After living in Portland for more than 30 years, it’s safe to say I’ve heard my fair share of unique Portland nicknames. Some have impressed me, others surprised, while a handful left me scratching my head.
If you find yourself new to Portland, I’d like to share a handful of Portland nicknames you’re bound to come across. So let’s cover some of the most common Portland nicknames and the meanings behind them. I hope you enjoy!
The Meaning of Portland Nicknames
(Table of contents)
#1. Why Is Portland Called the City of Roses? (or Rose City)
City of Roses is the official nickname for Portland. The climate in Portland creates the perfect condition for growing roses (there’s more than 200 miles of rose-lined streets in Portland).
What’s more, the Portland Rose Garden is the oldest continuously-operated public rose garden in America. It has more than 10,000 rose bushes and features over 650 varieties.
The history of the rose garden is equally fascinating. Originally started in 1915 by Jesse Currey, (an Oregon Journal Editor and rose hobbyist), the rose garden was created in an effort to preserve roses susceptible to destruction during World War I.
Thankfully both the roses and interesting Portland nickname stuck around.
#2. Why is Portland called Bridge City?
Portland is known as Bridge City because of the 12 bridges that span the Willamette River. Don’t you just love it when a Portland nickname is so clear cut? You might hear Bridgetown thrown around, it’s a lesser-known nickname for Portland, but gets used on occasion.
If interested, the bridges are: Steel Bridge, Hawthorne Bridge, Morrison Bridge, Tilikum Crossing Bridge, Burnside Bridge, Broadway Bridge, Fremont Bridge and Marquam Bridge.
You might enjoy reading: The 12 ICONIC Bridges of Portland, Oregon (With Facts)
#3. Why is Portland called RIP City?
This Portland nicknames is actually kind of a fluke. The moniker made its debut at a Trail Blazers when an impressive play unexpectedly excited an announcer who cried out “RIP City!”
You’ll see “RIP City” on anything that pertains to the Portland Trail Blazers. The nickname is over mugs, shirts, socks, you name it.
Our love for the local basketball team is part-loyalty, part-obligation. Our one (and only) NBA Championship occurred in the 70s. Eh, can’t win them all, but at least we won the cool Portland nickname!
#4. Why is Portland called Stumptown?
In the mid-1800s the city grew like wildfire, so the heavily-forested area had to be cleared of trees. Well, turns out stumps are incredibly difficult to remove, so many of them were left untouched.
And you what they call a city full of stumps? Apparently, Stumptown. And thus, Portland’s moniker Stumptown was born. For those that love coffee, this is where Stumptown Coffee got its name.
#5. Why is Portland called PDX?
For folks that don’t live in a city with an international airport, it may seem strange to hear residents refer to their hometown by the airport call sign.
Yet here in Portland we often refer to the city as PDX. Locals LOVE the airport, it’s not uncommon to see folks decked out in PDX carpet-themed gear.
P.S. For seven years in a row, PDX has been named as the best domestic airport in the country by Travel & Leisure. And in 2019, Forbes named PDX the best large airport in America.
#6. Why is Portland called Portlandia?
This nickname for Portland stemmed from the iconic Portlandia Statue that sits atop the Portland Building in downtown. However, the better-known reason for the popularity of this Portland moniker is the show Portlandia.
The statue may look familiar to Portlandia fans because it’s featured in the show’s opening credits. But few know that it’s the second-largest copper statue in America, second only to the Statue of Liberty in NYC!
In my experience, this isn’t a common nickname for Portland among locals.
#7. Why is Portland called Little Beirut?
How did this Portland nickname come about? It’s history lesson time, folks.
Whenever George H.W. Bush visited Portland, his visits were met with hostility and protests would ensue. As such, staff from his administration used to refer to Portland as Little Beirut.
Writer Chuck Palahniuk recalls Portland “anarchists” gathered outside the downtown Hilton Hotel whenever presidents came to town. The protestors ate potatoes dyed with food coloring and “then, when the motorcade arrived, drank Syrup of Ipecac and puked big Red, White and Blue barf puddles all over the hotel.”
#8. Newest Portland Nickname: Silicon Forest
Did you know that Portland’s tech boom has earned the city a new nickname? Yes, it’s Silicon Forest.
Portland is home to a lot of large corporations, especially athletic/outdoor retailers like Nike, Adidas, Under Armor, Keen and Columbia. Intel and Daimler have headquarters here as well.
If you’d like to know about Portland’s largest employers, read this helpful list.
Nicknames for Portland (Post Summary)
In sum, these are the most common Portland nicknames:
- City of Roses/Rose City
- Bridge City
- RIP City
- Stumptown
- PDX
- Portlandia
- Little Beirut
- Silicon Forest
Fun fact about Portland’s name
Heads or tails? Most Portlanders already know this, but just in case you don’t, here’s the story:
The founders of Portland, Oregon were two settlers from New England. One from Boston, Massachusetts and the other from Portland, Maine. Both settlers wanted to name the city after their respective home towns and decided to settle for a coin toss – the rest, as they say, is history.
Speaking of Portland, Maine, did you know that the two Portlands lie at practically identical latitudes? Portland, Oregon lies at a latitude of 45:30, and Portland, Maine lies at a latitude of 43:40.
Love facts? Read: 20+ Interesting Facts About Portland (You Probably Don’t Know)
Well, there you’ve it. A quick list of Portland nicknames and the meanings behind them. There’s definitely more that could be added to the list, but hey, you won’t hear those often.
Until next time,
Antonina
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