Why is New York called the "Big Apple"?

Question

It all started somewhere and everyone I asked doesn't know! Just curious....

Answer 1

when i was on a boat in NY going to see the statue of liberty, the tour guide told us the story. i dont really remember details, but he said how there are alot of apples on a tree(like there are alot of cities in the country), but you always want the biggest apple on the tree, its the best one to get(like NY is the best place to be for many things-being a star, a business mogul, etc). so people started saying it was the biggest apple on the tree, and then just started to say "the big apple". something close to that.

Answer 2

Serendipity has provided the "standard answer" you here today, based mainly on Popik's arguments.

I don't dispute the use of this term at New York racetracks in the 1920s, but I do not see how this EXPLAINS the actual ORIGIN of the term.

I believe Steven K points us in the right direction in that regard, but doesn't quite flesh it out (and does not provide a source). A year or so ago I looked into all this -- here's what I concluded, which I think fills some of the key gaps:


Barry Popik refers to documentation of newspaper man Fitzgerald's discovery of the term around 1920. But this does it actually tell you the SOURCE of the expression!! Fitzgerald was just relating an expression he first heard on a trip to New Orleans.

The New Orleans connection appears to be absolutely critical. Note that it fits in with the long recognized use of the term "big apple" among New York jazz musicians of the 1930s (New Orleans roots!) And note that the fact that the term's first clearly DOCUMENTED use (by Fitzgerald) does NOT show us that the 'racetrack' application preceded its application to the jazz scene (it's hard to imagine how that would happen). It might well have happened the other way round!

So who coined the phrase, and why? I believe John Ciardi and Robert Hendrickson offer the best explanation, one which fits in very well with the Fitzgerald and jazz musician stories (though oddly Popik tends to be dismissive of it, perhaps thinking it somehow undercuts his work ?!) At any rate it makes a LOT of sense.

The explanation is simple:
The word "manzana" in Spanish means either apple or 'built up block of houses, neighborhood'. Ciardi suggests that the slang expression 'manzana prinicipale' i.e., 'main/big apple [or apple orchard]' was thrown around in New Orleans, a city with some old Spanish roots and expressions, not just French. (Popik seems to dislike the Spanish explanation because of the "French" background of New Orleans, but in fact there was more than one cultural influence in this area).

It's easy to see how such an expression might be picked up and used by folks in New Orleans to refer to some 'hot spot' where the MAIN action in a field (jazz, racing, whatever) was to be found --that was the place to be!

"In about 1910 jazz musicians there used it as a loose translation of the Spanish 'manzana principal,' the main 'apple orchard,' the main city block downtown, the place where all the action is." From the "Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins" by Robert Hendrickson (Facts on File, New York, 1997)."
http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/21/messages/1121.html

Answer 3

Although there are many claims about the origin of “The Big Apple” as a nickname for New York City, each of the others lacks crucial supporting evidence or is demonstrably false. Among historians, lexicographers, and researchers it is now widely accepted that newspaperman John J. Fitz Gerald is the popularizer of “The Big Apple” and that he picked it up in the horseracing industry. There is no evidence that it originated with whores or a brothel, that it entered the American language through jazz, or that it came about via any other mechanism. Unless new evidence comes to light, the citations supporting this entry should henceforth set the record straight.

Answer 4

The following is the New York Historical Society explanation as quoted in "About.com."

In the early 1920s, "apple" was used in reference to the many racing courses in and around New York City. Apple referred to the prizes being awarded for the races -- as these were important races, the rewards were substantial.

Based on the research of Barry Popik, the use of "Big Apple" to refer to New York City became clearer. Popik found that a writer for the New York Morning Telegraph, John Fitzgerald, referred to New York City's races "Around the Big Apple." It is rumored that Fitzgerald got the term from jockeys and trainers in New Orleans who aspired to race on New York City tracks, referring to the "Big Apple."

In the late 1920s and early 1930s, New York City's jazz musicians began referring to New York City as the "Big Apple." An old saying in show business was "There are many apples on the tree, but only one Big Apple." New York City being the premier place to perform was referred to as the Big Apple.

A 1971 campaign to increase tourism to New York City adopted the Big Apple as an officially recognized reference to New York City. The campaign featured red apples in an effort to lure visitors to New York City. It was hoped that the red apples would serve as a bright and cheery image of New York City, in contrast to the common belief that New York City was dark and dangerous. Since then, New York City has officially been The Big Apple.

In recognition of Fitzgerald, the corner of 54th & Broadway, where Fitzgerald lived for 30 years, was renamed "Big Apple Corner" in 1997.

The Big Apple Explanations:
New York Historical Society

http://gonyc.about.com/cs/atozinde1/a/bigapple.htm

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Answer 5

there is basically one million manhattan, because of the fact individuals decide directly to grant each thing nicknames, like the large hassle-free, Windy city, York is the unique and it is been in England united kingdom for over one thousand years, York Minster is lots older than the full of the u . s .. the Apple grew to become into given its call because of the fact it grew to become right into a considerable port and each thing got here by means of it and pressured it to advance and enhance up at an alarming value, it grew to become into mentioned that it grew like an apple into the large city that's at present, They call it two times on the grounds which you presently have Uptown manhattan and Downtown manhattan.

Answer 6

The Big Apple was a term first used in New Orleans ca. 1910, regarding the Main Apple orchard, or the main city block where all the action is.

It was "imported" to NYC, where it stuck

Answer 7

I have yet another theory......that it came from The Big Apple Bar in Harlem. Jazz musicians who played there would say "I'm going to play The Big Apple." but meant the bar, not the city.....it somehow progressed to mean the city as a whole.

Nancala :)
http://www.ncslearnalanguageresources.com

Answer 8

because it's rotten to the core.

No, don't yell at me, LOL - I happen to be a native New Yorker, born and raised! My gramma used to say that, but I honestly don't know whether it was just her opinion or what...

:)

Answer 9

because it's full of worms