List of city nicknames in New Jersey

This partial list of city nicknames in New Jersey compiles the aliases, sobriquets and slogans that cities, other municipalities, and other populated places in New Jersey are known by (or have been known by historically), officially and unofficially, to municipal governments, local people, 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 of several New Jersey communities celebrate their status as Jersey Shore resorts.

• Asbury Park – The Dark City^[3]
• Atlantic City – A.C.,^[4] America's Playground,^[5] "The City" (inside Atlantic County)
• Belleville – The Cherry Blossom Capital of America^[6]
• Byram Township – The Township of Lakes^[7]
• Caldwell – The Denver of the East^[8]
• Carlstadt, New Jersey – Home of the Nation's First Kindergarten^[9]
• Cranford – The Venice of New Jersey^[10]
• Denville – Hub of Morris County^[11]
• East Orange – Illtown^[12]
• Elizabeth – Eastwick^[13]
• Fair Lawn – The Lawn^[14]
• Fort Lee – The Birthplace of the Motion Picture Industry^[15]
• Fortescue – Weakfish Capital of the World^[16]
• Franklin – Fluorescent Mineral Capital of the World^[17]
• Garfield - The City of Champions^[18]
• Garwood – The Industrial Center of Union County^[19]
• Hackensack – A City in Motion^[20]
• Hammonton – Blueberry Capital of the World^[21]
• Hasbrouck Heights – Hasbro Nation^[14]
• Hoboken – The Mile Square City^[22]
• Irvington – Ghost Town, formerly known as Camptown
• Jersey City – America's Golden Door,^{[23][24][25][26][27][28]} Chilltown,^[29] Wall Street West,^[30] The Sixth Borough^[31]
• Keansburg – The Burg,^[14] Gem of the Bayshore^[14]
• Lambertville – Antique Capital of New Jersey
• Long Beach Island – L.B.I.^[32]
• Long Branch – America's First Seaside Resort,^[33] The Friendly City^[34]
• Madison – The Rose City^[35]
• Maplewood – MapSo^[14] (in reference to the town's close/symbiotic relationship with neighboring town, South Orange)
• Metuchen – The Brainy Boro^[36]
• Millville – The Holly City^[37]
• Morristown – Motown,^[14] The Military Capital of the American Revolution
• Mount Laurel – Hotel Land^[14]
• Neptune Township – The Crossroads of the Jersey Shore
• New Brunswick – Health Care City,^[38] Hub City^[39]
• Newark – Brick City,^[40] Gateway City,^[41] Renaissance Newark^[41]
• North Arlington – Where Bergen County Begins^[6]
• Ocean City – America's Greatest Family Resort,^[42] A Moral Seaside Resort (historic slogan from the 19th century)^[42]
• Paterson – Silk City^[43]
• Perth Amboy – City by the Bay^[44]
• Plainfield – Queen City^[45]
• Pleasantville – P-Ville^[14]
• Rutherford – Borough of Trees,^[46] The First Borough of Bergen County^[47]
• Seaside Heights – Sleazeside^[48]

• South Orange – SoMa^[14] (in reference to the township's close/symbiotic relationship with neighboring town, Maplewood)
• Spring Lake – The Irish Riviera^[49]
• Trenton – Capital City,^[50] The Town
• Tuckerton – Clamtown^[14]
• Union City – Embroidery Capital of the United States,^[51][52][53] Havana on the Hudson^[53][54]
• Vineland – Dandelion Capital of the World^[55]

See also

• List of city nicknames in the United States
• List of municipalities in New Jersey (by population)

References

1. Muench, David "Wisconsin Community Slogans: Their Use and Local Impacts" Archived 2013-03-09 at the Wayback Machine, December 1993, accessed April 10, 2007.
2. Alfredo Andia, Branding the Generic City :) Archived 2008-05-21 at the Wayback Machine, MU.DOT magazine, September 10, 2007
3. Annual ArtsCAP Event Features Author Hisani Dubose Archived 2012-04-15 at the Wayback Machine, Atlantic Highlands Herald, June 16, 2010. "...Celebrate ArtsCAP's accomplishments in promoting the arts in Asbury Park and ... help plan further blossoming of art and culture in Dark City."
4. Laughlin, Jason. "Settlement reached in A.C. parking garage collapse"^{[permanent dead link]}, Courier-Post, April 12, 2007, accessed April 12, 2007.
5. "Atlantic City Dream", Time (magazine), November 5, 1934. "Longtime dream of Atlantic City's Mayor Harry Bacharach has been a new railroad station for 'America's Playground'."
6. NJ Town Slogans May Sound Great, But Can Be Dubious
7. Welcome to Byram Township's Official Web Site, Byram Township, New Jersey. Accessed June 13, 2007. "Byram is known as 'The Township of Lakes', having more than two dozen lakes and ponds."
8. "The History of Caldwell". Archived from the original on 2015-01-03. Retrieved 2015-01-03.
9. Google Street View Accessed Sep 3, 2019. Road sign displays motto
10. Cranford History, accessed September 27, 2007
11. Denville profile^{[permanent dead link]}, Daily Record (Morristown), accessed April 22, 2007. "Known as the 'hub' of Morris County -- because of its central geographic location and spot along major transportation routes — this township is home to one of the most traditional town centers in the county."
12. Various businesses, including Illtown Unisex Salon, Illtown Blues Archived 2015-12-22 at the Wayback Machine
13. "Downtown Eastwick". Foursquare. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
14. "About New Jersey - City Nicknames". The Jersey Devlin Directory. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
15. History of the Film Industry in Fort Lee Archived 2009-07-12 at the Wayback Machine, Fort Lee Film Commission website, accessed August 18, 2009
16. Natural, Undisturbed Beauty of Nature, Right Here in the Northeast Corridor Archived 2007-07-06 at the Wayback Machine, accessed April 5, 2007. "Fortescue is also host to one of the East Coast's most popular fishing tournaments, the Fortescue Weakfish Tournament. Fortescue is known as the weakfish capital of the world."
17. Claims to Fame - Rocks Archived 2008-02-18 at the Wayback Machine, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.
18. Kuperinsky, Amy. "'The Jewel of the Meadowlands'?: N.J.'s best, worst and weirdest town slogans", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, January 22, 2015. Accessed July 12, 2016. "Garfield, a city spanning two square miles on the Passaic River, is 'The City of Champions' because of some athletic feats from the distant past — including a championship by the 1939 high school football team."
19. Carolyn Freundlich (2010-01-16). "A New Year ignites discussion of change in Garwood". Cranford Chronicle. Retrieved 2010-06-14.
20. "Hackensack", FDU Magazine, Fall / Winter 2001. Accessed June 14, 2007. "Billed as 'A City in Motion', Hackensack has been on the move since before the founding of the United States."
21. Claims to Fame - Agriculture, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.
22. Hit musical 'Hair' was written in Hoboken: Mile-square city housed the seminal musical's authors in the 1960s Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine, Hudson Reporter, October 2, 2005.
23. "The Golden Door..." Random Number. Archived from the original on 2012-11-12. Retrieved 2012-10-10.
24. "Jersey City America's Golden Door". Legal Force Trademarks. Retrieved 2012-10-10.
25. "Jersey City: "Wall Street West"". Business Weekly. October 28, 2001. Archived from the original on November 22, 2001. Retrieved 2012-10-10.
26. "Hudson Shakespeare Company". Hudson Shakespeare Company. Retrieved 2012-10-10.
27. Scherer, Glenn; DeCoste, Paul (2009), Hiking New Jersey: A Guide to 50 of the Garden State's Greatest Hiking Adventures, Falcon Guide, ISBN 9780762711192
28. "Jersey City New Jersey USA". The Rotary Club. Archived from the original on 2011-05-21. Retrieved 2012-10-10.
29. "Why do people call Jersey City 'Chilltown'?" Archived 2011-04-15 at the Wayback Machine, Jersey City Reporter, April 15, 2005.
30. Jersey City: "Wall Street West" - After September 11, the ranks of businesses hopping the Hudson swell, Business Week, October 29, 2001. "The nickname 'America's Golden Door' never really caught on. So Jersey City officials tried to tag their town 'Silicon Valley East'--then the Internet Revolution petered out. But the latest monicker for Manhattan's neighbor across the Hudson--'Wall Street West'--just might stick."
31. Holusha, John. " Commercial Property / The Jersey Riverfront; On the Hudson's West Bank, Optimistic Developers", The New York Times, October 11, 1998. Accessed May 25, 2007. "'Given that the buildings on the New Jersey waterfront are new and equipped with the latest technology and just a few stops on the PATH trains from Manhattan, they become an attractive alternative. 'It's the sixth borough,' he said."
32. "Long Beach Island, New Jersey Regional Guide and Newsmagazine". Archived from the original on 2007-12-31. Retrieved 2008-01-06.
33. "Refuges of the famous saw economic, political change", Asbury Park Press, October 19, 2006. Accessed July 10, 2007. "But the moderate climate and ocean bathing soon helped Long Branch develop a reputation as the nation's 'first seaside resort.'"
34. 'Friendly City' overtaxes residents Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine, Atlanticville. June 1, 2007. Accessed July 10, 2007. "Long Branch City Hall does it again! The 'Friendly City' will stick its residents with a tax increase."
35. Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey Archived 2007-04-29 at the Wayback Machine, accessed April 12, 2007. "Once the hub of America's rose-growing industry, Madison earned the nickname 'The Rose City' in the mid-19th century."
36. Spies, Stacy E. "Images of America: Metuchen", accessed via Google Books, 2011-07-07.
37. "Cumberland County, NJ - About Millville". Archived from the original on 2012-07-11. Retrieved 2013-06-25.
38. 7:30 a.m. -- Filling cracks in the HealthCare City, from the Home News Tribune, September 23, 1999. "With two major hospitals and a medical school, New Brunswick proclaims itself The HealthCare City."
39. A wet day in the Hub City, from the Home News Tribune, September 23, 1999. "A few days short of 60 years, on Wednesday, Sept. 16, a dreary, drizzly day just ahead of the deluge of Hurricane Floyd, the Home News Tribune sent 24 reporters, 9 photographers and one artist into the Hub City, as it is known, to take a peek into life in New Brunswick as it is in 1999."
40. Blame the city for lifeless campus Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine, Rutgers-Newark Observer, April 3, 2007. "And what can we say about Brick City?"
41. NJ.com, Vinessa Erminio | NJ Advance Media for (2005-12-09). "Gateway? Renaissance? A reviving city earns its nicknames". nj. Retrieved 2021-03-15.
42. Ocean City, N.J.: This family-oriented resort thrives on its virtuous origins. Archived 2007-02-07 at the Wayback Machine, Baltimore Sun, accessed April 5, 2007.
43. New Jersey Rep. Pascrell Hopes PAC Fundraising is Smooth as Silk, The New York Times, March 7, 2007. "Paterson — located in northeastern New Jersey, about 20 miles from Manhattan — is known as the “Silk City” because of its long association with textile manufacturing."
44. City of Perth Amboy Archived 2005-11-24 at the Wayback Machine, accessed April 15, 2007. "Welcome to Perth Amboy, The City by the Bay."
45. City of Plainfield Archived 2007-07-08 at the Wayback Machine, accessed April 5, 2007. "On behalf of the City of Plainfield, I greet you with the passion and enthusiasm that hopefully you share for our Queen City, Plainfield, New Jersey."
46. Kvasager, Whitney. "Leaves ablaze with colors of the season", The Record (Bergen County), October 31, 2004. Accessed March 10, 2010. "In the Saturday drizzle, Rutherford – the Borough of Trees – was living up to its title."
47. Rutherford Borough Archived 2009-02-10 at the Library of Congress Web Archives. Accessed March 10, 2010.
48. Seaside Heights Beach Information, accessed April 5, 2007. Archived February 8, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
49. Spring Lake, AboutNewJersey.com website Archived 2009-06-18 at the Wayback Machine, accessed June 17, 2009
50. The Trentonian, Trenton Mayor announces ‘Summer in the Capital City’, The Trentonian, June 22 2017.
51. Cunningham, John (2004). This is New Jersey 4th ed. Yonkers, NY: Rutgers University Press; Hudson River Museum. p. 100. ISBN 0-8135-2141-6.
52. Union City 2000 Calendar; 2000; culled from History of West Hoboken and Union Hill by Ella-Mary Ryman; 1965 and "The Historical Background of Union City" by Daniel A. Primont, William G. Fiedler and Fred Zuccaro; 1964
53. "Little Havana (Miami) & Little Havana on the Hudson (Union City, New Jersey)" BarryPopkik.com; August 15, 2006
54. Rosero, Jessica. "Most liquor licenses? Bumpiest town? Local municipalities hold unusual distinctions" Archived 2016-01-12 at the Wayback Machine, Hudson Reporter, August 27, 2006. Accessed June 25, 2007.
55. Faber, Harold (1993-09-12). "The World Capital of Whatever". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-11-15.

External links

• a list of American and a few Canadian nicknames
• U.S. cities list