Summary

  • New Orleans earned the nickname "The Crescent City" due to its location and the sharp curve it was built around the Mississippi River, resembling a crescent moon.
  • The nickname "The Big Easy" was popularized by a gossip columnist in the 1960s, comparing the relaxed and simple lifestyle of New Orleans to the busy and complex nature of New York City.
  • New Orleans is known for its rich voodoo culture, with legends and dark vibes filling the streets of the French Quarter. The city's painful slave past has contributed to this spiritual and mystical reputation.

New Orleans has always been a place of mystery and intrigue, and for those who call it home, it's never been anything but that - a place of lively music, good food, friends, and a strong community. This city has had a long history before it and will continue to have a long history after, and it's one that has been immortalized in both literature and film. With roots in Creole culture and French influences, there's nothing quite like it anywhere else in the world.

That's the reason so many people flock to Louisiana to experience its creative and optimistic flavor and flair for life. It's also where the city's nicknames came from, along with a great many little-known facts about the great place we know as New Orleans.

UPDATE: 2023/10/26 15:55 EST BY NOAH STAATS

We Can't Stop Talking About New Orleans!

New Orleans has long been called many names, including Crescent City, The Big Easy, and even Voodoo City. There are many people who have walked its streets, seen unexplainable things, and lived to share their stories. New Orleans is much more than it seems.

The Crescent City And The Big Easy

The reason that New Orleans was once called the 'Crescent City' comes with a pretty simple explanation: Geography. Long before the French Quarter was known as what it was, it was known by the name of Vieux Carré. Upon close inspection of a map, it's clear that this town - the heart of the city - was actually built in a sharp curve around the Mississippi River. Therefore, the city was called the Crescent City due to this river bend resembling a crescent moon. Although, with the city's somewhat mysterious nature, many think there's some type of spiritual or magical meaning behind this moon phase reference.

Historic buildings in Bienville Street in French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana
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Historic buildings in Bienville Street in French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana
  • New Orleans took on the nickname 'Crescent City' because of its location, built in a sharp curve around the Mississippi River.
  • Many people call New Orleans 'The Big Easy' because it is the name Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne gave the city upon founding it.

Interestingly enough, the origin for the name 'The Big Easy' is not nearly as clear or as obvious - so in a sense, there's still a bit of mystery surrounding New Orleans' nicknames. It's known that the city got its official name of New Orleans from Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, who was also the founder of the city after he named it for Philippe II, Duc D’Orléans. A sign of respect for the Royal Family of France at the time, this official city name came centuries prior to the days of the Big Easy.

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The most accepted explanation for the nickname's origin occurred during the 1960s when a gossip columnist by the name of Betty Guillaud popularized the unusual name. Guillaud wrote for the Times-Picayune and often spoke of the contrast between New York City and New Orleans, arguably two of the most popular and premier destinations of the time. Because of this, it's believed that contrast was drawn even further when the columnist described New Orleans as the Big 'Easy' as opposed to the Big 'Apple' of New York, driving home the point that life down south was easier and far more simple.

However, there is another theory as to why and how the city got this nickname.

New Orleans Is Also Known For Voodoo

  • New Orleans has become a hub for voodoo and dark magic.
  • The area's slave past can be blamed for much of the sinister energy in certain parts of town.

One of New Orleans's many nicknames is 'Voodoo City,' with its rich past and troubling characters filling the minds of locals and visitors each day. With legends, including Papa Legba, who is considered a lwa in Haitian Vodou, Winti, and Louisiana Voodoo, who serves as the intermediary between God and humanity. People often claim to see his shadow in the streets of the French Quarter, with endless movies and TV shows covering his presence and the overall dark vibe of the city.

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Voodoo has become a staple part of New Orleans's culture. The French Quarter is immersed with relics of voodoo. When guests come to the Big Easy, it's usually nothing of the sort. There was a booming slave trade that took place throughout Louisiana, with New Orleans hosting an especially painful past. French settlers would bring slaves into the city, sell them, and abuse them much of the time, leading to many lingering souls still trapped in its bounds.

Of course, not everything has to be doom and gloom here. New Orleans is culture-rich, filled to the brim with smiling faces and good times. However, if you want to find a not-so-good time, there will be plenty of those, too. These haunted hotels in Crescent City may be worth booking.

The Origin And Evolution Of The Music Scene

It's no secret that music was, and still is, very much part of New Orleans culture and history. Therefore, it's surmised that musicians are partially responsible for the nickname of The Big Easy in reference to this diverse and creative scene. During the 20th century, music and New Orleans became one, with the city boasting the biggest and greatest reputation for all things jazz and blues. Just as aspiring actors made the journey to Los Angeles to pursue acting, New Orleans became a haven and a beacon of hope for aspiring musicians. Because of this, there were more music venues here than any other in the country, all with reputations that were known far outside of Louisiana.

Visit New Orleans at the 10 best times of the year
Image by Simon from Pixabay 
Visit New Orleans at the 10 best times of the year
  • New Orleans began to take on a music hub title in the 20th century.
  • Jazz music has become synonymous with this Southern city.

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Venues weren't the only place musicians and artists were singing and playing instruments, though - they were taking to the streets to perform, which is still a huge part of New Orleans' festival and parade culture today. The streets quickly became filled with the sounds of artists, with the city and the community being nothing but supportive. This open-arms policy is what's believed to have also secured the name 'The Big Easy,' as it was easy for new musicians and aspiring artists to integrate and gain a following in the city. These are some of the most epic concert venues in America, with New Orleans hosting one of our favorites.

Streetcars in New Orleans on a sunny day
Shutterstock
Streetcars in New Orleans on a sunny day

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The 20th century was perhaps a golden time for music in the South, as artists were able to make a living while doing something they loved. This 'easy' attitude towards most things carried through the age of Prohibition, where it's also believed that the community's lax attitude toward alcohol consumption was yet another contributing factor to the nickname. Regardless of where it got its start, that laid-back nature still continues to be part of New Orleans culture to this day.