List of city nicknames in New Mexico explained

This partial list of city nicknames in New Mexico compiles the aliases, sobriquets and slogans that cities in New Mexico are known by (or have been known by historically), officially and unofficially, to municipal governments, local people, outsiders or their 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" are also believed to have economic value. Their economic value is difficult to measure, but there are anecdotal reports of cities that have achieved substantial economic benefits by "branding" themselves by adopting new slogans.^[2]

Some unofficial nicknames are positive, while others are derisive. The unofficial nicknames listed here have been in use for a long time or have gained wide currency.

• Albuquerque
  • Burque^{[3] [4]}
  • The Duke City^[5]
  • The Q^{[4] [6]}
• Anthony – Leap Year Capital of the World (shared with Anthony, Texas)^[7]
• Carlsbad – Cavern City^[8]
• Cloudcroft - A Pasture for the Clouds^[9]
• Gallup – Native American Capital of the World^{[10] [11]}
• Hatch – Chile Pepper Capital of the World^{[12] [13]}
• Las Cruces
  • The City of the Garden of Crosses^[14]
  • Stinktown^[15]
• Las Vegas – Meadow City^[16]
• Los Alamos – Atomic City^[17]
• Rio Rancho – City of Vision^[18]
• Rodeo – New Mexico's most western town^[19]
• Roswell
  • Alien Capital of the World^{[20] [21]}
  • The Aliens Aren't the Only Reason to Visit^[11]
• Santa Fe – The City Different^{[11] [22]}
• Santa Rosa – The Scuba Capital of the Southwest^[23]
• Taos – Soul of the Southwest^[11]

See also

• List of city nicknames in the United States

Notes and References

1. Muench, David "Wisconsin Community Slogans: Their Use and Local Impacts", December 1993, accessed April 10, 2007.
2. Alfredo Andia, Branding the Generic City :), MU.DOT magazine, September 10, 2007
3. Web site: Home | Whats up Burque - by locos for locals! . 2011-11-03 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110208013214/http://whatsupburque.com/ . 2011-02-08 . What's Up Burque
4. Leslie Linthicum, Albuquerque Journal - "Here's a Q-tip - ¡Viva Burque!", January 8, 2009
5. http://ep2ds-16.sandia.gov/venue/faq.html Frequently Asked Questions About Albuquerque
6. Web site: Reuse in the Q - City of Albuquerque . 2011-11-03 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100528031553/http://www.cabq.gov/albuquerquegreen/green-goals/recycling-waste/reuse-in-the-q . 2010-05-28 . Reuse in the Q
7. http://www.leapyearcapital.com/ World Wide Leap Year Birthday Club in Anthony TX/NM the Leap Year Capital of the World
8. Web site: Cavern City Air Terminal . 2015-12-11 . 2015-12-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151222163112/http://carlsbad.airportstudy.com/ . live .
9. Web site: Cloudcroft History – Cloudcroft Chamber of Commerce . 2021-03-16 . 2021-01-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210124164046/https://coolcloudcroft.com/cool-highlights/cloudcroft-history/ . live .
10. http://www.taglineguru.com/monikerlist.html U.S. City Monikers
11. http://www.taglineguru.com/citymottosmonikers.html Tagline Guru City Branding Survey
12. http://www.epodunk.com/slogans/food.html Claims to Fame - Food
13. Web site: The World Capital of Whatever. The New York Times. Harold. Faber. 1993-09-12. 2018-11-15. 2008-04-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20080418221645/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=9F0CE6DC1430F931A2575AC0A965958260. live.
14. Web site: Las Cruces History . 2021-03-16 . 2018-07-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180719204959/https://www.lascrucescvb.org/contact-us/las-cruces-history/ . live .
15. News: What's That Smell! Oh, It's Las Cruces . 10 October 2021 . Albuquerque Journal . 14 April 2008.
16. Web site: City of Las Vegas, New Mexico USA . 2015-10-08 . 2011-02-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110224210523/http://www.lasvegasnm.gov/ . live .
17. http://www.losalamosnm.us/transit/Pages/default.aspx Atomic City Transit
18. http://www.ci.rio-rancho.nm.us/ official Web site of the City of Rio Rancho, New Mexico
19. http://www.rodeonewmexico.com/ Rodeo, New Mexico website
20. http://www.roswellnm.org/index.php?Itemid=60&id=33&option=com_content&task=view Roswell Chamber of Commerce website
21. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1998/09/98/conspiracy_-_radio_5_live/179221.stm Aliens: a conspiracy out of this world
22. http://www.santafenm.gov/index.asp Santa Fe, New Mexico
23. http://www.newmexico.org/unique/index.php Unique and Hidden Destinations