; Knight, N. (1973). Snow crystals. Scientific American, vol. 228, no. 1, pp. 100–107.Hobbs, P.V. 1974. Ice Physics. Oxford: C ...

", for his poor reactions to criticism, particularly on

Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...

and regarding the Mueller probe and related investigations * Teflon Don, referencing the original

Teflon Don John Joseph Gotti Jr.Capeci, Mustain (1996), pp. 25–26 ( , ; October 27, 1940 – June 10, 2002) was an American '' mafioso'' and boss of the Gambino crime family in New York City. He ordered and helped to orchestrate the murder of Gambino ...

for the many legal issues surrounding Donald Trump

Joe Biden

* Amtrak Joe, from his association with

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...

trains, which he would use to commute to Washington, D.C. * Brandon, or Joe Brandon, and derivatives such as Dark Brandon, based on the anti-Biden

Let's Go Brandon "Let's Go Brandon" is a List of political slogans, political slogan and Internet meme used as a euphemism for the phrase "Fuck Joe Biden" in reference to former U.S. President (government title), President Joe Biden. Chants of "Fuck Joe Biden" ...

" which is a coded way of saying "Fuck Joe Biden. * Beijing Biden, a nickname used by critics of Biden who perceive him as lenient in foreign policy towards

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

* Creepy Joe, a nickname used by Biden's opponents referring to his perceived creepy interactions with women * Crooked Joe, nickname used by Biden's opponent Donald Trump and his supporters in the

2024 presidential election This is a list of elections that were held in 2024. The National Democratic Institute also maintains a calendar of elections around the world. *2024 United Nations Security Council election *2024 national electoral calendar *2024 local electoral ...

* Genocide Joe, due to his support of

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

during the

Gaza war The Gaza war is an armed conflict in the Gaza Strip and southern Israel fought since 7 October 2023. A part of the unresolved Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Israeli–Palestinian and Gaza–Israel conflict, Gaza–Israel conflicts dating ...

amidst the

humanitarian crisis A humanitarian crisis (or sometimes humanitarian disaster) is defined as a singular event or a series of events that are threatening in terms of health, safety or well-being of a community or large group of people. It may be an internal or exter ...

and

genocide Genocide is violence that targets individuals because of their membership of a group and aims at the destruction of a people. Raphael Lemkin, who first coined the term, defined genocide as "the destruction of a nation or of an ethnic group" by ...

Gaza Gaza may refer to: Places Palestine * Gaza Strip, a Palestinian territory on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea ** Gaza City, a city in the Gaza Strip ** Gaza Governorate, a governorate in the Gaza Strip Mandatory Palestine * Gaza Sub ...

* Scranton Joe, from his birthplace of

Scranton, Pennsylvania Scranton is a city in and the county seat of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. With a population of 76,328 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Scranton is the most populous city in Northeastern Pennsylvania and the ...

and association with

blue-collar A blue-collar worker is a person who performs manual labor or skilled trades. Blue-collar work may involve skilled or unskilled labor. The type of work may involve manufacturing, retail, warehousing, mining, carpentry, electrical work, custodia ...

politics * Sleepy Joe, nickname used by Biden's opponent Donald Trump and his supporters, most prominently in the 2020 presidential election, to attack Biden as 'mentally slow'

Notes

References

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:United States Presidents, Nicknames Of, List Of Lists of nicknames of world leaders

Nicknames A nickname, in some circumstances also known as a sobriquet, or informally a "moniker", is an informal substitute for the proper name of a person, place, or thing, used to express affection, playfulness, contempt, or a particular character trait ...