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9 Nicknames for Natives
What to Call Elsewherians (and Why!)
By Mark Peters
While the meanings of monikers such as Ethiopian, Hobokenite, and Earthling aren’t hard to suss out, it’s a little tougher to guess where to find a Moonraker or a Zonie. And why the heck are Oklahomans called “Sooners,” anyway? We’re not sure when Rand McNally and Noah Webster teamed up to create these wild nicknames, but after hearing the origins, we’ll happily applaud their creativity.
1» Moonraker
So, how’d the residents of Wiltshire, England, end up with this fancy nickname? Legend has it that around 1787, some brandy smugglers were on the run from the Five-0, so they dumped their booze in a pond. They narrowly escaped, but were later caught fishing for their brandy. When the cops asked them what they were doing, the creative bootleggers played dumb—pointing to the moon’s reflection and claiming (in all seriousness) they were fishing for cheese. Apparently, the police bought it, and the name “Moonraker” stuck.
2» Zonie
Zonie is a derogatory term for the crowds of Arizonans who descend upon San Diego each summer, presumably to escape the ungodly heat in their Zonie homeland. San Diego newspapers feature plenty of references to the “Zonie Factor,” and many residents long for a “Zonie-free” environment. Regularly used in that area, it’s a good term to know. Just don’t get it confused with a Zonian, one who lives in the Panama Canal Zone, or a Bizonian—someone who lived in the post-WWII British/American zone in Germany.
3» Sooner
Most people know this term refers to an Oklahoma resident, because of the state’s successful football team. But on the field, actual Sooner-type behavior would result in a false-start penalty. Fact is, a Sooner is a too-early bird. It seems that many settlers entered Oklahoma before the legal time for settlement in April 1889, thereby beating out any law-abiding suckers who followed the rules and moved in on time. Soon after, “Sooner” came to mean both an Oklahoman and anyone who jumps the gun.
Hoosiers, Knickerbockers, Elsewherians and Bunnies all after the jump!
4» Hoosier
Some say “Hoosier” is a modification of “husher” (a synonym for bully), while others insist it was a post–bar fight query—“Whose ear?”—that morphed into Hoosier after many retellings (and many drinks). The truth is, Hoosier’s origin is a legitimate mystery. Its connotation, less so. Insulting uses of Hoosier are prominent in Kentucky and Missouri, as well as in the slang of seafarers, loggers, trade union members, and drug traffickers. Notable Hoosier Dan Quayle even mounted a campaign in 1987 to eliminate derogatory definitions of Hoosier from Webster’s New World Dictionary. (He was unsuccessful.) Despite Hoosier’s offensive undertones, though, it’s still better than calling a Hoosier an “Indianan.” In Indiana, that’s the biggest insult of all.
5» Bunnies
You might think residents of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, are sometimes referred to as “Bunnies” because vast hordes of rabbits roam the town, or because carrots are the most popular vegetable, or because locals endlessly set new standards for breeding. Sadly, the jokey name is only a “See Der Rabbits” joke. True. Through 1932, four different minor league baseball franchises in Cedar Rapids used the name Rabbits or Bunnies, and—one would assume—that’s how the joke multiplied.
6» Knickerbocker
Oddly enough, the New York Knickerbockers should really be the New York Irvings, because the word came from Washington Irving’s pseudonym, Diedrich Knickerbocker. Though not nearly as common as Hoosier or Sooner, a “Knickerbocker” is someone who descended from early Dutch settlers—and therefore is from New York State. Irving used the pen name while writing the satiric A History of New York in 1809.
7» Elsewherian
Logically speaking, someone from elsewhere could be from anywhere, but language isn’t especially logical. The term “Elsewherian” is actually specific to California, where it was invented by former Governor Goodwin Knight to refer to anyone who hails from anywhere but the Golden State. The Golden State being, of course, where Californians, Californios (Spanish-speaking settlers in the state’s youth), Gold Coasters, Gold Diggers, and Prune Pickers can be found.
8» Nutmegger
Connecticut is the Nutmeg State in honor of … deceitful nutmeg peddlers? As the story goes, shady 17th- and 18th-century traders sold useless “wooden nutmegs” when they ran out of the real thing. (In truth, ill-informed buyers might not have known that raw nutmegs are actually solid, wood-like seeds that are ground into powder and not cracked like nuts.) Whatever the truth, Connecticutians loved the notion that their forebears were clever enough to pass off fake nutmegs so much that they happily adopted the name.
9» Appleknocker
“Appleknocker” was originally an insult for a hillbilly, hick, or rube. In 1937, the Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce in Washington tried to ban the term from the movies because it gave apple workers a bad name. However, as language changed, Appleknocker evolved into a more favorable, affectionate label for people from parts of New York or Washington State who are hip-deep in apple orchards.
[Author’s Note] Special source credit to Paul Dickson for his book Labels for Locals: What to Call People from Abeline to Zimbabwe (Collins, 2006).
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Comments (20)
Comment
FIB
Derogatory term akin to “zonie” for the influx of people from Illinois into Wisconsin during the summer. FIB stands for F*****g Illinois B*****ds. A variation on this theme is FIBTAB, which is FIB Towing a Boat.
posted by KH on 11-13-2007 at 8:41 am
Surprised you left off Coon-Ass.
Coon-ass, or Coonass, is an epithet used in reference to a person of Cajun ethnicity.
Although some Cajuns use the word in regard to themselves, other Cajuns view the term as an ethnic slur against the Cajun people, especially when used by non-Cajuns. Socioeconomic factors appear to influence how Cajuns are likely to view the term: working-class Cajuns tend to regard the word “coonass” as a badge of ethnic pride; whereas middle- and upper-class Cajuns are more likely to regard the term as insulting or degrading, even when used by fellow Cajuns in reference to themselves.
The origins of “coonass” are obscure, and Cajuns have put forth several folk etymologies in an effort to explain the word’s origin. Some believe that the word refers to the Cajuns’ occasional habit of eating raccoons, or from the use of coonskin caps by the Cajuns’ ancestors while fighting in the Battle of New Orleans or in the Revolutionary War under Spanish colonial Governor Bernardo de Gálvez. Others attribute the term to the racial slur “coon,” used in reference to African-Americans — thus implying that Cajuns are lower than African-Americans in social standing. Yet others hold that the term derives from the shape of Cajun women after having children (like a raccoon viewed from above). To most people, “coonass” is more or less synonymous with “redneck cajun”.
The most popular folk etymology, however, stems from late Louisiana congressman and cultural activist James “Jimmy” Domengeaux, who maintained that “coonass” derived from the continental French word “connasse,” which he contended meant “stupid person” or “a prostitute without health papers” (dirty prostitute). He asserted that Frenchmen used the term in reference to Cajun soldiers serving in France during World War II, and that Anglo-American soldiers overheard the term, transformed it into “coonass,” and brought it back to the U.S. as a disparaging term for Cajuns. Citing Domengeaux’s etymology, Louisiana legislators passed a concurrent resolution in the 1980s condemning the word. (Contrary to popular belief, the lawmakers did not ban the term.)
Research has since disproved Domengeaux’s “conasse” etymology. Indeed, photographic evidence shows that Cajuns themselves used the term prior to the time in which “conasse” allegedly morphed into “coonass.” As a result, the origin of “coonass” remains uncertain.
posted by Stuart on 11-13-2007 at 9:06 am
I was born and raised in WI and lived there for 24 years. I’ve never heard of FIB or FIBTAB. (Seems a little vulgar to me…)
But I lived in Madison, so maybe it’s a northern-WI term?
That being said, I’m sure I’ve muttered something similar under my breath on summer weekends when I get caught in that stupid IL-vacation traffic!!
posted by HMH on 11-13-2007 at 11:04 am
Non-residents who flock to the Jersey Shore in the summer are referred to as Bennies. There are lots of origins for the term. The most prevelant is that it is an acryonm for Bayonne, Elizabeth, Newark, New York the towns from which the Benny originates.
posted by cheeques on 11-13-2007 at 11:14 am
Everyone in New England knows what a Masshole is.
posted by zantimisfit on 11-13-2007 at 11:26 am
Cheeques you beat me to it!!
The worst bennies are the ones from New York State… they always wear socks with sandals. I just never understood it.
posted by Kelly J. on 11-13-2007 at 12:03 pm
cheeques beat me to it as well. There is even a website at bennygohome(dot)com.
Don’t forget that we also have the “Snowbirds”. Ocean County, New Jersey has a VERY high population of senior citizens, due to the numerous amount of “retirement villiages” in our county. The Snowbirds are seniors who live in Jersey during the summer Florida during the winter, to escape the oppresive heat and the debilitating cold, respectively.
posted by caitlen315 on 11-13-2007 at 12:20 pm
Hey, caitlen315–
The latest trick is to leave the heat of Fla and permanently retire to western NC. They are then(not affectionately) referred to as “halfbackers”.
posted by jim on 11-13-2007 at 12:32 pm
Shoobie: It’s sort of obsolete and out of fasion now, but it’s a term for out-of-town visitors to the Jersey Shore. They carried their lunches in shoeboxes.
Cutter! Of course, that from Breaking Away, and the generic version is ‘townie.’
posted by fixedgear on 11-13-2007 at 12:49 pm
Everyone in the Rocky Mountain region knows what a “Greenie” is, especially us Wyomingites.
Greenies are Coloradans (in reference to their green license plates) that, since Colorado has sold out and polluted their own towns, lakes, and rivers, travels to Wyoming, Utah, etc. to fish and hunt and camp and vacation.
posted by Laura on 11-13-2007 at 1:01 pm
Here in Key West, the natives are known as “conchs” after the large underwater snail.
posted by dim wit on 11-13-2007 at 4:24 pm
I’m from Indiana and have heard the “whose ear” tale before although most historians consider the tale to be apochryphal. I hope I spelled that right, oh well. Anyway, the moniker is still considered a source of pride though many from the bluegrass state may say otherwise.
posted by Henry on 11-13-2007 at 8:13 pm
In Florida, snowbirds are also referred to as “cottonheads” and “blue-hairs” (both refer to hair)
posted by Meri on 11-13-2007 at 9:23 pm
People from the suburbs of toronto are referred to as “905ers” - people who come into the city on the weekend to party, leave a mess in the form of fights, trash, etc, then go back to the suburbs. (The number refers to the area code for cities just outside toronto, while toronto proper has the code 416 or 647)
posted by Lerren on 11-14-2007 at 8:11 am
Here in Jacksonville Florida we have a quaint little beach town that is actually a 6 mile island accessible only by three bridges with the intercoastal seperating us from mainland. It gets overrun with rednecks from the westside and gated community nesters in the weekends and summertime. We call all of those people “townies” (being from town) or “squirrels” (because of thier seemingly overflowing presence and thier erratic retarded behavior). Followed up by “go back over the bridge”. And the beach natives even have bumper stickers that say “I dont cross the ditch”, in reference to the intercoastal waterway.
posted by rattown on 11-14-2007 at 8:49 am
HMH,
FIB is a common term for people from IL in SO.WI too. I live right on the border, and our city is being overrun. Cheaper taxes I am told. It is vulger, but to their faces we call them “flatlanders”, as they lovingly refer to us as “cheeseheads”
posted by Tracy B on 11-14-2007 at 9:23 am
Ah, Lerren… Manhattan has a similar problem with folks who come into the city on the weekend to party, leave a mess in the form of fights, trash, etc… We call them “B & T’ers” or “Bridge and Tunnelers,” i.e., those who have to cross a bridge or tunnel to get into Manhattan.
posted by Anonymouse on 11-14-2007 at 2:43 pm
In Michigan we have FIPS (not FIBS) - F*****G Illinois (Or Indiana) people, refering to tourists who are bad drivers, who swarm the lower southwest corner of MI, mostly in the summer.
posted by Cassie on 11-14-2007 at 3:53 pm
Those of us who reside in the UP of Michigan are Yoopers.
Those who live in the Lower Peninsula–according to Yoopers–are trolls. That is because they ‘live under the bridge.’
posted by cmk on 11-14-2007 at 5:24 pm
I lived in Cedar Rapids, IA for almost 3 years and all my family (aunts, cousins, etc.) live there, and I have never heard the term “bunnies” before.
posted by Heather on 11-14-2007 at 8:48 pm