List of city nicknames in California
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This partial list of city nicknames in California compiles the aliases, sobriquets, mottos and slogans that cities in California are known by (or have been known by historically), officially and unofficially, to locals, outsiders or their tourism boards or chambers of commerce. 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.[1] Nicknames and slogans that successfully create a new community "ideology or myth"[2] are also believed to have economic value.[1] Their economic value is difficult to measure,[1] but there are anecdotal reports of cities that have achieved substantial economic benefits by "branding" themselves by adopting new slogans.[2]
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.
Nicknames by city
A
B
C
- Campbell – The Orchard City[16]
- Carlsbad – Village by the sea[17]
- Castroville – Artichoke Center of the World[16][18][8]
- Chatsworth – San Pornando[19]
- Chico
- Clovis – Gateway to the Sierra[23]
- Coachella
- Colma (founded as a necropolis in 1924)[25]
- The City of the Silent[25]
- Compton – The Hub City[26]
- Corning – Olive City[16][8]
- Corona – The Circle City[27][8]
- Coronado – The Crown City[28][8]
- Corte Madera – The Twin City (with Larkspur)[29]
- Costa Mesa
- Culver City – Heart of Screenland[32]
D
F
G
H
I
K
- Koreatown, Los Angeles, CA
- K-Town
- Crazy Town
L
- La Crescenta-Montrose – The Balcony of Southern California[55]
- La Habra – Guadalahabra[56]
- La Mesa
- Jewel of the Hills[16]
- Larkspur – The Twin City (with Corte Madera)[29]
- Linden – Cherry Capital of the World[16]
- Livingston – Sweet Potato Capitol of the World[16]
- Lodi
- Lompoc – Flower Seed Capital of the World[58][8]
- Long Beach
- Los Angeles
- Entertainment Capital of the World
- L.A.
- El Lay[60]
- The Angels (literal Spanish translation)
- Angeltown[61]
- The Big Orange[9]
- City of Angels[9][62] – based partially on the literal translation of the city's original historical full name from the Spanish language -- "The City of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels".
- City of Flowers and Sunshine[18]
- La-La Land[9]
- Shaky Town[63]
- Tinseltown[64] (specifically applies to Hollywood[9])
- City of Champions (used in 2020 after the Lakers and Dodgers championships just 16 days apart)[65][66]
- Tehrangeles or little Persia
M
N
O
P
- Pacific Grove
- Pacifica – Fog Capital of California[91][8]
- Palm Springs – Golf Capital of the World[21][8]
- Pasadena
- Paso Robles
- The Pass of the Oaks[93]
- Pearsonville – Hubcap Capital of the World[94]
- Perris
- Placerville – Old Hangtown[9]
- Poway – The City In The Country[9]
R
S
- Sacramento
- Salinas
- San Bernardino – San Berdoo[107]
- San Carlos – City of Good Living[108]
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- Baghdad by the Bay[9][110]
- Bip City
- The Paris of the West[111]
- The City[9]
- The City by the Bay[9]
- The City That Knows How (archaic)[9][112]
- Everybody's Favorite City[9]
- Fog City[9]
- Frisco (locally disparaged)[113][114][115]
- The Exposition City (archaic)[116]
- The Ideal Convention City (archaic)[117]
- The Golden Gate City[9]
- San Fran (locally disparaged)[118]
- San Jose
- San Leandro – The 'Dro[121]
- San Luis Obispo
- San Pablo
- City of New Directions[124]
- Where?
- San Quentin – Bastille by the Bay[125]
- Sanger – Christmas Tree City[16]
- Santa Ana – The Golden City[126]
- Santa Barbara – The American Riviera[127]
- Santa Catalina Island – The Island of Romance[128]
- Santa Cruz – (The real) Surf City, USA[129]
- Santa Monica
- Santa Paula – Citrus Capital of the World[16]
- Selma – Raisin Capital of the World[16][21]
- Smith River – Lily Growing Capital of the World[58]
T
V
W
Y
- Yorba Linda – Land of Gracious Living[145]
- Yuba City – Prune Capital[16]
See also
References
External links
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