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U.S. City Motto & Moniker List
   

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As long as there have been cities, towns, villages, and hamlets, there have been monikers and mottos to define, describe, and differentiate them.

Whereas monikers are synonymous with a city, and often used in lieu of the actual name, mottos are created primarily to enhance a city's economic, cultural, historical, or aesthetic value.

In an age of competitive advertising and branding, both official and unofficial mottos and monikers are an effective way to express a city’s style or personality, highlight its main appeal, and strengthen its decidedly urban or “small town” identity.

The following lists comprise the 350 or so mottos and monikers nominated from a field of approximately 1,200 in TaglineGuru’s City Branding Survey. Several cities are represented more than once on each list, reflecting a range of brand expressions.

U.S. City Mottos

A Whole Lotta Texas Goin’ On! Abilene, TX
It’ll Make You Smile Adair, IA
Good For You, Albuquerque Albuquerque, NM
Where the People Are Warm Even When the Weather Isn’t Andover, KS
Big City, Southern Hospitality Atlanta, GA
The City Too Busy to Hate Atlanta, GA
Always Turned On Atlantic City, NJ
Auburn: More Than You Can Imagine Auburn, WA
Oasis in the Sun Avenal, CA
Keep Austin Weird Austin, TX
The City That Reads Baltimore, MD
Believe Baltimore, MD
You’re Not Dreamin’, You’re in Beaman Beaman, IA
Let Us Surprise You Bellingham, WA
Highest of the Heights Broadview Heights, OH
Boost Buffalo Buffalo, NY
It’s Good for You Buffalo, NY
It’s Not the End of the Earth, But You Can See It From Here Bushnell, SD
Where Northern Enterprise Meets Southern Hospitality Cairo, IL
You Can Do Better in Cando Cando, ND
History for the Taking Carson City, NV
What We Dream, We Do Charlotte, NC
So Very Virginia Charlottesville, VA
The Only Cherokee in the Cherokee Strip Cherokee, OK
Urbs In Horto (City in a Garden) Chicago, IL
I Will Chicago, IL
In Season Every Season Clemson, SC
The Best Location in the Nation Cleveland, OH
Cleveland Rocks! Cleveland, OH
We Create Community Colorado Springs, CO
Where Friendliness Flows Columbia, SC
More Than You Dreamed Columbus, OH
Ohio’s Sharpest Corner Conneaut, OH
One Mile Square and All There Covina, CA
Live Large. Think Big Dallas, TX
Big Beach, Big Fun Daytona Beach, FL
The Pride of the Prairie Decatur, IL/Hazelton, ND
Where the Surf Meets the Turf Del Mar, CA
It’s a Great Time in Detroit! Detroit, MI
Where the Name Just Says It All Devine, TX
Where Yee-Ha Meets Olé Eagle Pass, TX
The Pride Shows Easley, SC
We’re Always Up to Something Fun! Eau Claire, WI
Where the Sun Spends the Winter El Centro, CA
Make History on the Texas Border El Paso, TX
More Than Just a Pretty Beach Encinitas, CA
The Way Texas Used To Be Fayetteville, TX
Where the Stars Come Out to Play Fort Davis, TX
Where the West Begins Fort Worth, TX
Where History Never Gets Old Fredericksburg, VA
Fresno: Smile When You Say That Fresno, CA
The City That Time Forgot Galena, IL/Baldwin Park, CA/New Orleans, LA
The Town That Made Tulsa Famous Glenpool, OK
It’s the Climate Grants Pass, OR
Where Your Ship Comes In Gulfport, MS
The Town Without a Frown Happy, TX
Twenty Lakes in Twenty Minutes Harrison, MI
Get ‘Er Done Havre, MT
Town Without a Toothache Hereford, TX
The Sweetest Place on Earth Hershey, PA
Where Everybody is Somebody Hico, TX
Ha’aheo No ‘O Honolulu (Honolulu Pride) Honolulu, HI
Houston’s Hot! Houston, TX
The Real Texas Houston, TX
Where the Trails Start and the Buck Stops Independence, MO
Where Florida Begins Jacksonville, FL
Make It a Good Place to Live In Kansas City, MO
Lose Your Heart to the Hills Kerrville, TX
If It Is To Be Me, It Is Up To Me Kinross Township, MI
Third Oldest City in Oregon Lafayette, OR
It’s Always Been the Place Lake Geneva, WI
Jewel of the Hills La Mesa, CA
What Happens Here, Stays Here Las Vegas, NV
How About Doin’ Some Time in Leavenworth? Leavenworth, KS
The First Town of the First State Lewes, DE
Livable, Lovable Lodi Lodi, CA
Hip Is Here! Long Beach, CA
We’ve Got It Louisville, KY
An Unexpected Pleasure Lyons, KS
The Town That Loves Company Mackinaw City, MI
Where People Care Malabar, FL
Rollin’ on the River Manchester, OH
The Hub of the Universe Marion, IL/Boston, MA
A Slice of Heaven on Earth Mayfield, UT
Where Horses Have the Right of Way McKinleyville, CA
Where Chiefs Meet Meeteetse, WY
Right On Top, Not Down Under Melbourne, IA
The Sky’s the Limit Midland, TX
West Texas Adventure Midland, TX
Genuine Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI
Timeless Beauty...Ageless Fun Natchez, MS
Newark, On a Roll Newark, NJ
The City That Never Sleeps New York City, NY
Life. Celebrated Daily. Norfolk, VA
A Place for All Seasons Northport, NY
Only Oakland Oakland, CA
Rare. Well Done. Omaha, NE
O! is for Omaha Omaha, NE
The End is Just the Beginning Oregon City, OR
It’s All the Name Implies Paradise/Pleasanton, CA
Almost Heaven Paw Paw, WV
Where the Odds Are With You Peculiar, MO
Philadelphia Isn’t As Bad As Philadelphians Say It Is Philadelphia, PA
The Place That Loves You Back Philadelphia, PA
Moves Mountains Pikeville, KY
Welcome to the Good Life Porterville, CA
The City That Works Portland, OR
Where the Bald Eagles Soar and the Carp Drops! Prairie du Chien, WI
Southern Part of Heaven Raleigh, NC
Real. America. Up Close. Rapid City, ND
Climate Best by Government Test Redwood City, CA
With Time for You Richmond, MI
One City, Our City Richmond, VA
We’ve Got All the Civilization You Need Riverton, WY
The Aliens Aren’t the Only Reason to Visit Roswell, NM
There’s More Than Meets the Arch St. Louis, MO
Middle of the Mitten St. Louis, MO
Always in Season St. Petersburg, FL
Something to Remember San Antonio, TX
It’s a Great Day in San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA
Where It’s Good To Be Alive San Clemente, CA
City with Sol San Diego, CA
The City That Refused to Die Sanford, ME
Only in San Francisco San Francisco, CA
The City That Knows How San Francisco, CA
City with a Mission San Gabriel, CA
San Jose Is Growing Up San Jose, CA
Where the Swallows Return San Juan Capistrano, CA
Santa Ana: The Spirit of Change Santa Ana, CA
The City Different Santa Fe, NM
Where the Trout Leap in Main Street Saratoga, WY
Come Live Where You Play Saratoga Springs, UT
The West’s Most Western Town Scottsdale, AZ
More Than Just a Song Shenandoah, TX
Named For the Turn of a Card Show Low, AZ
The Natural Place to Visit Sitka, AK
The Place to Watch Skowhegan, ME
Live the Legends South Bend / Mishawaka, IN
We’ve Got a Lot To Give Spokane, WA
Where Nature Smiles for Seven Miles Spring Lake, MI
Dear Hearts and Gentle People Swanton, NE
Soul of the Southwest Taos, NM
Twice as Nice Texarkana, AR
Key to a Continent Ticonderoga, NY
Time Spent in Timewell is Time Well Spent Timewell, IL
The Town Too Tough to Die Tombstone, AZ
To the Stars Through Difficulty Topeka, KS
Try Turlock First Turlock, CA
Clearly Texas Uvalde, TX
Take Me to the River Vicksburg, MS
Living with a Mystery Villisca, IA
The Richest Place on Earth Virginia City, NV
People Say We’re Old-Fashioned. We Hope So. Virginia City, MT
From Solid Roots -- Strong Branches Walker, MI
The City That Was So Nice They Named It Twice Walla Walla, WA
City Living, DC Style Washington, D.C.
The Coldest Spot in Iowa Washta, IA
Cares More, Shares More Whittemore, IA
Wichita Đ We Got the Goods Wichita, KS
You’re Something Special in Winston-Salem Winston-Salem, NC
Family Country Yakima, WA
Experience Our Sense of Yuma Yuma, AZ

 

U.S. City Monikers

The World’s Largest Chee-to Algona, IA
Anchortown Anchorage, AK
City of Lights Anchorage, AK
Crabtown Annapolis, MD
The Big A Atlanta, GA
Hotlanta Atlanta, GA
Dogwood City Atlanta, GA
The Big Peach Atlanta, GA
Atlanta: City of Peace Atlanta, GA
Spamtown, USA Austin, MN
Live Music Capital of the World Austin, TX
Charm City Baltimore, MD
America’s Comeback City Baltimore/Cleveland/Detroit
Cow Chip Capital Beaver, OK
Berzerkeley Berkeley, CA
The Playground of the South Biloxi, MS
The Pittsburgh of the South Birmingham, AL
Beantown Boston, MA
The Cradle of Liberty Boston, MA
The Nickel City Buffalo, NY
The Big Gun Canon, GA
The Graveyard of the Atlantic Cape Hatteras, NC
City of Five Seasons Cedar Rapids, IA
Shampoo-Banana Champaign-Urbana, IL
High-Tech Oasis of the Silicon Desert Chandler, AZ
Palmetto City Charleston, SC
The Big Sweet Grass Basket Charleston, SC
Chemicalville Charleston, WV
Crunkville Charlotte, NC
Dynamo of Dixie Chattanooga, TN
Chat Town Chattanooga, TN
The Windy City Chicago, IL
Chi Town Chicago, IL
City of Big Shoulders Chicago, IL
Second City Chicago, IL
The Nati Cincinnati, OH
Cincy Cincinnati, OH
Porkopolis Cincinnati, OH
Mistake on the Lake Cleveland, OH
America’s North Coast Cleveland, OH
The Capital of Southern Hospitality Columbia, SC
Athens of the Prairie Columbus, IN
Test Market, USA Columbus, OH
Whiskers Crestwood, KY
The Big D Dallas, TX
The Texas Star Dallas, TX
The Metroplex Dallas/Fort Worth, TX
The Quad Cities Davenport, IA/Bettendorf, IA/Molline, IL/Rock Island, IL
The Gem City Dayton, OH
America’s Friendliest City Delphos, OH
The Mile High City Denver, CO
Gateway to the Rockies Denver, CO
Motown Detroit, MI
Motor City Detroit, MI
Hitsville, USA Detroit, MI
Hockeytown, USA Detroit, MI
The Renaissance City Detroit, MI
Daytwah Detroit, MI
The Wickedest Little City in America Dodge City, KS
The Cherry Pit Spitting Capital of the World Eau Claire, MI
Home of the Catfish Stomp Elgin, SC
Poison Oak Capital of the World Forestville, CA
Venice of America Fort Lauderdale, FL
Cowtown Fort Worth, TX/Columbus, OH
Hogtown Gainesville, FL
America’s Biggest Small Town Galesburg, IL
Drunk Driving Capital of America Gallup, NM
The Steel City Gary, IN
Home of the Candy Dance Genoa, NV
Hometown, USA Glens Falls, NY/Verona, WI
Goat Ropin’ Capital of the World Gotebo, OK
Home of 911 Haleyville, AL
Birthplace of Kool-Aid Hastings, NE
Chocolate Town Hershey, PA
Hollyweird Hollywood, CA
Tinseltown Hollywood, CA
Space City Houston, TX
Clutch City Houston, TX
The Bayou City Houston, TX
Surf City, USA Huntington Beach, CA
Rocket City Huntsville, AL
Naptown Indianapolis, IN/Annapolis, MD
Indiana-No-Place Indianapolis, IN
America’s Most Vertical City Jerome, AZ
Kazoo (K’zoo) Kalamazoo, MI
Little Hollywood Kanab, UT
Heart of America Kansas City, KS
The Dog Mushing Center of the World Knik, AK
Sin City Las Vegas, NV
Lost Wages Las Vegas, NV
Glitter Gulch Las Vegas, NV
The Land of Oz Liberal, KS
Home of Susie the Duck Lodi, WI
La-La Land Los Angeles, CA
City of Angels Los Angeles, CA
The Big Orange Los Angeles, CA
Mad City Madison, WI
The Little Apple Manhattan, KS
Birthplace/Home of the Blues Memphis, TN
Birthplace of Rock ‘n Roll Memphis, TN
Gateway to the Americas Miami, FL
Vice City Miami, FL
Little Cuba Miami, FL
Brew City Milwaukee, WI
City of Lakes Minneapolis, MN
The Mini Apple Minneapolis, MN
The Twin Cities Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
Middletown Muncie, IN
Music City USA Nashville, TN
The Third Coast Nashville, TN
Country Music Capital of the World Nashville, TN
The Protestant Vatican Nashville, TN
Buckle of the Bible Belt Nashville, TN
The Big Easy New Orleans, LA
Nawlins New Orleans, LA
NOLA New Orleans, LA
The Crescent City New Orleans, LA
The Queen of the Mississippi New Orleans, LA
The Big Apple New York City, NY
Gotham New York City, NY
The Empire City New York City, NY
Capital of the World New York City, NY
The City Oklahoma City/San Francisco
City of Roses Pasadena, CA/Portland, OR
The City of Brotherly Love Philadelphia, PA
Philly Philadelphia, PA
Quaker City Philadelphia, PA
The Big Scrapple Philadelphia, PA
Valley of the Sun Phoenix, AZ
The Other Phoenix Phoenix, OR
The ‘Burgh Pittsburgh, PA
Iron City Pittsburgh, PA
Hangtown Placerville, CA
Beehive of Industry Providence, RI
The Biggest Little City in the World Reno, NV
The Neon Babylon Reno, NV
Snapshot City Rochester, NY
Ra-Cha-Cha Rochester, NY
City of Trees Sacramento, CA
Ancient City St. Augustine, FL
Gateway to the West St. Louis, MO
Mound City St. Louis, MO
City of Witches Salem, MA
San Antone San Antonio, TX
America’s Finest City San Diego, CA
City in Motion San Diego, CA
Baghdad by the Bay San Francisco, CA
The City by the Bay San Francisco, CA
Everybody’s Favorite City San Francisco, CA
Fog City San Francisco, CA
The Golden Gate City San Francisco, CA
The Capital of Silicon Valley San Jose, CA
SLO Town San Louis Obispo, CA
Dogtown Santa Monica, CA
The Soo Sault Ste. Marie, MI
The Nylon Capital of the World Seaford, DE
The Emerald City Seattle, WA/Wichita, KS
Jet City Seattle, WA
Gateway to the Plains Sioux Falls, SD
Sparkle City Spartanburg, SC
Spoklahoma Spokane, WA
Spotucky Spokane, WA
Spokan’t Spokane, WA
The Land of Lincoln Springfield, IL
America’s #1 Wired City Tacoma, WA
Tackyoma Tacoma, WA
America’s Next Greatest City Tampa, FL
The Old Pueblo Tucson, AZ
Red Carpet City of the South Vicksburg, MS
Washington – It’s a Capital City! Washington, D.C.
Winnemucca – City of Paved Streets Winnemucca, NV
The Palm Springs of Washington Yakima, WA
 
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