The following is a list of nicknames for the city of Chicago, Illinois Nickname: Motto: Urbs in Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in the Chicago metro area and Illinois Coordinates: , Country State Counties Cook, DuPage Settled 1770s Incorporated March 4, 1837 Government  - Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area  - City  234. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ...

"Hog butcher for the world,
Tool maker, stacker of wheat,
Player with railroads and the nation's freight handler;
Stormy, husky, brawling,
City of the big shoulders."

—Carl Sandburg's "Chicago" (1916)

Carl Sandburg in 1955 Carl August Sandburg (January 6, 1878 – July 22, 1967) was an American poet, historian, novelist, balladeer, and folklorist. ... 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ...

Major Nicknames

• "The Windy City" — It is often said—erroneously—that this nickname was first used by Charles Anderson Dana, editor of the New York Sun, in 1890 in reference to the city's claims for the World Columbian Exposition. Barry Popik and others, however, have found numerous earlier references to the "Windy City." Earlier attestations are found in the Cleveland Gazette dated September 19, 1885 and the Cincinnati Enquirer dated February 12, 1877 (pg. 5, col. 2); undoubtedly other antedatings will emerge. Some continue to believe that the name may indicate the summer breezes as is described at Doctor's Weather History, but early evidence does not support this theory. 19th-century citations reveal that the nickname arose in connection with (1) the longwindedness of politicians, both residents and those visiting for political conventions; and (2) the city's many boosters who commended the western metropolis to the world's attention. (The complete article on the nickname from the University of Chicago Press's Encyclopedia of Chicago (2004) is available here.) Further explanation of the various origins can be found at Windy City, Origin of Name (Chicago). However, the breeziness of the city's weather helps reinforce the nickname. In Chicago, this nickname has become a signifier for businesses and organizations that are gay-owned or gay-friendly—for example, the Windy City Times is one of the city's two main gay community newspapers, and the Windy City Cycling Club draws most of its members from the gay community.

• "Second City" — A reference to Chicago's rebirth after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The nickname has often been used to deride the city as having second billing to New York. The term was popularized in the 1950s by a tongue-in-cheek work by A.J. Liebling that appeared in The New Yorker entitled "Chicago, the Second City." The improvisational comedy troupe The Second City uses the nickname ironically in the same sense as the article. A very common misconception is that "Second City" is to refer to Chicago as the second largest city in population, which is false (as Los Angeles surpassed Chicago in population in the mid 1980's).

• "Chi-town" or simply "Chitown" — Pronunciation of this nickname can vary from /tʃɪ.tæʊn/ to /ˈʃaɪ.tæʊn/ to /ˈtʃi.tæʊn/. (An ironic homophone to "shy-town".)

• Chicagoland — A term for the city together with its surrounding suburbs, coined by the Chicago Tribune in the early 1900s. Correctly, the term encompasses the city and the nine counties around it; however, it is often mistakenly used to mean only the suburbs or in redundant phrases like "greater Chicagoland area." Largely used by TV announcers and headline writers, it is making inroads into the common speech.

Charles Anderson Dana (August 8, 1819 – October 17, 1897) was an American journalist, author, and government official, best known for his association with Ulysses S. Grant during the American Civil War and his aggressive political advocacy after the war. ... The original New York Sun began publication September 3, 1833, as a morning newspaper, and an evening edition began in 1887. ... 1890 (MDCCCXC) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar). ... One-third scale replica of The Republic, which once stood in the great basin at the exposition, Chicago, 2004 The World Columbian Exposition (also called The Chicago Worlds Fair), a Worlds fair, was held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbuss discovery... is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1885 (MDCCCLXXXV) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... The Cincinnati Enquirer is a daily morning newspaper published at Cincinnati, Ohio. ... February 12 is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1877 (MDCCCLXXVII) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... In politics, a political convention is a meeting of a political party, typically to select party candidates. ... Boosterism is the act of huge boobs or promoting, ones town, city, or organization, with the goal of improving public perception of it. ... The University of Chicago Press is the largest university press in the U.S. It is operated by the University of Chicago and publishes a wide variety of academic titles, including The Chicago Manual of Style, dozens of academic journals including Critical Inquiry, and a wide array of texts covering... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This newspaper article was published by the Cleveland Gazette in 1885 The City of Chicago has been known by many nicknames, but it is most widely recognized as The Windy City. ... GAY can mean: Gay, a term referring to homosexual men or women The IATA code for Gaya Airport Category: ... This page is a candidate to be copied to Wiktionary using the Transwiki process. ... Artists rendering of the fire, by John R Chapin, originally printed in Harpers Weekly The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned from Sunday October 8 to early Tuesday October 10, 1871, killing hundreds and destroying about four square miles in Chicago, Illinois. ... 1871 (MDCCCLXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... A.J. Liebling (October 18, 1904 - December 28, 1963) was an American journalist who was closely associated with The New Yorker from 1935 until his death. ... The New Yorker is an American magazine that publishes reportage, criticism, essays, cartoons, poetry and fiction. ... The Second City Logo The Second City is a long-running improvisational comedy troupe based in the Old Town neighborhood of Chicago, with offshoot troupes in other cities, most notably Toronto. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... Chicagoland is an informal name for the Chicago metropolitan area, used primarily by copywriters, advertising agencies, native residents, and traffic reporters. ... // The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois and owned by the Tribune Company. ...

Minor Nicknames

• "Da Chi" — Used by many popular rap musicians from the area, such as Kanye West and R. Kelly. (pronounced "duh shy" much like "Chi-town.")

• "The Chill or Chi Ill" — Also used by rap musicians from the area (Chill as in Chicago Illinois).

• "City by the Lake" — Used in the Smashing Pumpkins' song "Tonight, Tonight."

• "City of the Big Shoulders" — From "Chicago," a poem by Carl Sandburg.

• "City of the Century."

• "The 312" — The onetime area code for Chicago and surrounding communities, which now applies only to the Loop and several immediately surrounding neighborhoods. Many rap artists refer to Chicago by this name, and many pro sports players from the Chicago area use 312 to signify their hometown. Dwyane Wade is an example: A small triangle on his shoes contains the numbers 312 in reference to his birthplace.

• "City on the Make" — From "Chicago, City on the Make" (1951), a prose poem by Nelson Algren.

• "The City That Works" — According to former Mayor Richard J. Daley.

• "The Big Onion" — an homage to the original Native name for the area (which meant "onion"), in parallel with a popular New York nickname

• "City in a Garden" — After the motto on the seal "Urbs in Horto."

• "Hog-Butcher to the World" — From "Chicago."

• "Beirut by the Lake" — From a Wall Street Journal article during the Council Wars of the 1980's

• "New York Done Right"; Denoting that Chicago is all the good things about New York, without any of the bad things.

• "Illville"; because it is the largest metropolis in Illinois.

• "I Will" City — From the "I Will" Symbol.

• "My Kind of Town" — According to the song "My Kind of Town (Chicago Is)" (music by James Van Heusen, words by Sammy Cahn, 1964) popularized by Frank Sinatra. (Originally from the film, Robin and the Seven Hoods, about a fictional popular Chicago gangster).

• "Paris on the Prairie" — From the 1909 plan for the City of Chicago created by Daniel Burnham.

• "Sweet Home" from the Robert Johnson song Sweet Home Chicago.

• "Heart of America" because it is one of the largest transportation centers in America and its location near the center of the United States.

• "That Toddling Town" — According to the lyrics of the song "Chicago" (music and words by Fred Fisher, 1922) also popularized by Frank Sinatra (as well as Tony Bennett).

• "Ayreton" — quasi-medieval name used by local members of the Society for Creative Anachronism.

• "Shot-Town" — people located on the southern part of Chicago call it Shot-Town because of the high numbers of homicides caused by gun shots and firearms.

• "The 773" — is Chicago's second area code, and mainly used in areas outside of the "Loop."

v • d • e City of Chicago
History • Neighborhoods • Places and Landmarks • Parks • Architecture • Culture • Theatre • Sports • Media • Colleges and Universities • Flag • Public Schools • Economy • Government • Geography • Climate • Metropolitan Area