List of Demonyms for World Cities
A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. In English, a demonym is often the same as the name of the people's native language: e.g., the "French" (people from France).
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The word comes from the Greek word for 'populace' plus the suffix -onym and was popularized in 1997 by Merriam-Webster editor Paul Dickson in his book Labels for Locals. The term is not widely employed or known outside geographical circles and does not appear in mainstream dictionaries. It is used by some geographers, both online and within their studies and teaching.
Some places, particularly smaller cities and towns, may not have an established word for their residents; toponymists have a particular challenge in researching these.
Note: Many of these adjectivals and demonyms are not used in English as frequently as their counterparts in other languages. A common practice is to use a city's name as if it were an adjective, as in "Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra", "Melbourne suburbs", etc
While many demonyms are derived from placenames, many countries are named for their inhabitants: Germany for the Germans, Thailand for the Thais, Denmark for the Danes. France is named for the Franks, a German tribe who conquered the former Roman province of Gaul.
Literature and science have created a wealth of demonyms that are not directly associated with a cultural group, such as Martian for hypothetical people of Mars (credited to scientist Percival Lowell), Jovian for those of Jupiter or its moons, Earthling (from the diminutive -ling, ultimately from Old English -ing meaning 'descendant') as a possible name for the people of Earth (as also "Terran" and "Terrene" and "terrestrial"), and Lilliputians from the island of Lilliput in the satire Gulliver's Travels. Some of these, like Venusians for a putative resident of Venus, are technically incorrect; to conform with the Latin etymon, they should be Venerians.
Some peoples, especially cultures that were overwhelmed by European colonists, have no commonly accepted demonym, or have a demonym that is the same as the name of their (current or historical) nation. Examples include Iroquois, Aztec, Māori, and Czech. Such peoples' native languages often have differentiated forms that simply did not survive the transfer to English. In Czech, for example, the language is Če?tina, the nation is Česko or Česk? republika, and the people are Če?i. The Dominican Republic has only a demonym-based description for a name.
Both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China officially adhere to the One-China policy, use "Chinese" to describe their nationals, and refuse to have diplomatic relations with states that recognize the other. Chinese identity is itself challenged within the ROC by Taiwanese nationalists.
Both North Korea and South Korea officially refer to their nationals simply as Koreans since they recognize a single nationhood even if they don't recognize each other. They have diplomatic relations with states that recognize their rival.
The demonym for citizens of the United States of America suffers a similar problem albeit non-politically, because "American" may ambiguously refer to both the nation, the USA, and the conjoined continent pair, North and South America. United Statian is awkward in English, but it exists in Spanish (estadounidense), French (?tatsunien(ne)), Portuguese (estado-unidense or estadunidense), Italian (statunitense), and also in Interlingua (statounitese). US American (for the noun) and US-American (when used as a compound modifier preceding a noun) is another option, and is a common demonym in German (US-Amerikaner), though almost unheard of in English. Latin Americans (who are the most affected by this use of American) also have yanqui (Yankee) and the euphemism norteamericano/norte-americano (North American, which includes the USA, Mexico, Canada, and several other countries). Frank Lloyd Wright proposed Usonian (which was taken over into Esperanto: country Usono, demonym Usonano, adjective usona). In the spirit of Sydneysider, Statesider is also a possibility. See main article: Use of the word American.
The 2007 Miss Teen USA contestant Caitlin Upton, who gained international notoriety for her otherwise nonsensical response to a question posed during the pageant, referred to the people of the United States as "U.S. Americans."
Sharing a demonym does not necessarily bring conflict. During the 1996 Olympics, the residents of Atlanta, Georgia gave a rousing applause to the Republic of Georgia during the opening ceremony. Many cities that share the same name have sister city relations. The demonyms for the Caribbean nations Dominican Republic and Dominica, though pronounced differently, are spelled the same way, Dominican. The former country's demonym is the ordinary English adjective "Dominican", stressed on the second syllable. The demonym for Dominica, like the name of the country, is stressed on the third syllable: IPA: [ˌdɒmɪˈniːkən]. Another example is the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Their nationals are both known as Congolese.
City | Country or state/province | Adjective | Demonym (colloquial) | |
Aberdeen |
Scotland |
Aberdonian |
Aberdonians | |
Adelaide |
Australia |
Adelaidian |
Adelaidians | |
Albany |
New York |
Albanian |
Albanians | |
Amalfi |
Italy |
Amalfitan |
Amalfitans | |
Aosta |
Italy |
Aostan, Aostain |
Aostans, Aostains | |
Armagh |
Northern Ireland | Armachian | Armachians | |
Auckland |
New Zealand | Auckland | Aucklanders | |
Athens |
Greece | Athenian | Athenians | |
Atlanta |
Georgia | Atlantan | Atlantans | |
Baltimore |
Maryland | Baltimorean | Baltimoreans | |
Bangkok |
Thailand | Bangkokian | Bangkokians | |
Baton Rouge |
Louisiana | Baton Rougean | Baton Rougeans | |
Belo Horizonte |
Brazil | Belo-Horizontino | Belo-Horizontinos | |
Belgrade |
Serbia |
Belgradian |
Belgraders | |
Benevento |
Italy | Beneventan | Beneventans | |
Bergamo |
Italy | Bergamasque | Bergamasques | |
Berlin |
Germany | Berliner | Berliners | |
Berne |
Switzerland | Bernese | Bernese | |
Birmingham |
England | Birminghamian ("Brummie") | Birminghamians ("Brummies") | |
Birmingham |
Alabama | Birminghamian | Birminghamians ("Birminghamsters") | |
Bologna |
Italy | Bolognese | Bolognese | |
Boston |
Massachusetts | Bostonian | Bostonians | |
Brasilia |
Brazil | Brasiliense | Brasilienses | |
Bratislava |
Slovakia | Bratislavan | Bratislavan | |
Brescia |
Italy | Brescian | Brescians | |
Brighton | Wisconsin | Brightonian | Brightonians | |
Brisbane | Queensland | Brisbane | Brisbanites, Brisbanians | |
Bristol | England | Bristolian | Bristolians | |
Budapest | Hungary | Budapesti | Budapesters | |
Buenos Aires | Argentina | Porte?o | Porte?os | |
Buffalo | New York | Buffalonian | Buffalonians | |
Cairo |
Egypt |
(Cairene) |
Cairenes | |
Calgary |
Alberta |
Calgarian |
Calgarians | |
Cambridge |
England |
Cantabrigian |
Cantabrigians | |
Cambridge |
Massachusetts | |||
Campinas | Brazil | Campineiro | Campineiros | |
Canberra |
Australia |
Canberran |
Canberrans | |
Cape Town |
South Africa |
(Capetonian) |
Capetonians | |
Caracas |
Venezuela |
Caraquenian |
Caraquenians | |
Carystus |
Greece |
Carystian |
Carystians | |
Charlotte |
North Carolina |
Charlottean |
Charlotteans | |
Chicago |
Illinois |
Chicagoan |
Chicagoans | |
Copenhagen |
Denmark |
Copenhagener |
Copenhageners | |
Corinth | Greece | Corinthian | Corinthians | |
Cork | Republic of Ireland | Cork | Corkonians ("Leesiders") | |
Curitiba | Brazil | Curitibano | Curitibanos | |
Dallas | Texas | Dallasites | ||
Denver | Colorado | Denverite | Denverites | |
Detroit | Michigan | Detroiters | ||
Dublin | Republic of Ireland | Dublin | Dubliners ("Dubs") | |
Dundee | Scotland | Dundonian | Dundonians | |
Dunedin | New Zealand | Dunedin | Dunedinites | |
East Troy | Wisconsin | East Trojan | East Trojans | |
Edmonton | Alberta | Edmontonian | Edmontonians | |
Epidaurus | Greece | Epidaurian | Epidaurians | |
Florence | Italy | Florentine | Florentines | |
Fort Lauderdale | Florida | Fort Lauderdalers, Fort Lauderdalians | ||
Foz do Igua?u | Brazil | Igua?uense | Igua?uenses | |
Fresno | California | Fresnans, Fresnoans | ||
Galway |
Republic of Ireland |
Galway |
Galwegians | |
Geneva |
Switzerland |
Genevan, Genevese |
Genevans, Genevese | |
Genoa |
Italy |
Genoese |
Genoese | |
Glasgow |
Scotland |
Glaswegian |
Glaswegians | |
Guadalajara |
M?xico |
Tapat?o |
Tapat?os | |
Halifax |
Nova Scotia |
Haligonian |
Haligonians | |
Hamilton |
Ontario |
Hamiltonian |
Hamiltonians | |
Hamilton |
New Zealand | |||
Hanoi |
Vietnam |
Hanoian |
Hanoians | |
Hanover |
Germany |
Hanoverian |
Hanoverians | |
Ho Chi Minh City | Vietnam | Saigonese | Saigonese | |
Hong Kong | China | Hong Kong, Hongkongese | Hongkongers, Hongkongese | |
Honolulu | Hawaii | Honolulan |
Honolulans | |
Houston | Texas | Houstonian |
Houstonians | |
Invercargill | New Zealand | Invercargill |
Invercargillites, Invercargillonians | |
Inverness | Scotland | Invernessian |
Invernessians | |
Iqaluit | Nunavut |
Iqalummiut (sing. Iqalummiuq) | ||
Istanbul |
Turkey |
Istanbulian |
Istanbullus | |
Itabira | Brazil | Itabirano |
Itabiranos | |
Jerusalem | Israel | Jerusalemite, Yerushalmi (Hebrew) |
Jerusalemites, Yerushalmim | |
Juiz de Fora |
Brazil |
Juiz-forano |
Juiz-foranos | |
Juneau City/Borough | Alaska | Juneauites | ||
Kastoria |
Greece |
Kastorian |
Kastorians | |
Kenosha |
Wisconsin | Kenoshan | Kenoshans | |
Kingston |
New Jersey |
Kingstonian |
Kingstonians | |
Kuala Lumpur |
Malaysia |
("KL-ites") | ||
Las Vegas | Nevada | Las Vegan | Vegan | |
Leeds | England | Leodensian | Leodensians | |
Leghorn | Italy | Leghornese, Livornese | Leghornese, Livornese | |
Le?n |
Spain |
Leonese |
Leoneses | |
Liverpool |
England |
Liverpudlian |
Liverpudlians ("Scousers") | |
London |
England |
Londoner |
Londoners | |
Londrina |
Brazil |
Londrinense |
Londrinenses | |
Los Angeles |
California |
Angeleno |
Angelenos | |
Lucca | Italy | Lucchesa (F) /Lucchese (M) | Lucchesi | |
Lyon (Lyons) | France | Lyonese | Lyonese | |
Macau |
China |
Macanese |
Macanese | |
Madrid |
Spain |
Madrilenian |
Madrilenians | |
M?laga |
Spain |
Malagan |
Malagans | |
Manchester |
England |
Mancunian |
Mancunians ("Mancs") | |
Manila | Philippines | Manile?o | Manile?os | |
Mantua | Italy | Mantuan | Mantuans | |
Marathon | Greece | Marathonian | Marathonians | |
Marseille | France | Marseillais | Marseillais | |
Megara | Greece | Megarian | Megarians | |
Melbourne | Victoria | Melburnian | Melburnians | |
Memphis | Tennessee | Memphian | Memphians | |
Messina | Italy | Messinese | Messinese | |
Mexico City | Mexico | Capitalino | Capitalinos ("Chilangos"/"Defe?os") | |
Milan | Italy | Milanese | Milanese | |
Milan | New York | Milanites, Milaners | ||
Modena | Italy | Modenese | Modenese | |
Montreal | Quebec | Montreal | Montrealers | |
Moscow | Russia | Muscovite | Muscovites | |
Munich | Germany | M?nchner | M?nchner | |
Naples | Italy | Neapolitan | Neapolitans | |
Nashville | Tennessee | Nashvillian | Nashvillians | |
Nassau | The Bahamas | Nassuvian | Nassuvians | |
Nelson | New Zealand | Nelson | Nelsonians | |
New Orleans | Louisiana | New Orleanian | New Orleanians, New Orleaners ("Yats") | |
New York City | New York | New Yorker | New Yorkers ("Gothamites"/"Knickerbockers") | |
? The Bronx | (Bronxite) | Bronxites, Bronxers | ||
? Brooklyn | (Brooklynite) | Brooklynites, Brooklyners | ||
? Manhattan | Manhattanite | Manhattanites | ||
? Queens | Queensites | |||
? Staten Island | Staten Islanders | |||
Newcastle | New South Wales | Novocastrian | Novocastrians | |
Newcastle | England | Novocastrian ("Geordie") | Novocastrians ("Geordies") | |
Newport |
Wales |
Newportonian |
Newportonians | |
Nice | France | Ni?ois | Ni?ois | |
Nicosia | Cyprus | Nicosian | Nicosians | |
Northampton | England | Northamptonian | Northamptonians | |
Oakland | California | Oaklander | Oaklanders | |
Oamaru | New Zealand | Oamaru, Oamaruvian | Oamaruvians | |
Odessa | Ukraine | Odessit(e) | Odessites | |
Oslo |
Norway | Oslovian | Oslovians | |
Osaka |
Japan | Osakan | Naniwakko (Japanese), Osakans (English) | |
Ottawa |
Ontario | Ottawan | Ottawans | |
Oxford |
England | Oxonian | Oxonians | |
Paddock Lake |
Wisconsin | Paddock Laker | Paddock Lakers | |
Padua |
Italy | Paduan | Paduans | |
Palermo |
Italy | Palermitan | Palermitans | |
Palmerston North |
New Zealand |
Palmerstonian |
Palmerstonians | |
Paris |
France |
Parisian |
Parisians | |
Parma |
Italy |
Parmesan |
Parmesans | |
Perth |
Western Australia |
Perth |
Perthite | |
Perugia |
Italy |
Perugian |
Perugians | |
Philadelphia |
Pennsylvania | (Philadelphian) | Philadelphians | |
Phoenix |
Arizona | Phoenician, Phoenixer | Phoenicians, Phoenixers | |
Pisa |
Italy | Pisan | Pisans | |
Pittsburgh |
Pennsylvania | Pittsburgher | Pittsburghers | |
Polmont |
Scotland | Polmonter | Polmonters | |
Pompeii |
Italy |
Pompei(i)an |
Pompei(i)ans | |
Ponferrada |
Spain |
Ponferradian |
Ponferradians | |
Porto Alegre |
Brazil |
Porto-Alegrense |
Porto-Alegrenses | |
Portland |
Oregon |
Portlander |
Portlanders | |
Portsmouth |
England |
Portsmouthian |
Portsmouthians | |
Prague |
Czech Republic |
Praguer |
Praguers | |
Pri?tina | Kosovo | Prishtinali, Prishtinas (Albanian) Pri?tinci, Pri?tevci (Serbian) | ||
Providence |
Rhode Island | Providentian | Providentians | |
Pylos |
Greece | Pylian | Pylians | |
Quebec City | Quebec | Quebec (City) size="3">( English); qu?b?cois (French) | Quebeckers, Quebecers (English); Qu?b?cois (French) | |
Randall |
Wisconsin | Randallite | Randallites | |
Regina |
Saskatchewan | Regina (modifier), Reginan | Reginans | |
Rethymno |
Greece | Rethymnian | Rethymnians | |
Rio de Janeiro |
Brazil | Carioca | Cariocas | |
Rhodes |
Greece | Rhodian | Rhodians | |
Rochester |
New York | (Rochesterian) | Rochesterians | |
Rome |
Italy | Roman | Romans | |
St. Louis |
Missouri | St. Louisan | St. Louisans | |
Salerno |
Italy | Salernitan | Salernitans | |
Salt Lake City | Utah | Salt Lakers | ||
San Antonio | Texas | San Antonian | San Antonians | |
San Diego | California | San Diegan | San Diegans | |
San Francisco | California | San Franciscan | San Franciscans | |
S?o Carlos | Brazil | S?ocarlense and Carlopolitano | S?ocarlenses and Carlopolitanos | |
S?o Paulo | Brazil | Paulistano | Paulistanos | |
Saskatoon | Saskatchewan | Saskatoon (modifier), Saskatonian | Saskatonians ("Saskabushers") | |
Seattle | Washington | Seattleite | Seattleites | |
Seoul | South Korea | Seoulite | Seoulites | |
Serres | Greece | Serrean | Serreans | |
Siena | Italy | Sien(n)ese | Sien(n)ese | |
Silver Lake | Wisconsin | Silver Laker | Silver Laker | |
Sheffield | England | Sheffielders | ||
Slough | England | Sluff | Sluffs | |
Somers | Wisconsin | Somersite | Somersites | |
Sorrento | Italy | Sorrentine | Sorrentines | |
Sparta | Greece | Spartan | Spartans | |
Spoleto | Italy | Spoletian | Spoletians | |
Stockholm | Sweden | Stockholmer | Stockholmers | |
Sunderland | England | "Mackems" | ||
Sydney | New South Wales | Sydney | Sydneysiders | |
Syracuse | Italy | Syracusan | Syracusans | |
Taranto | Italy | Tarantine, Tarentine | Tarantines, Tarentines | |
Thebes | Greece | Theban | Thebans | |
Thessaloniki |
Greece | Thessalonian | Thessalonians | |
Tokyo |
Japan | Edokko (Japanese), Tokyoites (English) | ||
Toronto |
Ontario | Toronto, Torontonian | Torontonians | |
Tournai |
Belgium | Tournaisian | Tournaisian | |
Trevor |
Wisconsin | Trevorite | Trevorites | |
Trent |
Italy | Tridentine | Tridentines | |
Trieste |
Italy | Triestine | Triestines | |
Tripoli |
Greece / Libya | Tripolitan | Tripolitans | |
Trois-Rivi?res |
Quebec | Trifluvien, Trifluvienne (French); Trifluvian (English) | Trifluviens/Trifluviennes (French); Trifluvians (English) | |
Tucson |
Arizona | Tucsonan | Tucsonans | |
Tulsa |
Oklahoma | Tulsan | Tulsans | |
Turin |
Italy | Turinese | Turinese | |
Twin Lakes |
Wisconsin | Twin Laker | Twin Lakers | |
Uberl?ndia |
Brazil | Uberlandense | Uberlandenses | |
Valencia |
Spain | Valencian | Valencians | |
Vancouver |
British Columbia | Vancouverites | ||
Venice |
Italy | Venetian | Venetians | |
Veracruz |
Mexico | Veracruzano | Veracruzano (Jarocho) | |
Verona |
Italy | Veronese | Veronese | |
Vicenza |
Italy | Vicentine | Vicentines | |
Vichy |
France | Vichyssois | Vichyssois | |
Vienna |
Austria | Viennese | Viennese | |
Warsaw |
Poland | Varsovian | Varsovians | |
Washington, D.C. |
United States | Washingtonian | Washingtonians | |
Wellington |
New Zealand | Wellington | Wellingtonians | |
Wheatland |
Wisconsin | Wheatlander | Wheatlanders | |
Wichita |
Kansas | Wichitan | Wichitans | |
Wilmot |
Wisconsin | Wilmotter | Wilmotters | |
Winnipeg |
Manitoba | Winnipeggers, Winnipegers | ||
Wolverhampton |
England | Wulfrunians | ||
Xalapa |
Mexico | Xalape?o | Xalape?os | |
Xanthi |
Greece |
Xanthian |
Xanthians |