List of city nicknames in Louisiana

This partial list of city nicknames in Louisiana compiles the aliases, sobriquets and slogans that cities in Louisiana 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.

• Baton Rouge – Big Raggedy[3]
• Breaux Bridge – Crayfish Capital of the World[4] or Crawfish Capital of the World (In Louisiana vernacular, "Crawfish" would be the correct way to say it.)[5][6]
• Des Allemands – Catfish Capital of the World[4]
• Dubach – Dogtrot Capital of the World[7]
• Gonzales – Jambalaya Capital of the World[4][8]
• Gueydan – Duck Capital of America[9]
• Jennings – Cradle of Louisiana Oil[10]
• Lafayette

•The Heart of Acadiana[11]

•The Flats

• Lecompte – Pie Capital of Louisiana[8]
• New Orleans
  • America's Favorite City[12]
  • America's Most Interesting City[12]
  • America’s Most European City[12]
  • America's European Masterpiece[12]
  • The Big Easy[12][13][14]
  • Birthplace of Jazz[12]
  • City of the Chefs[12]
  • City of Festivals[12]
  • City of Mystery[12]
  • The City that Care Forgot[12][15]
  • The Crescent City[12][13][16][17]
  • Mardi Gras City[12]
  • Nawlins[13]
  • New York of the South[18]
  • NOLA[13]
  • Paris of the South[12]
  • Queen City of the South[12]
  • The Queen of the Mississippi[12][13]
  • Saint City[12]
  • Super Bowl City[12]
• Ponchatoula – Strawberry Capital of the World[19][20]
• Rayne – Frog Capital of the World[4][21]
• Shreveport – Ratchet City[22]
• Slidell – The Camellia City (official), The Dell
• St. Martinville – Birthplace of Acadiana[23]

See also

• List of city nicknames in the United States

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. Byron Harmon (2008), God gave me some bad advice, page 173. Agate Publishing. ISBN 1-932841-34-2
4. Faber, Harold (1993-09-12). "The World Capital of Whatever". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-11-15.
5. Claims to Fame - Fish, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.
6. Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, Chamber of Commerce website, accessed July 3, 2008
7. Welcome to Dubach, Louisiana
8. Claims to Fame - Food Archived 2017-04-01 at the Wayback Machine, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.
9. Claims to Fame - Birds, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.
10. Claims to Fame - Products Archived 2007-04-08 at the Wayback Machine, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.
11. Lafayette History, accessed September 27, 2007. "Lafayette, the heart of Acadiana and the unofficial capital of Cajun Country."
12. New Orleans Nicknames Archived 2009-01-07 at the Wayback Machine, New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau website accessed December 25, 2008
13. U.S. City Monikers, Tagline Guru website, accessed January 5, 2008
14. Tagline Guru City Branding Survey, Tagline Guru website, accessed August 18, 2009
15. New Orleans—"The City That Care Forgot" and Other Nicknames - A Preliminary Investigation Archived 2008-07-06 at the Wayback Machine
16. Barry Popik, Smoky City, barrypopik.com website, March 27, 2005
17. New Orleans profile, accessed April 7, 2007. "Because it was built on a great turn of the river, it is known as the Crescent City."
18. Barry Popik, New York of the South, March 27, 2005
19. Claims to Fame - Agriculture, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.
20. McKinney, Wanda (April 2005). "Our Favorite Town Slogans". Southern Living. Archived from the original on 2007-11-07.
21. Claims to Fame - Animals, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.
22. John Ortved (April 11, 2013). "Ratchet: The Rap Insult That Became a Compliment". New York Magazine. Retrieved December 9, 2013. Ratchet can be traced back to the neighborhood of Cedar Grove in Shreveport, Louisiana.
23. St. Martinville Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved 2008-02-14.