Nicknames for Places Trivia

1. What American city is known as "The Gateway to the West"?

From Quiz Can you ID these World Cities by Their Nicknames?

Answer: St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis was founded in 1764 as a trading post along the shores of the Mississippi River. The city fathers paid homage to King Louis IX of France by naming it in his honor. The western expedition of Merriwether Lewis and William Clark began in "St. Lou". In 1904 St. Louis hosted both the World's Fair and the Olympics. The Iconic "Gateway Arch" is the most prominent symbol of the city. Among the famous people who were born in St. Louis are poet Maya Angelou, actress Betty Grable, singer Chuck Berry, author T.S. Eliot and baseball legend Yogi Berra.

From Quiz Island Nick Nack

Answer: Madeira

Discovered by the Portuguese in 1419, Madeira is believed to have once been part of the fabled continent of Atlantis. Its capital is Funchal. The other islands mentioned are also located in the Atlantic.

From Quiz Cities, Towns, and Village Sobriquets 5

Answer: Mitchell

The present Corn Palace was erected in 1921. Each year it is decorated with harvested corn products on the exterior. The attraction draws 500,000 visitors a year. It costs about $130,000 to decorate each year. The building also houses civic and sporting events. Sturgis is famous for holding its annual "Motorcycle Rally". Motorcycle enthusiasts from all over the country convene in Sturgis each August for over seventy years. Crowds of 400,000 to 630,000 are general. During the rally there may be 1200 calls for police assistance and sometimes over 400 arrests. Western history is rich in Deadwood, named for Deadwood Gulch where it is located. It is the city of the "Deadman's Hand" as the legend goes that Wild Bill Hickok held two aces and two eights when he was murdered in Deadwood. Calamity Jane was another renowned citizen of Deadwood. The TV series "Deadwood" was fiction although real names were used for characters. Pine Ridge Reservation includes Oglala, a small village. Robert Redford used Oglala in his documentary "Incident at Oglala". It tells the story of Leonard Peltier, a Native American activist, who was accused of the murder of two government employees at Oglala and sentenced to life imprisonment. The government has one story; the Native Americans have another. The facts are hard to discern but seem to be primarily circumstantial. Peltier's last appeal was rejected in 2009.

From Quiz Sobriquets

Answer: Nigeria

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa with over 130 million people. The population is about one fifth of the entire continent. In economy too, Nigeria is at the very top of the African charts with its oil and exports business coming up well. On many other parameters also Nigeria is rated among the powers of Africa and is therefore called "the Giant of Africa."

From Quiz Geographical Sobriquets

Answer: Rome

The seven hills of Rome are: Aventinus (Aventine) Caelius (Caelian) Capitolium (Capitoline) Esquiliae (Esquiline) Palatium (Palatine) Quirinalis (Quirinal) Viminalis (Viminal)

From Quiz Can you ID these World Cities by Their Nicknames?

Answer: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Calgary is located in the southern portion of the province of Alberta. It was first incorporated as a city in 1894. It is best known for being the home of the ten day "Calgary Stampede", which draws a million visitors annually to watch ridin' and ropin' as well as to enjoy live musical entertainment. Calgary is also the home of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, and the Calgary Zoo is another popular attraction. In 1988, Calgary became the first Canadian city to play host to the Winter Olympic Games. Super Bowl MVP Mark Rypien, actress Elisha Cuthbert and WWII Royal Air Force hero and winner of The Victoria Cross, Ian Bazalgette were all born in Calgary. Interesting note: In 2007 Forbes Magazine rated Calgary as "The World's Cleanest City".

From Quiz Island Nick Nack

Answer: Prince Edward Island

Also known as "The Gentle Island", "Spud Island", or simply "The Island" (by its inhabitants), Prince Edward Island (or PEI, as it is often abbreviated) is the largest island of Canada's smallest province (of the same name). Its official French name is "Île-du-Prince-Édouard". Its capital is Charlottetown. The other islands mentioned are also Canadian.

From Quiz Cities, Towns, and Village Sobriquets 5

Answer: Oak Ridge

Oak Ridge was where much of the initial research on the atomic bomb was conducted. The government appropriated land on which to build its research facility during World War Two. Farmers and land-holders are stressed to this day about the displacement as they are about the TVA intrusion a decade before. Scientists and their families were persona non grata in local communities. Oak Ridge, however, survived. It has a museum that tells the story and is well worth a visit. -- Lynchburg is known as the "Home of Jack Daniels" and is a popular tourist venue in Tennessee. The Jack Daniel's label for quality whiskey is world-wide although the county it is located is a 'dry' community. -- Memphis has a number of nicknames but "Birthplace of Rock and Roll" is most popular. The city houses Graceland, Elvis Presley's home, and has a rich blues and jazz history. -- Knoxville still is known as the "Underwear Capital of the World" even though most of those mills closed during the 1950s.

From Quiz Sobriquets

Answer: Scotland

The poet Robert Burns used this expression to describe Scotland in the opening line of his poem 'On the Late Captain Grose's Peregrinations Thro' Scotland'. Scotland has long been referred to as the "Land O'Cakes," where o'cakes is short for oatcakes.

From Quiz Geographical Sobriquets

Answer: Cuba

Cuba is the largest and most westerly of the West Indies archipelago. It is the world's fourth largest producer of sugar cane.

From Quiz Can you ID these World Cities by Their Nicknames?

Answer: Rome, Italy

The capital of Italy, Rome is 496 square miles in size, and the Tiber River runs through it. With nearly three million residents, it is the most populated city in the country as well. Among the many wonders the city has to offer visitors are The Colosseum, the Forum, Trevi Fountain and The Seven Hills. Also lying within Rome is Vatican City, the physical "home" of the Catholic Church. At just 110 acres, Vatican City is the smallest nation in the world. I hear Rome has some pretty good pizza joints too.

From Quiz Island Nick Nack

Answer: Tasmania

Also known as "Tassie" or "Tazzie", and often abbreviated as TAS, Tasmania is the largest Australian island (if you count Australia as a continent). It is the smallest Australian state, separated from the rest of the country by Bass Strait. Its capital is Hobart. Tasmania used to be one of the world's largest apple producers, hence the name. The "Granny Smith" apple was developed here.

From Quiz Cities, Towns, and Village Sobriquets 5

Answer: Huntsville

Prior to 1923 Texas counties handled executions via hanging. With the purchase of an electric chair in 1923, Texas began to have executions under state control in Huntsville. In fact, five men were executed immediately. From then until 1962, 361 offenders were executed in Huntsville. A moratorium on the death sentence came in 1964 and lasted until 1982 when the moral and ethical debate continued on the death sentence. When the moratorium was lifted, lethal injection began. Texas typically accounts for more executions than any other state. -- Austin, in addition to being the Capital of Texas, also is the "Live Music Capital of the World". The PBS program "Austin City Limits" confirms this. Two other Austin nicknames are "Violet Crown" and "Keep Austin Weird". -- In 1915 a circus train stopped in Hutto, Texas. A hippopotamus escaped from the train and got stuck in a nearby creek. It required three fire and police in addition to the circus workers to free the animal. Thus, Hutto became "Hippo City". Today the local high school teams are still called the 'Hippos'. -- Waco, perhaps because of the presence of Baylor University, the largest Baptist college in the world, is sometimes referred to as the "Buckle of the Bible Belt". It is also the home of the "Texas Ranger Museum" and the "Dr. Pepper Museum". Waco was in national headlines some years ago with the affair of the Branch Dravidian Compound.

From Quiz Sobriquets

Answer: Barbados

Barbados, is a small island-nation situated in the Caribbean. Barbados was once a British colony and English is the official language. The capital of Barbados is Bridgetown.

From Quiz Geographical Sobriquets

Answer: Belgrade

Beograd (Belgrade) literally means 'white city'. It was the capital of Serbia in the 12th century and was later ruled by Ottoman Turks. Incorporated into Yugoslavia in 1929, February 2003 saw Serbia declared a republic with a referendum on full independence to be held after three years.

From Quiz Can you ID these World Cities by Their Nicknames?

Answer: Beijing, China

Beijing is home to approximately twenty million residents and is the capital of The People's Republic of China. "The Forbidden City" is actually a magnificent ancient palace in Beijing that was home to emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Tiananmen Square lies nearby. The city is home to over 100 museums including The National Art Museum of China and The Palace Museum in The Forbidden City. Portions of The Great Wall of China pass through Beijing, formerly known as Peking. Actor Jet Li, who appeared in "Lethal Weapon 4" (1998) and "The Expendables" (2010), was born in this beautiful city. Interesting fact: The Ming Dynasty ruled from 1368-1644. The Qing Dynasty followed and ruled from 1644-1912.

From Quiz Island Nick Nack

Answer: Tristan da Cunha

Tristan da Cunha is located in the Southern Atlantic, and the main island of a volcanic group of islands of the same name. Its capital is Edinburgh of the Seven Seas. Tristan de Cunha is the most remote inhabited archipelago in the world, South Africa being over 2800km away and Brazil over 3300km. It is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. Those other two islands are both over 2400km (1500 miles) removed. Other islands in the archipelago are Gough Island, the Nightingale Islands, and Inaccessible Island (what's in a name!). Although Napoleon spent a part of his life in exile on Elba, its nickname is not "The World's Loneliest Island". Actually, Elba's nickname is "Fume", after the large number of foundries on the island. Iceland is "The Land of Fire and Ice", and although one can be very lonely at Christmas, Christmas Island has not yet earned that nickname.

From Quiz Cities, Towns, and Village Sobriquets 5

Answer: Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City and much of Utah was established by the Mormon Church or the longer name of "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints". Hence Salt Lake City is the City of Saints. Salt Lake is known as the geological center as family history. -- Kanab is "Little Hollywood". Near Bryce Canyon, it is the scenic host to "Daniel Boone", "Gunsmoke", "Planet of the Apes", "Outlaw Josey Wales", "Lone Ranger", "Stagecoach" and various other film and television productions. -- Orem is the "Family City" after Forbes Magazine named it the fifth best place in the US to raise children. Oren is named for a pioneer railroad builder but was previously named "Provo Bench" and "Sharon". -- Provo is located in what is called "Happy Valley". Several local businesses use the name. It was the site of a film called "Happy Valley" a documentary of drug abuse and its effect on individuals and the community.

From Quiz Sobriquets

Answer: Punjab (India & Pakistan)

Punjab is a state in India. After India's independence in 1947, a part of the state went to Pakistan too. The word "Punjab" is made up of two Persian words 'Panj' (meaning five) and 'Aab' (meaning water). Punjab was known as land of five rivers because of the five rivers that criss-cross the state. The five rivers are Indus, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej and Chenab.

From Quiz Geographical Sobriquets

Answer: Straits of Bab-el-Mandab

The Bab-el-Mandab Strait is a passage into the Red Sea and known as the 'Gateway of Tears' due to the number of shipwrecks that have taken place. "Like some ill-destined bark that steers In silence through the Gate of Tears". Thomas Moore (1779-1852): 'Fire Worshippers'.

From Quiz Can you ID these World Cities by Their Nicknames?

Answer: Nashville, TN

Nashville, which is the capital of Tennessee, lies on the banks of the Cumberland River. It was founded in 1779 and incorporated in 1806. It is named after American War hero Francis Nash who was killed at The Battle of Germantown on October 4, 1777 during the Revolutionary War. It has been the home of the Grand Ole Opry and its great country music since 1925. The Opryland Amusement Park was a vital part of the tourism business for 25 years (1972-1997). Nashville has been the home of The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum since 1961. It is also home to Vanderbilt University, among whose graduates are former Poet-Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner, Robert Penn Warren, James Dickey, author of "Deliverance" (1970), and legendary sportswriter Grantland Rice. Singer Rita Coolidge, Major League pitcher R.A. Dickey and Julian Bond, the former chairman of the NAACP were born in Nashville.

From Quiz Island Nick Nack

Answer: Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has many names. It used to be called Ceylon by the Europeans. In Arab, it is known as Tenerism (Isle of Delight), in Chinese as Pa-Outchow (Isle of Gems). Other nicknames are "India's Teardrop" (referring to its shape) and "The Pearl of the Indian Ocean". Its capital is Sri Jayewardenapura Kotte and its largest city and former capital is Colombo. Its nickname "Island of Teaching" was given by the large number of Greeks and Chinese who travelled there to learn of Buddhism. Don't confuse it with Ireland, "The Island of Saints and Scholars". Taiwan is a Chinese island, Okinawa is Japanese, and Bahrain is a country in the Persian Gulf.

From Quiz Cities, Towns, and Village Sobriquets 5

Answer: Barre

Nearby Barre is a vein of granite four miles long, two miles wide, and ten miles deep. This granite is considered one of the best and arguably the best deposit of granite in the world. Rutland is the "Marble City" but hardly rivals Barre although it has an extensive Marble Museum. St. Albans is the "Rail City" as it is the northern terminis for Amtrak. Winooski is called the "Onion City" as Winooski is a Native American word meaning 'wild onions'.

From Quiz Sobriquets

Answer: Netherlands

Dikes are built to reclaim land from the sea. A dike is a construction along the edge of a body of water to prevent it from flooding onto an adjacent lowland. Dikes may be of permanent types or emergency buildings (often of sandbags).

From Quiz Geographical Sobriquets

Answer: Tristan da Cunha

Tristan da Cunha, the remotest island in the world, lies midway between South Africa and South America in the South Atlantic Ocean. The group of four islands are a British Overseas Territory administered from St Helena. The area of Tristan is 38sq. miles with a population of 313, all living in the settlement of Edinburgh.

From Quiz Can you ID these World Cities by Their Nicknames?

Answer: International Falls, MN

Slightly over 6,000 brave souls choose to inhabit this 6.4 square mile portion of northeast Minnesota. While its frigidity is well documented, it may surprise you to know that it has recorded a high temperature of 103 F. With the lowest recorded temperature of -55 F. that gives it a an amazing difference of 158 degrees in extremes (both figures are as of 2011). Professional football player and wrestler Bronko Nagurski grew up in International Falls. U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer Dick Dougherty who was a member of the silver medal winning U. S. team at the 1956 Winter Olympics held in Cortina d 'Ampezzo, Italy, was born in "The Icebox".

From Quiz Island Nick Nack

Answer: Lana'i

Lana'i is one of the islands in the USA state of Hawaii. Its largest city is Lana'i City, and the capital of the state is Honolulu. The islands in that archipelago all have interesting nicknames, ranging from "The Friendly Isle" (Molokai) to "The Forbidden Isle" (Niihau). Maui is "The Valley Isle" or "The Magic Isle". One of the incorrect answers, Oahu, is "The Gathering Place"; Kauai is "The Garden Isle". Kahoolawe is known as "The Target Isle", and finally, Hawaii itself is "The Big Island".

From Quiz Cities, Towns, and Village Sobriquets 5

Answer: Bristol

In 1998 the US Congress proclaimed Bristol and its sister city Bristol, TN as the "Birthplace of Country Music". Early in recording history researchers recorded the folk music of the area. The area began to produce recordings of classic tunes from groups like the Carter Family. There are a number of country music, bluegrass, and Celtic music festivals in the area. Nearby is Bristol Speedway that hosts two NASCAR races each year on a quarter-mile high-banked track. -- Williamsburg is the "Colonial Capital" as it was the capital of Virginia when Jamestown was burned. Nearby is an extensive restoration of Colonial Williamsburg which consists of authentic replicas of homes, shops, businesses, and atmosphere of colonial days that draw 700,000 to 1,000,000 visitors and tourists each year. -- Because it is built on the foothills of the Blueridge Mountains, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills". It served briefly as the capital of Virginia when Richmond fell during the Civil War. The Virginia State Colony for Epileptics and Feebleminded in Lynchburg carried out sterilization of "unfits' for decades up till 1972. -- Each spring Honikor explodes in the color of pink as it is the "Rosebud Capital of the World" The town hopes to develop as a tourist mecca for its celebration of the rosebud.

From Quiz Sobriquets

Answer: Thailand

The Thais consider a white elephant as a very auspicious animal. It is said that before Lord Buddha was born, his mother dreamt that a white elephant came to present her with a lotus, symbol of purity and knowledge. Buddhism is a major religion in Thailand.

From Quiz Can you ID these World Cities by Their Nicknames?

Answer: Manila, Philippines

Manila, the capital of the Philippines has the appealing appellation of "The Pearl of the Orient". Manila suffered great devastation during WWII but has been rebuilt and now is home to 1.6 million people (2010 census) over its 14.9 square miles inner urban area. It is home to the National Museum as well as the National Library of the Philippines and is also where the president and the Supreme Court reside. In all of the Philippines only Quezon City with its 2.7 million inhabitants, spread over 64.1 square miles is larger than Manila. The noted shoe collector and former first lady Imelda Marcos was born in Manila. Also natives of the capital are actress Angela Laprete from "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" (2008), and former American Major League baseball pitcher Bobby Chouinard.

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Last Updated Oct 25 2025 5:54 AM

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