List of city nicknames in New York State

This partial list of city nicknames in New York compiles the aliases, sobriquets, and slogans that cities in the U.S. state of New York are known by (or have been known by historically), officially and unofficially, to municipal governments, local people, outsiders, or the cities' tourism boards or chambers of commerce.

City nicknames can help in establishing a civic identity, helping outsiders recognize a community or attracting people to a community because of its nickname; promote civic pride; and build community unity.

[1] Nicknames and slogans that successfully create a new community "ideology or myth"[2] are also believed to have economic value.

[1] Their economic value is difficult to measure,[1] but there are anecdotal reports of cities that have achieved substantial economic benefits by "branding" themselves by adopting new slogans.

The unofficial nicknames listed here have been in use for a long time or have gained wide currency.

Chazy calls itself the world capital of the McIntosh apple .
Cooperstown , site of the Baseball Hall of Fame where this plaque honoring Ty Cobb is displayed, lays claim to the title "Birthplace of Baseball."
Lockport's nickname of "Lock City" refers to the several Erie Canal locks located in the city.
The city of Niagara Falls, New York , gets both its name and its nickname of "Cataract City" from the famous set of waterfalls known as Niagara Falls .
This 1907 postcard of Canfield Park and Saratoga Springs' nickname "the Spa City" both recall the era when the city's mineral springs and hotels made it a fashionable resort .