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List of British regional nicknames

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In addition to formal demonyms, many nicknames are used for residents of the different regions of the United Kingdom. For example, natives and residents of Liverpool are formally referred to as Liverpudlians, but are most commonly referred to as Scousers (after their local dish). Some, but not all, of these nicknames may be derogatory.

A - B

[edit]
Aberdeen
Dorics, Donians (football team are nicknamed The Dons), Teuchters, Sheepshaggers (pejorative).
Accrington
Akkies, Ringpieces (pejorative)
Arbroath
Red Lichties or Lichties, Codheids
Baldock
Baldricks (pejorative, after a scruffy little side-kick in the sitcom Blackadder)
Barnstaple
Barneys (pejorative when alluding to Barney Rubble of the Flintstones)
Basingstoke
Amazingstokers, Bas Vegans (after Las Vegas), Basingjokers, Stokies
Batley
Batshit Crazies (pejorative)
Barnoldswick
Barlickers, Bollockers (pejorative)
Barnsley
Barnzolians, Tykes,[1] Colliers (a former mining community), Dingles (pejorative, by people from Sheffield)
Barrow in Furness
Barrovians, Shipbuilders, Basras
Bath
Bathonians, Tubbies, Spiders (pejorative)
Belfast
McCooeys, Dunchers
Berkhamstead
Berkies, Berks (pejorative, from rhyming slang "Berkeley Hunt")
Beverley
Bevsters
Bilston
Silly Billies (pejorative)
Bingley
Bingles
Birkenhead
Birkos, Plastic Scousers (or Plazzies)
Birmingham
Brummies[2]
Bix
Bikkies, Biscuits
Black Country
Yam Yams,[3] Nineheads
Blackburn
Sooties, Horse Botherers (pejorative, by people from Burnley and other Lancashire towns, after bestiality convictions)[4]
Blackpool
Blackpudlians, Sand Grown 'Uns, Seasiders, Donkey Lashers / Botherers (the town has been rumoured to feature a donkey brothel)[5]
Bognor Regis
Boggers, Bog Buggers (pejorative, alludes to the last words of King George V)
Bolton
Trotters (originally a football term, it is now used to describe anyone from Bolton and surrounding area), Noblot (collective noun, anagram for Bolton)
Bo'ness
Bo'neds (pejorative)
Bournemouth
Bomos, Coffin Dodgers (due its popularity as a retirement area)
Bracknell
Cracknellers (pejorative, alluding to crack cocaine)
Bradford
Bradfordians, Bradistanis (pejorative)
Bramley
Villagers (by people from other areas of Leeds)
Bridgwater
Smellophaners
Brierfield
Pricklies
Brighton
Jugs (archaic)[6]
Brill
Brillbillies
Bristol
Bristolians, Brizzlies, Wurzels (pejorative)
Britain
Limeys in Canada and the United States[7] : Pommies in Australia and New Zealand[8] : Les Rosbifs in France[9]
Tommy, Island Monkey in Germany[10]
Burnley
Burnleyites, Dingles (pejorative, by people from other Lancashire towns, notably Blackburn)
Bury
Shakers (originally a football term, it is now used to describe anyone from Bury and surrounding area)
Bury St Edmunds
Teddies

C - D

[edit]
Caernarfon
Cofi
Caithness
Gallach[11]
Cambridge
Fenners, Swamp People
Cardiff
Bluebirds, Diffies
Carlisle
Carlers, Gypsies
Ceredigion
Cardi[12]
Chatham
Chavs[13]
Cheltenham
Nammers
Chester
Cestrians, Incestrians (pejorative, the etymology is false which derives "incest" from the Latin "In Cestria" meaning "What goes on in Chester")
Chesterfield
Spireites, Chessies
Chew Magna
Maggot Munchers
Chichester
Chis (long i), Chi-chis (pejorative)
Chipping Sodbury
Sodding Chippies
Clacton-on-Sea
Clackers, Clicketty-Clacks
Cleethorpes
Meggies
Cleobury Mortimer
Clomos
Clun
Clungies
Clitheroe
Clitherovians, Clit Heroes (pejorative)
Colchester
Colchies, Romans, Camuloonies, Steamies, Castlers, Cross 'n' Crowners (after Colchester's coat of arms).
Colne
Colons (pejorative if an allusion to the large intestine is intended)
Corby
Plastic Jocks (the new town was populated by Scottish immigrants)
Cornwall
Kernowicks, Merry-Jacks, Mera-Jacks, Uncle Jacks or Cousin Jacks (when abroad).
Coventry
Peeping Toms
Crawley
Creepy Crawlies, Insects[14]
Darlaston
Daleks
Darlington
Quakers, Darloids, DCs, Monte Darloes
Derby
Bockers, Sheep Shaggers, Rams
Devon
Janners
Dewsbury
Rag Pickers
Didcot
Diddlers (pejorative)
Dingwall
Gudgies
Doncaster
Donnies, Flatlanders (especially by people from Sheffield), Knights, Doleites
Dorchester
Magpies, Maggies, Dorch-vegasers
Dorking
Dorks, Chicken Botherers (pejorative, after the Dorking chicken breed)
Dorset
Dorset Knobs (from the famous biscuit), Dumplings
Dover
Dovorians, Dovakians (pejorative)
Droitwich Spa
Monners
Droylesden
Droids
Dumfries
Doonhamers, Queenies
Dundee
Dundonians
Duns
Dingers
Durham
Durhamites, Posh Mackems, Posh Geordies, Cuddies, Pit Yackers (due to Durham's mining heritage)

E – G

[edit]
Earby
Wingnuts (pejorative)
Eastbourne
Winnicks or Willicks (dialect name of a guillemot or wild person)[15], Coffin Dodgers, Piddlies (pejorative, alludes to the many elderly residents)
East Grinstead
Grinners
East Kilbride
Polo Mints (the town has too many roundabouts)
Eastleigh
Beastlies (pejorative)
Edinburgh
Edinburgers or Edinbourgeois (used more so when referring to people from more affluent suburbs of Edinburgh), Dunediner (Gaelic Origin), Toonies (Scots)
England
Sassenachs (used by Scottish and Irish; Anglicised form of the Scottish Gaelic word "Sasannach", meaning "Saxon"), Sassies, Red Coats, Inglish,[16] Nigels, Guffy (primarily in Northeast Scotland from the Scots 'pig'), Sais (Welsh), Englandshire (in Scotland), The Shire (in Scotland), Poms (Australia)
Essex
Essex Calves (archaic), Easties, Essers, Wideboys, Saxons, Scimitars (from the county Coat of Arms)
Exeter
Grecians (especially those from around the St Sidwells area and Exeter City FC fans generally)
Eye
Eyeballs
Failsworth
Jailsworths (pejorative)
Fleetwood
Codheads
Forest of Dean
Foresters, Deaners, Offers
Fort William
Minging Billies
Fraserburgh
Brochers,[17] (not to be confused with people from Burghead)
Frodsham
Jowie Heads (from old Runcorn area Cheshire meaning turnip, reference to the rural position of the town)
Galashiels
Pale Merks (from the claim that Gala was the last major town in Scotland to have plumbing/running water)
Gateshead
Knockoff Geordies (slightly pejorative, "wrong side of river")
Glasgow
Glaswegian, Keelies,[18][19] Weegies[20]
Glossop
Hillmen (due to its proximity to the Peak District), Tuppies (after the P. G. Wodehouse character Tuppy Glossop
Gloucester
Gloucestrians, Glozzies
Godalming
Godalmingers, God-all-mingers (pejorative)
Goole
Goolies
Grimsby
Codheads, Haddocks, Grimmies
Gillingham
Medwayers, Jills
Gosport
Turk Towners
Great Yarmouth
Yarcos
Guisborough
Guys, Woollybacks

H - K

[edit]
Hampshire
Hampshire Hogs, Bacon Faces (reference to Hampshire as a pig-raising county in former times)
Hartlepool
Monkey Hangers,[21] Poolies
Haslingden
Hasbeens (pejorative)
Hawick
Teris
Haydock
Yickers
Haywards Heath
Heathens
Heywood
Monkeys[22]
Highlands and Islands (of Scotland)
Teuchters, used by other Scots and sometimes applied by Greater Glasgow natives to anyone speaking in a dialect other than Glaswegian
Hinckley
Tin Hatters
Holyhead
Hole-in-heads (pejorative)
Horsham
Shams
Hove
Hovellers, Hove Actuallys (pejorative - "We're not Brighton but...)
Huddersfield
Hudders, Dog Botherers (pejorative)
Hull
Codheads, Hully Gullies, 'Ullites
Inverness
Sneckies
Ipswich
Binners, Tractor Boys, Carrot Crunchers
Irthlingborough
Irthlings
Isle of Wight
Caulkheads (named after the caulking of boats), Boat People (pejorative, refers to those commuting to the mainland for work)
Keighley
Keiths
Kettering
Holies, Sheep shaggers, Ketteringer pansies
Kendal
Kendalians, Kennys, Dolls
Keswick
Kezzies
Kidderminster
Kiddy Fiddlers (pejorative)
Kilbarchan
Habbies
Haverfordwest
Long necks

L

[edit]
Lancashire
Lankies, Yonners (specifically south-eastern Lancashire around the Oldham and Rochdale areas)
Leeds
Loiners[23]
Leamington Spa
Lemons, Phlegms
Leicester
Rat Eyes (from the Roman name for the city: Ratae), Chisits (from the pronunciation of "how much is it," which sounds like "I'm a chisit"); Foxes, Bin Dippers (named after Foxes)
Leicestershire
Leicesterites, Bean Bellies (from the eating of broad beans)[24]
Leigh
Leythers, Lobby Gobblers (from lobby)
Lincoln
Imps (see Lincoln Imp), Impotents (pejorative)
Lincolnshire
Yellow Bellies (after a species of frog common in the Lincolnshire and East Anglian Fens)[25]
Linlithgow
Black Bitches, from the burgh coat of arms
Littleborough
Little Buggers (not necessarily pejorative)
Littlehampton
LA, from the local accent being unable to pronounce the 'h' in Hampton[citation needed]
Liverpool
Scousers (from the stew known as scouse),[26][27]
Plastic Scousers or Plazzies (a person who falsely claims to be from Liverpool),[28]
Woolybacks or Wools (a person from the surrounding areas of Liverpool, especially St Helens, Warrington, Widnes, or the Wirral)[29][30]
Llanelli
Turks [citation needed]
London
Cockneys (Traditionally those born within the sound of the bells of St Mary le Bow, Cheapside)
Lossiemouth
Codheids [citation needed]
Loughborough
Loogabaroogas (from attempts by foreigners to pronounce it)
Louth
Luddites
Lowestoft
Trawler Boys, Slow Stuffers (pejorative)
Luton
Hatters, Looneys, Harpic Dodgers (pejorative, equating the town to a toilet)

M - N

[edit]
Mablethorpe
Maybos
Macclesfield
Treacle Towners
Manchester
Mancs (the shortened version of the demonym Mancunians), Mankys (pejorative)
Mansfield
Mannies, Stags, Deer Botherers, Scabs - offensive, linked to the divisions during the UK miners' strike (1984–1985)[31]
Malmesbury
Jackdaws
Middlesbrough
Smoggies.[32]
Mirfield
Smurfs
Montrose
Gable Endies
Nantwich
Dabbers[33]
Neath
Abbey-Jacks, Blacks, Blackjacks.
Nelson
Smelly Nellies (pejorative)
Newcastle upon Tyne
Geordies, Barcodes (the football team play in black and white striped shirts)
Norfolk
Norfolk Dumplings ("Dumplings being a favourite food in that county")[34], Turkey Botherers (pejorative)
Northampton
Cobblers, after the ancient shoe industry that thrived in the town.
Northern Ireland
Paddies, Huns (sectarian offensive term for pro-British Unionists), Taigs (sectarian offensive term for pro-Irish Nationalists)
North Shields
Cods Heeds, Fish Nabbers[citation needed]
North Wales
Gogs[35]
Northwich
Salter Boys[citation needed]
Norwich
Nodgies, Canaries, Budgies (the football club colours are green and yellow)
Nottingham
Boggers, Scabs (insult; see Mansfield)
Nuneaton
Codders, Treacle Towners[36]

O - R

[edit]
Okehampton
Okey Dokeys
Oldham
Yonners (from Oldham pronunciation of 'yonder' as in 'up yonner'), Roughyeds, Biffos
Oswaldtwistle
Gobbins (but only "above the lamp")[37]
Padiham
Irish Pigs (pejorative - "Paddy Ham")
Paisley
Buddies,[38]
Peacehaven
Plotters, Piss Mavens (pejorative)
Penistone
Penistoners, Penis Toners (pejorative)
Penzance
Peezeders
Peterhead
Bluemogganers, Blue Tooners
Petworth
Muppets (pejorative)
Pewsey
Spewers
Plymouth
Janners. Originally a person who spoke with a Devon accent,[39][40] now simply any West Countryman.[39] In naval slang (where the place is referred to as Guz[41]), this is specifically a person from Plymouth.[40]
Poole
Poodles
Portsmouth
Pompey (collective, shared by the city, the naval base and the football club), Skates (pejorative, alluding to frustrated sailors raping skates)
Prescot
Prekkies
Preston
Nob-enders (pejorative)
Ramsbottom
Woollybums
Reading
Dingbats (pejorative)
Redcar
Codheads
Rickmansworth
Rickies, Pricks (pejorative)
Rochdale
Rochies, Cockroaches (pejorative)
Rotherham
Chuckles, Rotherbirds
Royston
Crows
Royton
Destroyers
Rye
Mudlarks[42]

S

[edit]
St Agnes
Aggies
St Albans
Snorbennies, Snore Bennies (pejorative, alluding to the character Benny in the soap opera Crossroads)
St Austell
Snozzles
St Helens
Woollybacks[43], Nellies
St Neots
Snots
Salford
Dots (acronym, from the song Dirty Old Town by The Pogues)
Scarborough
Scarbs, Algerinos, Bottom-enders (for those born or raised in the old town)
Scotland
Scotties, Jocks[44] Macs, Sweaties (offensive; from rhyming slang "Sweaty Sock" for Jock).
Scunthorpe
Scunts
Selkirk
Souters
Shavington
Tramps[citation needed]
Shaw
Gorbies
Sheffield
Dee Dars, Steelmekkers.[citation needed]
Sheringham
Shannocks
Shrewsbury
Salops (shortened version of the demonym Salopians), Shrews, Plastic Sheepshaggers (pejorative, especially from Telford folk: "Not in Wales, but might as well be")
Skegness
Skeggies, Scaggies (pejorative)
Skelmersdale
Skemheads, Skemmers Woolybacks or Wools (in Liverpool)
Skipton
Skiprats (pejorative)
Skye
Sgitheanachs
Slough
Sluffers, Paludians (Latin; Slough means "marsh")
Solihull
Silhillians, Silly Hillbillies (pejorative)
Southampton
Sotoners, Scum(mers)
South Shields
Sand Dancers
South Wales
Hwntws (by people from North Wales)
Southern England
Southern Fairies, Shandy Drinkers, United Supporters
Southport
Sandgrounders, Groundies
Stalybridge
Staleys, Staly-vegasers
Stockport
Stopfordians (from an old name for Stockport), Hatters
Stockton on Tees
Smoggies
Stoke-on-Trent
Potters, Clay Heads, Stokies, Jug Heads, Kidsgrove Spiders, Pisspots (pejorative)
Stranraer
Cleyholers
Stratford-upon-Avon
Fads (acronym, "Fat American Dodgers"; the town is over-touristed)
Strood
Long Tails, Stroodles
Stroud
Stroudies
Sunderland
Mackems[45], Jamrags (pejorative, the football team play in red and white striped shirts)
Surrey
Capons
Sutherland
Cattach
Swansea
Jacks, Swansea Jacks
Swindon
Moonrakers, Pighillers (what the name means)

T - V

[edit]
Tarbert, Loch Fyne
Dookers (named after guillemot and razorbill, sea-birds once a popular food among Tarbert natives)
Teignmouth
Muffians
Telford
Telfies, Tel-chavs, Overspills (pejorative), Skelly-tels, Teletubbies
Uckfield
Uckers, Noeffs
Urmston
Worms (pejorative)

W

[edit]
Wales
Taffs [Mid/West Welsh] (sometimes considered offensive),[46] Taffies.[47]
Wallingford
Wallies
Walsall
Saddlers, Wallys (pejorative)
Warrington
Wazzas, Wires, Wirepullers (after the local wire industry),[48] Woolybacks or Wools (in Liverpool)
Watford
Watties, Wotsits, Twats (pejorative)
Wellingborough
Smelly Wellies (pejorative)
Welshpool
Soup Heads
Wem
Wembats (pejorative; wombats are slow, thick, mostly arse and good at digging)
West Brompton
Baggies
Westhoughton
Keawyeds (Cowheads, after local legend)
West Kirby
Wekkas
West Riding of Yorkshire
Wessies (in other parts of Yorkshire)
Weymouth
Kimberlins (Isle of Portland name for a person from Weymouth), Weybizas (due to the wild nightlife the town has adopted)
Whitehaven
Marras, Jam Eaters, Wetties, Glow-Worms (allegedly contaminated by radioactivity from Sellafield)
Widnes
Chemics, Woolybacks or Wools (in Liverpool)
Wigan
Pie-eaters (having to eat humble pie after a strike, also pies are central to the cuisine there), Pie-noshers, Purrers,[49]
Wiltshire
Moonrakers
Wolverhampton
Wolvos, Yam Yams (from local dialect where people say "Yam" meaning "Yow am" meaning "You are"), Yammies, Dingles (pejorative)
Worcester
Woos
Worthing
Pork Bolters[42]
Workington
Jam Eaters
Whitby
Codheads

Y - Z

[edit]
York
Yorkies, Old Yorkers, Yoricks
Yorkshire
Tykes, Yorkies, Yorkie Bars

See also

[edit]

Citations

[edit]
  1. ^ "tyke", (Partridge, Dalzell & Victor 2007, pp. 674)
  2. ^ "Brummie", (Partridge, Dalzell & Victor 2007, pp. 95)
  3. ^ "Wolverhampton researches Black Country dialect". The Guardian. 27 January 2003. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
  4. ^ "Man Charged with Having Sex with Horse". Lancashire Telegraph. 9 July 2012.
  5. ^ "BBC report 2011 Blackpool Councillor Sorry for Donkey Botherer Jibe". Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  6. ^ Augustus Hare: Sussex 1894 p. 136
  7. ^ "limey", (Partridge, Dalzell & Victor 2007, pp. 401)
  8. ^ "pommy", (Partridge, Dalzell & Victor 2007, pp. 506–507)
  9. ^ "Why do the French call the British 'the roast beefs'?". BBC News Online. 3 April 2003. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  10. ^ "Few laughs for 'humorous' Kraut". BBC News Online. 24 October 2001. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  11. ^ Transactions of the Gaelic Society. Gaelic Society of Inverness. 1907. p. 97. Retrieved 30 September 2010. Gallach caithness.
  12. ^ "Cardi", (Partridge, Dalzell & Victor 2007, pp. 119)
  13. ^ Yvette Taylor: Classed Intersections 2016 p. 109
  14. ^ "MOST Crawley residents have probably, at some time, referred to the town by its well-known nickname – Creepy Crawley". This Is Sussex. 20 October 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
  15. ^ Wales, Tony (2000). Sussex as She Wus Spoke, a Guide to the Sussex Dialect. Seaford: SB Publications. ISBN 978-1-85770-209-5.
  16. ^ "Sassenach", (Robinson 1985, pp. 581)
  17. ^ Room, Adrian (2003). Placenames of the world: origins and meanings of the names for over 5000 natural features, countries, capitals, territories, cities, and historic sites. McFarland. p. 426. ISBN 978-0-7864-1814-5.
  18. ^ Brewer, E. Cobham. "Nicknames". Dictionary of Phrase & Fable. Retrieved 29 September 2010 – via Bartleby.com.
  19. ^ "keelie", (Robinson 1985, pp. 335)
  20. ^ Castillo, Michelle (20 August 2009). "Off the Brochure Travel Guide: Glasgow, Scotland". Peter Greenberg Travel Detective. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
  21. ^ "The Hartlepool Monkey, Who hung the monkey?". This is Hartlepool. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
  22. ^ Dawson, Chris. "Hey, Hey, We're Monkey Town". Ten Thousand Years in Monkey Town.
  23. ^ "Loiner", (Partridge, Dalzell & Victor 2007, pp. 406)
  24. ^ Evans, Arthur Benoni (1881). Evans, Sebastian (ed.). Leicestershire Words, Phrases, and Proverbs (enlarged ed.). London: N. Trübner for English Dialect Society. p. 101.
  25. ^ Brewer, E. Cobham. "Yellow-belly". Dictionary of Phrase & Fable. Retrieved 30 September 2010 – via Bartleby.com.
  26. ^ Fazakerley, p. 24
  27. ^ "Mickey Mouse" - rhyming slang for "Scouse", (Partridge, Dalzell & Victor 2007, pp. 429)
  28. ^ "Plastic Scouser". Allwords.com.
  29. ^ "Woolyback". Slang.org.uk.
  30. ^ "Woolyback". Allwords.com.
  31. ^ Emery, Jay (1 January 2018). "Belonging, memory and history in the north Nottinghamshire coalfield". Journal of Historical Geography. 59: 77–89. doi:10.1016/j.jhg.2017.11.004. hdl:2381/42989.
  32. ^ Harley, Shaun (16 July 2007). "I was made in Middlesbrough". BBC News Online. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
  33. ^ White, Jonathan (3 May 2020). "A Dabber Debate - what's your preferred derivation?". Nantwich News. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  34. ^ Grose. "Dictionary of the vulgar tongue". Words from old books. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  35. ^ "gog", (Partridge, Dalzell & Victor 2007, pp. 295)
  36. ^ Kieran and Jordison: Crap Towns Returns 2013 p. 103
  37. ^ LA Record Vol 100 p. 431
  38. ^ "Paisley Buddies". Paisley Scotland. 6 April 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
  39. ^ a b "janner", (Partridge, Dalzell & Victor 2007, pp. 363)
  40. ^ a b Tawney, Cyril (1987). "Glossary". Grey funnel lines: traditional song & verse of the Royal Navy, 1900–1970. Taylor & Francis. p. 167. ISBN 978-0-7102-1270-2.
  41. ^ "Plymouth's nickname 'Guz' and the reasons behind it". Plymouth Live. 29 September 2019.
  42. ^ a b Arscott, David (2006). Wunt Be Druv - A Salute to the Sussex Dialect. Countryside Books. ISBN 978-1-84674-006-0.
  43. ^ "Who are the woollybacks?". St Helens Star. 9 February 2006. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  44. ^ "jock", (Partridge, Dalzell & Victor 2007, pp. 369)
  45. ^ "Quiz: How Much of a Mackem are YOU?". Sunderland Echo. 4 January 2009. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
  46. ^ "taff", (Partridge, Dalzell & Victor 2007, pp. 369)
  47. ^ Cf. the nursery rhyme "Taffy was a Welshman / Taffy was a thief / Taffy came to my house / To steal a piece of beef."
  48. ^ Hayes, J: Celebrating Warrington 2022 p. 87
  49. ^ Dialect term for "kicker"

References

[edit]