Etymology of Aberdeen - Nicknames

Nicknames

Aberdeen also has a number of nicknames, and poetic names -

• "The Granite City" - the most well-known, due to the copious use of local grey granite in the city's older buildings.
• "Furryboots City" - This is a humorous rendering of the Doric, "far aboots?" ("Whereabouts?"), as in "Far aboots ye fae?" ("Whereabouts are you from?")
• "The Silver City by the Golden Sands" or often simply just the "Silver City". Less flatteringly, also "the Grey City". This again is partly due to the granite.
• "Oil Capital of Europe" - There are numerous variants on this, such as "Oil Capital of Scotland" etc.
• "Energy Capital of Europe" - the "politically correct" name now being used in the city as it tries to project a "greener" image, not based on oil.