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List of nicknames of presidents of the United States

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Presidents of the United States have often acquired nicknames, both flattering and unflattering. This list is intended to note those nicknames that were in common use at the time they were in office or shortly thereafter.

George Washington

  • The American Cincinnatus:[1] Like the famous Roman, he won a war, then became a private citizen instead of seeking power or riches as a reward. He became the first president general of the Society of the Cincinnati, formed by Revolutionary War officers who also "declined offers of power and position to return to his home and plough".[2]
  • The American Fabius[3] for his Fabian military strategy during the Revolutionary War.
  • The Father of His Country[a][9]
  • His Excellency[10]
  • Sage of Mount Vernon[11]

John Adams

  • Bonny Johnny, "Bonny" meaning a sizeable person.[12]
  • The Colossus of Independence[13][14][15] for his leadership in Congress in 1776.
  • The Duke of Braintree[16] due to residing in Braintree, Massachusetts and his strong opinions on the use of honorifics for important officers of the government.[17]
  • Father of American Independence[18]
  • His Rotundity[19] for his girthy bodily figure.
  • Old Oak[20]
  • Old Sink or Swim, for the speech in which he vowed "sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish, I am with my country from this day on."[21]

Thomas Jefferson

James Madison

  • The Father of the Constitution[28][29]
  • Little Jemmy[30] or His Little Majesty:[30] at only 5 feet 4 inches (163 cm), the shortest U.S. president.[31]
  • The Sage of Montpelier[32]
  • Withered Little Apple[33]

James Monroe

John Quincy Adams

  • The Abolitionist or Old Man Eloquent: famed for routinely bringing up the slavery issue against Congressional rules, and for his role later on in the Amistad case. He is the only American president to be elected to the House of Representatives after his presidency. The nickname gained currency as a result of his campaign against slavery waged as a congressman, and as the attorney in the Amistad case.[37]
  • Mad Old Man From Massachusetts[38]

Andrew Jackson

  • Andy, childhood nickname[39]
  • The Hero of New Orleans[40] for his military victory in the Battle of New Orleans
  • Jackass: Andrew Jackson's critics disparaged him as a "Jackass"; however, Jackson embraced the animal, making it the unofficial symbol of the Democratic Party.[41]
  • King Andrew[42] for his supposedly excessive use of the veto power.
  • King Mob[43]
  • Mad Dog Jackson, for his aggressive military tactics.[44]
  • Mischievous Andy[45]
  • The Old Hero was derivative of the Hero of New Orleans sobriquet, but it had a more disparaging, slightly disdainful connotation.[46]
  • Old Hickory,[47] allegedly given to him by his soldiers for being as "tough as old hickory," although the Oxford English Dictionary suggests an association with the euphemism hickory oil, a reference to punishment by whipping.[48]
  • The Old Roman[49]
  • People's President[18]
  • Sharp Knife, for his fighting tactics[50]

Martin Van Buren

  • The American Talleyrand[51]
  • Blue Whiskey Van, a reference to his excessive drinking of whiskey.[52]
  • The Careful Dutchman:[53] Van Buren's first language was Dutch.
  • Dandy President, criticizers called him for his fancy expensive outfits[54]
  • The Enchanter[53]
  • The Great Manager[53]
  • The Little Magician, given to him during his time in the state of New York, because of his smooth politics and short stature.[55][56]
  • Machiavellian Bellshazzar, given to him by detractors[57]
  • Martin Van Ruin[53]
  • The Master Spirit[53]
  • Matty Van from "Tippecanoe Songs of 1840"[58]
  • The Mistletoe Politician, so called by Joseph Peyton of Tennessee, a Whig opponent, who charged that "Martin Van Buren was a mere political parasite, a branch of mistletoe, that owed its elevation, its growth--nay, its very existence, to the tall trunk of an aged hickory" (i.e. Andrew Jackson).[59]
  • Old Kinderhook (OK), a reference to his home town.[60]
  • Red Fox of Kinderhook, a reference to his red hair and home town.[61]
  • The Sly Fox[62]
  • The Sage of Lindenwald[63]

William Henry Harrison

  • The Cincinnatus of the West.[47] Harrison's military victories in the War of 1812 made him a folk-like hero, similar to George Washington and Cincinnatus.
  • General Mum,[64] as in the expression, "keep it mum," because of his avoidance of speaking out on controversial issues during his election campaign.
  • Old Granny, his opponents called him for he was the oldest person at the time to be president, his age was 68[57]
  • Tippecanoe or also Old Tippecanoe,[47] a reference to Harrison's victory at the 1811 Battle of Tippecanoe; used in the campaign song Tippecanoe and Tyler Too during the 1840 presidential election.
  • Washington of the West,[47] a reference to Harrison's victories at the 1811 Battle of Tippecanoe and 1813 Battle of the Thames.

John Tyler

  • His Accidency, a nickname given by his opponents; the first president to be elevated to the presidency by the death of his predecessor, William Henry Harrison.[65]
  • The President without a Party[66]

James K. Polk

  • First Dark Horse President, he was not well known before the 1844 United States presidential election[67]
  • Napoleon of the Stump, for his short stature and potent oratory skills.[68]
  • Polk the Purposeful
  • Polk the Plodder or Polk the Mendacious, multiple politicians saw him as untrustworthy, scheming, or, like Van Buren, machiavellian.[69]
  • Young Hickory[70] because he was a particular protégé of "Old Hickory", Andrew Jackson.

Zachary Taylor

Millard Fillmore

  • The American Louis Philippe[73]
  • Last of the Whigs, he was the last member of the Whigs to become president.[74]
  • Wool Carder President, when he was 15, he was sent to be an apprentice to a wool carder.[57]

Franklin Pierce

James Buchanan

  • Bachelor President,[78] per his unmarried status.
  • Miss Nancy, alongside William King's Aunt Fancy. President Jackson reportedly used these names to suggest effeminacy.[79]
  • Old Buck, from a shortening of his last name, used later in life.[78]
  • Old Public Functionary,[80] used by Buchanan in his December 1859 State of the Union address and adopted by newspapers.[78]
  • Ten-Cent Jimmy: derogatory, as a reaction to Buchanan's campaign statement that ten cents a day was decent pay for a worker.[81]

Abraham Lincoln

  • Abe
  • Honest Abe[82]
  • Uncle Abe[83] for his avuncularity in his later years.
  • The Ancient One,[84] a nickname favored by White House insiders because of his "ancient wisdom".
  • Grand Wrestler, Abraham was great at wrestling and only had one recorded loss[85]
  • The Great Emancipator[86] and The Liberator[87] for the emancipation of the slaves.
  • The Rail-Splitter[82]
  • Spotty Lincoln[88]
  • The Uncommon Friend of the Common Man
  • The Tycoon,[89] for the energetic and ambitious conduct of his Civil War administration.

Andrew Johnson

  • Andy the Sot[90]
  • King Andrew or King Andy[91]
  • Sir Veto, because of the large number of legislative vetoes he issued during his presidency;[92] 29 in total, (the most at the time).[93]
  • The Tennessee Tailor, for his career as a tailor before going into politics.[94]

Ulysses S. Grant

Rutherford B. Hayes

James Garfield

  • Boatman Jim, referencing his work on the Ohio canals in his youth.[109]
  • Canal Boy, also referring to his old job on Ohio canals as a boy[57]
  • Gar, nickname from college.[110]
  • Preacher President[111]
  • The Plow Boy of Ohio[112]

Chester A. Arthur

  • Chet or Our Chet, shortened version of his name used by publications of that era.[113]
  • Elegant Arthur, for his style and large wardrobe of clothes[26][114]
  • Gentleman Boss, as the dapper leader of New York State's Republican party.[113]
  • Prince Arthur and The Dude President, for his fancy attire and indulgence in extravagant luxury.[115]
  • Walrus, because of his mustache[116]

Grover Cleveland

  • Big Steve, as his full name was Stephen Grover Cleveland.[11]
  • Grover the Good, for his honesty and public integrity.[117][118]
  • His Obstinacy, he vetoed more bills than the first 21 presidents combined.[119]
  • Uncle Jumbo[120]
  • The Stuffed Prophet[121]

Benjamin Harrison

  • The Centennial President[122]
  • The Front Porch Campaigner;[122] during the 1888 election, he gave nearly ninety speeches from his front porch to crowds gathered in the yard of his Indianapolis home; this nickname has been widely but erroneously attributed to William McKinley.
  • Grandfather's Hat, for his grandfather William Henry Harrison was the 9th president of the United States[57]
  • The Human Iceberg,[123] although he could warmly engage a crowd with his speeches, he was cold and detached when speaking with people on an individual basis.
  • Kid Gloves Harrison[124]
  • Little Ben,[125] given to him by Democrats of his era because of his stature; this could also be a reference to his being the grandson of former president William Henry Harrison, who had served fifty years before.
  • Pious Moonlight Dude, because of his romance[126]

William McKinley

  • Idol of Ohio[18]
  • The Liberator of Cuba
  • The Major[18]
  • The Napoleon of Protection,[127] referring to high tariffs such as the one he wrote in 1890.
  • Wobbly Willie,[128] due to flip-flopping on issues such as expansionism.

Theodore Roosevelt

William Howard Taft

  • Big Bill, for his large appearance.[18]
  • Big Chief[138]
  • Big Lub,[139] his boyhood nickname.
  • Sleeping Beauty, a nickname his wife Helen Herron Taft called him because he was always falling asleep[62]

Woodrow Wilson

  • Coiner of Weasel Words, given by former president Theodore Roosevelt in a speech[57]
  • The Phrasemaker:[140] as an acclaimed historian, Wilson had no need of speech-writers to supply his oratorical eloquence.
  • Professor, for his job was a college professor[26]
  • The Schoolmaster:[140] a bespectacled academic who lectured his visitors.[b]

Warren G. Harding

  • Charming Harding[141]
  • President Hardly
  • Winnie,[142] childhood nickname
  • Wobbly Warren,[143] because of his flip-flopping and closeness to his Cabinet during important events, similar to McKinley.

Calvin Coolidge

  • Cal, short for Calvin[18]
  • Cautious Cal[144]
  • Cool Cal,[145] since his reelection campaign used the slogan, "Keep It Cool With Coolidge".
  • Silent Cal[146][147]
  • Red, because of his hair color[18]
  • The Sphinx or Sphinx of the Potomac because he was non talkative and a man of few words[148][149]

Herbert Hoover

  • The Chief,[150] a nickname picked up at the age of 23 as a geologist surveying in the Australian Outback, that stuck for the rest of his life.
  • The Grand Old Man, for the Grand Old Party.[151]
  • The Hermit Author of Palo Alto
  • The Great Engineer and the Great Humanitarian:[152] He was a civil engineer of some distinction and when the Mississippi burst its banks in 1927, engulfing thousands of acres of agricultural land, he volunteered his services and did extensive flood control work. The latter nickname would later be used facetiously in reference to his perceived indifference to the hardships faced by his constituents during the Great Depression. However, the nickname dates back to 1921, when the ARA under Hoover saved millions of Russians suffering from famine. "It was such considerations that Walter Lippmann took into account when he wrote of Hoover's Russian undertaking in the New York World in May 1922: 'probably no other living man could have done nearly so much.".[153]

Franklin D. Roosevelt

  • Delano, middle name that also meant "of the anus" in Italian, used by Benito Mussolini.[154]
  • FDR,[155] abbreviation of his full name.
  • Feather-duster,[156] boys at Groton School called him because they thought he was snobbish and "a bit of a sissy".
  • King Franklin
  • Sphinx,[157] in reference to his initial silence on whether or not he would run for a third term. Later visually depicted in a caricature sculpture commissioned by Secretary James D. Preston of the National Archives.
  • Squire of Hyde Park[158]
  • That Man in the White House,[159] used by those who disliked Roosevelt so much that they outright avoided saying his name.

Harry S. Truman

Dwight D. Eisenhower

  • Ike,[165] known for being in his campaign slogan "I like Ike".
  • The Kansas Cyclone

John F. Kennedy

Lyndon B. Johnson

Richard Nixon

Gerald Ford

  • Jerry[181]
  • Jerry the Jerk
  • Junie, childhood nickname[39]
  • Klutz or Klutz-in-Chief[182]
  • Mr. Nice Guy[183][184] for his clean-cut and non-partisan image.[185]

Jimmy Carter

  • Hot, short for Hot Shot, which was a childhood nickname.[26]
  • Jimmy, the first president to use his nickname in an official capacity, rather than his first name James.[186]
  • Jimmy Cardigan, got the nickname after he wore a sweater instead of a suit one day[18]
  • The Peanut Farmer,[187] he owned a peanut farm and fostered this image in his early campaigns, as a contrast to elite Washington insiders.

Ronald Reagan

George H. W. Bush

  • 41,[196] Papa Bush,[197] Bush 41, Bush Sr., Senior, and similar names that were used after his son George W. Bush became the 43rd president, to differentiate between the two
  • Little Pop, because he was named after a grandfather[198]
  • Poppy, a nickname used from childhood on.[199][200]

Bill Clinton

George W. Bush

  • 43,[197] Bush Jr., Junior, Bush 43, and similar names, used to differentiate him from his father.
  • Decider-in-Chief[205]
  • Dubya,[206] based on a Texas pronunciation of "W".[207]
  • Jefe, meaning "the boss" or "chief", by his grandchildren.[208]
  • Shrub, nickname his high school classmate Molly Ivins gave to him[57]

Barack Obama

  • Barry, short for Barack[26]
  • Barry O'Bomber, teammates in High School called him because he was great at scoring baskets in basketball[114]
  • Deporter-in-Chief, used by immigrants rights activists for his record number of deportations.[209]
  • Nobama, primarily by Republicans and South African protestors.[210][211]
  • No Drama Obama,[212][213] for his cautious and meticulous presidential campaign in 2007–2008[214] and for his patient, relaxed demeanor.[215]
  • Obamna, from a mispronunciation of his name by his successor Donald Trump, which later became an Internet meme.[216][217]

Donald Trump

See also: Pseudonyms used by Donald Trump
"List of Donald Trump nicknames" redirects here. For nicknames he uses for other people, see List of nicknames used by Donald Trump about other people.

Joe Biden

See also

Notes

  1. He has gained fame around the world as a quintessential example of a benevolent national founder. Gordon Wood concludes that the greatest act in his life was his resignation as commander of the armies—an act that stunned aristocratic Europe.[4][5][6][7] The earliest known image in which Washington is identified as such is on the cover of the circa 1778 Pennsylvania German almanac (Lancaster: Gedruckt bey Francis Bailey).[8]
  2. Compare to Italian prime minister (and former president of the European Commission) Romano Prodi's nickname Il Professore (the professor/schoolteacher)

References

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