The Story Behind New York’s Famous Nickname: The Big Apple

The metropolis of New York has many nicknames, one of which has prevailed worldwide: “The Big Apple”. But where does this nickname come from and what does it mean?

Popular with Americans and tourists alike, New York is known as “The Big Apple”. However, very few people know where this nickname came from.

The term “The Big Apple” in connection with New York first appears in 1909, in Edward S. Martin’s book “The Wayfarer in New York”. Martin used the metaphor to illustrate that New York is an important part of America. For him, the city was one of the fruits of a mighty tree that has its roots in the Mississippi Valley and whose branches stretch across the nation.

Sportswriter John J. Fitz Gerald popularized the phrase in the 1920s. In his articles on horse racing in The New York Morning Telegraph, he regularly used the term “Big Apple” to refer to New York. The prices of the races in New York were high and whoever won got “the Big Apple” – a lot of money.

The term was deeply rooted in the jazz scene of the 1930s and 1940s. Musicians who played in the “Big Apple” – i.e. in the heart of New York – had made it. On the other hand, unknown musicians who still had to perform in the suburbs played “out in the branches”.

The term fell out of common usage in the 1950s and 1960s, until the New York City Tourist Board revived the nickname for promotional purposes in the 1970s. A poster with a large red apple advertised New York as an attractive tourist destination. The crisp, juicy apple represented a city full of life and energy.

This advertising campaign was successful: “Big Apple” became a trademark of the city and cemented itself as a global pet name for New York. Today, the term “Big Apple” is synonymous with the vibrant metropolis on the east coast of the USA – a city that never sleeps.