When travelers hear the moniker “The Big Easy,” thoughts immediately turn to jazz-filled streets, Creole cuisine, and the vibrant culture of New Orleans. But the phrase “cities called the Big Easy” sparks curiosity: does any other city officially or unofficially carry this laid-back nickname? While New Orleans remains the undisputed home of the Big Easy, a small, unincorporated coal community in West Virginia also bears the name, creating a unique contrast between a world-famous cultural icon and a quiet Appalachian settlement. This guide uncovers the origins, meaning, and surprising stories behind every city called the Big Easy.
🌟 Quick Answer: Which Cities Are Called the Big Easy?
The nickname “The Big Easy” is overwhelmingly associated with New Orleans, Louisiana. It was coined in the late 1960s to contrast New Orleans’ relaxed pace with the hustle of “The Big Apple” (New York City). Additionally, a small unincorporated community named Big Easy exists in Boone County, West Virginia, though it is a place name rather than an adopted nickname. No other major city officially uses “The Big Easy.”
📊 Quick Facts
| Nickname | Meaning | Number of Cities | Most Famous City | First Known Usage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Big Easy | Relaxed, unhurried lifestyle; Southern ease | 1 major city + 1 place name | New Orleans, Louisiana | Late 1960s (New Orleans column) |
What Does “The Big Easy” Mean?
The phrase “The Big Easy” captures a deep cultural truth about New Orleans: life there moves to a slower, more indulgent rhythm. It’s a city where the unhurried enjoyment of music, food, and community takes precedence over the relentless productivity associated with places like New York City. Rather than simply describing laziness, the nickname honors a deliberate, joy-centered approach to daily existence that has shaped the city’s identity for centuries.
The term evolved as a direct counterpoint to “The Big Apple,” the famous nickname for New York City. Where the Big Apple promised excitement, ambition, and a frantic pace, the Big Easy offered the opposite — a place where you could linger over a café au lait, let a brass band change your afternoon plans, and never feel guilty about taking your time. Over the decades, the nickname became a badge of pride, appearing on everything from T-shirts to tourism campaigns. According to NewOrleans.com, the city’s official tourism site, “The Big Easy” is the most recognized unofficial nickname for New Orleans, even though the city’s formal moniker remains “The Crescent City.”
Why Do So Many Cities Share This Nickname?
Unlike nicknames rooted in geography (River City), royalty (Queen City), or industry (Steel City), “The Big Easy” was born from a very specific cultural moment — a journalist’s clever coinage comparing two American icons. That specificity is exactly why, unlike widespread city nicknames, “The Big Easy” never became a shared label among multiple urban centers.
The nickname first appeared in the late 1960s when New Orleans gossip columnist Betty Guillaud began using it in her writing for the States-Item newspaper. Guillaud wanted a way to describe New Orleans’ unhurried, pleasure-first atmosphere in contrast to the “hustle and bustle” of the Big Apple. The phrase resonated instantly with locals who recognized their city’s unique character. Its popularity skyrocketed in 1986 with the release of the neo-noir film The Big Easy, which cemented the nickname in the international imagination.
Because the term was so intrinsically tied to New Orleans’ cultural DNA and media narrative, no other major city ever successfully adopted it. While some cities are sometimes described as having a “Big Easy vibe” — relaxed, musically rich, and slightly hedonistic — none have claimed it as their own. The one notable geographic exception is Big Easy, West Virginia, whose name predates or is entirely unrelated to the New Orleans nickname; it is a coal camp place name, not a cultural statement.
🌍 Cities That Use This Nickname
| City | State / Country | Official or Popular | Why It Uses the Nickname |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans | Louisiana, USA | Popular (unofficial) | Contrast to New York’s “Big Apple”; relaxed culture |
| Big Easy (unincorporated) | West Virginia, USA | Place name | Historic coal community; origin unknown |
Top Cities Called the Big Easy
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is, without question, the city most strongly associated with “The Big Easy.” Located on the Mississippi River near the Gulf of Mexico, New Orleans was founded in 1718 by the French and later ruled by Spain before becoming part of the United States through the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. This layered history created a cultural gumbo — African, French, Spanish, Creole, and American influences all stewing together — that gave the city an atmosphere unlike any other in the country.
According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, New Orleans’ geographical position as a major port and its history of colonial diversity cultivated a spirit of tolerance and celebration. Jazz was born here, Mardi Gras became a defining public ritual, and the city’s approach to life emphasized pleasure, hospitality, and resilience. It was this cultural character that Betty Guillaud captured when she began writing about “The Big Easy” in the 1960s. Some historians note a persistent but unverified tale that a dance hall or bar called “The Big Easy” operated in the city earlier in the 20th century, but no solid newspaper or municipal records confirm this. The Guillaud origin remains the most widely accepted by historians and local archivists.
The nickname’s power only grew. The 1986 film The Big Easy, directed by Jim McBride and starring Dennis Quaid and Ellen Barkin, used the phrase as a title and as a metaphor for the city’s seductive, morally complex charm. Tourism campaigns soon embraced it, and today visitors from around the world know New Orleans as the Big Easy long before they learn of its official nickname, “The Crescent City.” The city’s official website acknowledges “The Big Easy” as the most beloved informal nickname, a phrase that instantly conveys jazz, jambalaya, and the gentle acceptance of life’s unpredictability.
Interestingly, the city has never officially designated “The Big Easy” as a formal municipal nickname. City documents and seals consistently use “The Crescent City,” which refers to the shape of the Mississippi River as it curves around the original settlement. Yet in popular culture, there is no contest — The Big Easy is New Orleans.
Big Easy, West Virginia
While New Orleans dominates every conversation about “The Big Easy,” there is a quiet, unincorporated community deep in the Appalachian coalfields that shares the name. Big Easy, West Virginia, sits in Boone County, a region historically defined by coal mining. According to the U.S. Geological Survey’s Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), Big Easy is a populated place — not an incorporated town or city — and it has been listed in federal geographic records for many decades.
The origins of the name “Big Easy” in West Virginia remain murky. Unlike New Orleans, there is no evidence of a cultural nickname adoption. Local historians suggest it was likely the name of a coal camp established in the early 20th century, possibly operated by one of the many coal companies that dotted the Boone County landscape. One plausible theory is that “Big Easy” described a relatively accessible coal seam — “an easy place to mine.” Another suggests it could have been the surname of a local landowner or a colloquial description of the terrain. Because many coal camp names were informal and passed down orally, definitive documentation is scarce.
Today, Big Easy, WV, is a scattered rural settlement with few remaining structures from its mining heyday. It does not function as a municipality, and it is not a tourist destination. Yet its existence as a place name — entirely separate from the New Orleans story — adds a curious footnote to any list of places called the Big Easy. The contrast could not be sharper: one a world-famous cultural capital, the other a whisper of Appalachian industrial history.
🗓 Historical Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| c. 1910 | Coal camp known as Big Easy established in Boone County, West Virginia (exact origin uncertain). |
| Late 1960s | New Orleans gossip columnist Betty Guillaud begins using “The Big Easy” to contrast the city’s pace with New York’s “Big Apple.” |
| 1970 | Rumored: A nightclub named “The Big Easy” may have existed in New Orleans, but historical evidence is scant. |
| 1986 | Release of the neo-noir film “The Big Easy,” starring Dennis Quaid, cements the nickname in pop culture worldwide. |
| Present | “The Big Easy” remains New Orleans’ most beloved unofficial nickname; Big Easy, WV persists as a geographic place name. |
🌎 Countries Where This Nickname Is Used
The United States is the only country where the nickname “The Big Easy” holds cultural meaning. New Orleans, Louisiana, is its epicenter, and the West Virginia community is the only other location bearing the phrase as a formal place name. Outside the U.S., the term is understood almost exclusively as a reference to New Orleans, thanks to the global reach of American films, music, and tourism. No cities in Canada, Europe, or elsewhere have adopted “The Big Easy” as an official or popular nickname.
⭐ Fun Facts
- The phrase “The Big Easy” may have been partly inspired by the dance the “Big Apple” — a popular craze in the 1930s — and the nickname for New York City itself. Guillaud simply flipped the concept.
- Before the film, “The Big Easy” appeared on a 1970 album by New Orleans rhythm and blues singer James Booker, helping spread the phrase locally.
- The city’s official tourism agency ran a “Big Easy” campaign in the 2000s to attract visitors seeking a slower, more authentic experience.
- Some Gulf Coast towns like Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, occasionally get called “The Little Easy” by travel writers, but the phrase never became an official nickname.
- The 1986 movie’s title originally referred to a corrupt police unit, but audiences quickly connected it to the city itself.
📊 Comparison Table: New Orleans vs. Big Easy, WV
| Feature | New Orleans, LA | Big Easy, WV |
|---|---|---|
| Official Status | Popular nickname, not official | Recorded place name (USGS) |
| Meaning | Laid-back, easygoing Southern lifestyle | Unknown; possibly descriptive of terrain or a family name |
| Origin | 1960s newspaper column contrasting with “Big Apple” | Early 20th-century coal camp naming |
| Historical Background | Founded 1718; pivotal in jazz, Creole culture, port economy | Part of Boone County’s coal boom; now a quiet rural settlement |
| Popularity | Internationally recognized; cultural trademark | Known only locally and to geography enthusiasts |
| Current Usage | Tourism branding, media, everyday speech | Listed in GNIS; not an active municipality |
| Interesting Fact | Official nickname is “The Crescent City” | May have been named “Big Easy” because it was an easy place to mine coal |
New Orleans overwhelmingly remains the city most strongly associated with “The Big Easy.” Its cultural weight, historical depth, and global recognition make it the definitive answer whenever someone asks which cities are called the Big Easy. The West Virginia community, while fascinating, exists in a separate historical lane entirely.
🤔 Common Misconceptions
| Myth | Reality |
|---|---|
| Several major U.S. cities are called the Big Easy. | Only New Orleans holds the cultural nickname; Big Easy, WV is a place name, not a nickname for an active city. |
| The nickname originated during Prohibition as a reference to speakeasies. | It first appeared in print in the late 1960s, long after Prohibition ended. No evidence ties it to the 1920s. |
| New Orleans officially adopted “The Big Easy” as its nickname. | The official nickname is “The Crescent City.” “The Big Easy” remains entirely unofficial but beloved. |
| Big Easy, WV, was named after the New Orleans nickname. | The West Virginia community’s name predates or is completely independent of the 1960s nickname. |
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is the original Big Easy?
New Orleans, Louisiana, is the original city associated with the nickname “The Big Easy.” The phrase was first used in the late 1960s by columnist Betty Guillaud.
How many cities are called the Big Easy?
Only New Orleans is universally recognized as “The Big Easy.” A small unincorporated community named Big Easy exists in West Virginia, but it is a place name, not an adopted nickname for a functioning city.
Is The Big Easy an official nickname for New Orleans?
No. The official nickname of New Orleans is “The Crescent City,” referring to its location on a bend of the Mississippi River. “The Big Easy” is a popular, widely embraced unofficial nickname.
Why is New Orleans called The Big Easy?
The nickname contrasts New Orleans’ unhurried, pleasure-focused lifestyle with the fast pace of New York City, known as “The Big Apple.” It was popularized by a local columnist and later a 1986 film.
Does any other major city use the Big Easy nickname?
No other major city officially or popularly uses “The Big Easy.” Travelers sometimes describe other laid-back destinations as having a “Big Easy vibe,” but New Orleans remains the sole city identified by the phrase.
What is Big Easy, West Virginia?
Big Easy is an unincorporated community in Boone County, West Virginia. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, it is a populated place that originated as a coal camp in the early 20th century. It does not function as an incorporated city.
🔗 Explore More
✨ Magic City (Birmingham/Miami)
Discover the origin of the Magic City nickname, shared by Birmingham, Miami, and more.
Read More →🏛️ Eternal City (Rome)
Explore why Rome has been called the Eternal City for millennia.
Read More →🎵 Music City (Nashville)
Learn how Nashville became the undisputed Music City of the world.
Read More →⛰️ Mile High City (Denver)
Find out why Denver is called the Mile High City and its elevation story.
Read More →Conclusion
The story of cities called the Big Easy is ultimately a tale of one city’s powerful cultural brand. New Orleans didn’t just receive the nickname; it grew into it, proving that a few words can encapsulate the soul of a place. The fact that a tiny West Virginia community shares the name only deepens the fascination, reminding us that geography often holds quiet surprises. Whether you come for the jazz funeral or the coal camp history, “The Big Easy” stands as one of the most evocative nicknames in the American landscape. For more deep dives into the origins of city nicknames — from the Queen City to the Steel City — browse our complete collection of guides.
Sources & References
- NewOrleans.com — “New Orleans Nicknames: The Big Easy, Crescent City and More”
https://www.neworleans.com/things-to-do/multicultural/nicknames/ - Encyclopaedia Britannica — “New Orleans”
https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Orleans-Louisiana - U.S. Geological Survey — Geographic Names Information System — “Big Easy, West Virginia”
https://edits.nationalmap.gov/apps/gaz-domestic/public/search/names?search=Big+Easy%2C+WV - IMDb — “The Big Easy (1986)”
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090657/