There are many nicknames for the city ofDetroit, the largest city inMichigan and 26th-largest city in the United States. The city'snicknames reflect its geography,economy, multicultural population, and popular culture, includingsports andmusic.[1] They are often used by the media and in popular culture to reference the city.
Derived from "Motor Town", this nickname highlights Detroit's contributions to music, specifically the Motown genre and the influence ofMotown Records, founded in the city in 1959.
The phrase "Hockeytown", combined with the distinctive winged wheel logo of the NHL'sDetroit Red Wings, is a registered trademark owned by the franchise. Originally coined in 1999, the name has its origins in a rivalry withWarroad, Minn., which also claims the title.[6]
Rock City
A reference to the 1976 songDetroit Rock City byKiss, this nickname highlights the city's association with rock music.
Paris of the Midwest
This nickname dates back to Detroit's French colonial origins, specifically to 1701 whenFort Pontchartrain was established, and the French named the waterway "le détroit du Lac Érié" (the strait ofLake Erie). The city's French heritage, along with architecture and Parisian-style boulevards designed byAugustus Woodward, led to Detroit's being likened to Paris. Known for its broad river, tree-lined streets, and historic architecture, Detroit was then also celebrated as the "Paris of the Midwest" during the 19th and early 20th-centuries.[7]
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