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List of nicknames of presidents of the United States
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.
The American Cincinnatus,[1] like the famous Roman Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, 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 Era of Good Feelings President, for "The Era of Good Feelings", the period following the victorious end of War of 1812. The term was first coined by the Boston Federalist newspaper Columbian Centinel on July 12, 1817, following President James Monroe’s visit to Boston.[35]
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.[38]
Jackass, 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
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 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)[58]
Old Kinderhook (OK), a reference to his home town[59]
Red Fox of Kinderhook, a reference to his red hair and home town[60]
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,[63] 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.[24]
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
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[64]
Young Hickory of the Granite Hills,[78] "Young Hickory" compared his military deeds (in the Mexican–American War) with those of Andrew Jackson. "The Granite Hills" were his home state of New Hampshire.
The Front Porch Campaigner;[125] 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[24]
The Human Iceberg,[126] although he could warmly engage a crowd with his speeches, he was cold and detached when speaking with people on an individual basis
Little Ben,[128] 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.
The Great Engineer and the Great Humanitarian,[156] 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'".[157]
Feather-duster,[160] boys at Groton School called him because they thought he was snobbish and "a bit of a sissy"
King Franklin
Sphinx,[161] 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
LBJ,[178][179] he liked to be known by his initials, which was used in the campaign slogan, "All the way with LBJ"; later it would be used in the anti-Vietnam Warpolitical slogan "Hey, hey, LBJ, how many kids did you kill today?"
Light-Bulb Lyndon,[180] because he hated wasting electricity, and would often storm around the White House shutting off unnecessary lights
Rufus Cornpone,[181] used as an attack on his rural accent by members of the Kennedy administration at dinner parties
Bonzo, from the name of the chimp in Bedtime for Bonzo (1951), a film that Reagan starred in.[193]
Dutch, shortly after his birth, his father said he looked like a "fat little Dutchman"; reinforced when he wore a Dutch boy haircut as a youngster[194][195][196]
The Great Communicator,[198] for his ability to communicate[199]
The Teflon President,[200] coined by Representative Pat Schroeder because nothing negative "stuck to" him (like a Teflon skillet); he remained blame-free in the eyes of the American people.[199]
41,[201]Papa Bush,[202]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[203]
Poppy, a nickname used from childhood on[204][205]
45, the 45, and 47[224] and similar names, referencing his being the 45th president, and his penchant for wearing monogrammed "45" apparel (and after the 2024 United States presidential election, with the number 47)[225]
Orange Man, in reference to his prominent orange makeup.[244] Especially used in the phrase "Orange man bad," a phrase meant to suggest that Trump's opponents have "Trump derangement syndrome".[245]
^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.[5][6][7][8] 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).[9]
^"Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus: The Perfect Leader". Parcon Research. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. "It's easy to see why history sometimes refers to George Washington as "the American Cincinnatus". Washington too did great things then went back to his farm".
^Ford, Paul Leicester (1896). The True George Washington: Soldier: Strategy. J.B. Lippincott. "His great caution in respect to the enemy, acquired him the name of the American Fabius." (Timothy Pickering)
^Purcell, Sarah J. (March 25, 2010). Sealed With Blood: War, Sacrifice, and Memory in Revolutionary America. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 97. ISBN978-0812221091.
^Higginbotham, Don (2004). George Washington and the American Military Tradition. Mercer University Lamar Memorial Lectures Series.[citation needed]
^Jefferson, Thomas; Bergh, Albert Ellery; Lipscomb, Andrew Adgate (August 31, 2012). The writings of Thomas Jefferson Volume 13. Ulan Press. p. xxiv.
^Latham, Edward (1904). A Dictionary of Names Nicknames and Surnames of Persons Places and Things. London: George Routledge & Sons LTD. p. 63. Retrieved July 11, 2013. A surname given to John Adams ... in allusion to his earnest and persevering efforts towards colonial independence in the Continental Congress. Sometimes also called the Colossus of the Revolution.
^Freeman, A (1828). The Principles and Acts of Mr. Adams' Administration. Concord, New Hampshire: New Hampshire Journal Office. p. 5. Retrieved July 11, 2013. Yes, John Adams, whom Jefferson pronounced the 'Colossus of Independence,' and who died with the motto 'Independence forever!' on his lips, 'probably desired independence.' So say William Badger and Francis N. Fisk. Shall we believe them? We will — not withstanding the doubt which their expression implies.
^ abcdefghiBausum, Ann (2021). Our Country's Presidents A Complete Encyclopedia Of The U.S. Presidency. National Geographic Society. ISBN978-1-4263-7199-8.
^French, Daniel Chester. "Biography of John Adams". United States Senate. Archived from the original on December 12, 2020. Retrieved October 31, 2012. ... the folds of material at the bottom of the vest suggest the girth that led Adams to be dubbed 'His Rotundity.'
^Sheehan, Colleen (April 8, 2013). "James Madison: Father of the Constitution". The Heritage Foundation. Archived from the original on April 8, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
^ abBrant, Irving (November 3, 1961). "Mr. Madison's War". Time. Archived from the original on November 13, 2007. The enemies of the fourth President of the U.S. called him 'little Jemmy,' or 'his little majesty,' or 'withered little apple-John.'
^Moore, Powell (January 1932). "The Political Background of the Revolt Against Jackson in Tennessee". East Tennessee Historical Society's Publications. 28. Tennessee Historical Commission, University of Tennessee. Knoxville, Tennessee: East Tennessee Historical Society: 45–66. ISSN0361-6193. OCLC1137265. FHL 1640746.
^ abcdLatham, Edward (1904). A Dictionary of Names, Nicknames and Surnames, of Persons, Places and Things. G. Routledge & Sons. p. 220. OCLC1038938.
^Norton, Anthony Banning (1888). The Great Revolution of 1840. hansebooks. p. 74. ISBN9783337234713. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
^Warshauer, Matthew (August 15, 2007). Andrew Jackson and the Politics of Martial Law (2nd ed.). University of Tennessee Press. p. 108. ISBN978-1572336247.
^ abTracosas, L.J. White House Winners What You Don't Know About The Presidents.
^Johnson, David (June 12, 2006). "American History: 1840 U.S. Presidential Campaign". History.net. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. While the Democrats adopted a platform denouncing federal assumption of state debts, opposing internal improvements, and calling for separation of public money from banking institutions, Weed decided to keep Harrison quiet and emphasize his war-hero record and humble character. The Democrats took aim at Harrison's silence, calling him 'General Mum'.
^"John Tyler". The White House. Archived from the original on January 21, 2025. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
^Leahy, Christopher (2020). President without a Party: The Life of John Tyler.
^Dehmer, Emliee (February 18, 2021). "Stump Speaking at Knoxville". Tennessee State Museum. Archived from the original on February 16, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
^Danzer, Gerald (2005). The Americans. McDougal Littell. p. 294.
^Encyclopædia Britannica. "James Buchanan". Archived from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
^ abBoyer, Paul; Stuckey, Sterling (2005). American Nation: In the Modern Era. Holt, Rinehart, & Winston.
^"Lincoln's Sense of Humor". America's Story from America's Library, Library of Congress. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2022. Refers to a song about Lincoln called, "Hey! Uncle Abe, are you joking yet?"
^"Why Lincoln?". Association of Lincoln Presenters. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
Association of Lincoln Presenters, Lincoln Quotes, "LINCOLN had many nicknames such as Honest Abe, the Railsplitter, the Liberator, the Emancipator, the Ancient One, the Martyr".
^"Abraham Lincoln: 1862-1864 - Part 2". Sparknotes. Archived from the original on December 2, 2017. Retrieved August 30, 2022. "During a time of war, the executive always plays a stronger role than usual, and Lincoln was no exception to this rule. His uncompromising style as commander- in-chief, coupled with his ambitious domestic program to preserve and further the Union, earned him the nickname of "the tycoon".
^Levine, Robert (2021). The Failed Promise: Reconstruction, Frederick Douglass, and the Impeachment of Andrew Johnson. W. W. Norton. ISBN978-1-57072-235-6.
^"Page 1". teva.contentdm.oclc.org. Archived from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
^Barnard, Harry (1954). Rutherford Hayes and his America. Newtown, Connecticut: American Political Biography Press. pp. 402–403. ISBN978-0-945707-05-9. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
^Ranson, Frederick (1978). The Great Unknown: Governor Rutherford B. Hayes Of Ohio. Graduate Theses.
^ abTracosas, L.J. White House Winners What You Don't Know About The U.S. Presidents.
^"Chester A. Arthur Quick Facts". MSN Encarta. Archived from the original on April 25, 2009. Chester Arthur was fond of fine clothes and entertainment, earning him the nicknames 'Dude President,' 'Elegant Arthur,' and 'Prince Arthur'.
^Moberg, Julia (2012). Presidential Pets The Weird, Wacky, Little, Big, Scary, Strange Animals That Have Lived in the White House. Watertown, MA.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^Edelstein, Robert (September 25, 2018). "WAS THIS PRESIDENT TRULY A "HUMAN ICEBERG"?". Watson Adventures. Archived from the original on February 16, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2022. "He was known as the "Human Iceberg" because he was stiff and formal when dealing with people".
^Freidel, Frank; Sidney, Hugh (2006). "Benjamin Harrison". White House. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
^Todd Davis, And Marc Frey. The New Big Book Of U.S. Presidents Fascinating Facts About Each and Every President, Including an American History Timeline.
^DeMatteo, Arthur E. (2005). "Book Reviews". Northeast Ohio Journal of History. Archived from the original on November 30, 2007.
^Rubel, David (2005). Encyclopedia Of The U.S. Presidents And Their Times. Scholastic Reference. ISBN0-439-28323-X.
^Goodwin, Doris Kearns (2013). The Bully Pulpit. Simon & Schuster.
^Gould, Lewis L. (February 20, 2012). "Teddy, Teddy, enough already". Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on February 16, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2022. Anyone who spends time with the extensive historical literature on Theodore Roosevelt recognizes that he abhorred his public nickname.
^Oremus, Will (June 11, 2012). "RFK, DSK, OBL, WTF?". Slate. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2022. And Franklin's distant cousin, Theodore Roosevelt, may have been the first president to go by his initials in headlines, though in his case there were only two.
^"Hoover Dam". Bureau of Reclamation, Lower Colorado Region. July 13, 2022. Archived from the original on June 10, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2022. Hoover, "known early in his career as "The Great Engineer", was now popularized as "The Great Humanitarian" for his "relief efforts in America's stricken heartland".
^Patenaude, Bertrand (2002). "The Big Show in Bololand". Stanford Program on International and Cross-cultural Education. Archived from the original on May 19, 2011.
^"A ruthless ally". Geoffrey Wheatcroft. December 13, 2003. Archived from the original on April 17, 2025. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
^Harris, Lauren Lanzen (1998). Biography for beginners Presidents of the United States. Favorable Impressions. ISBN0-7808-0262-4.
^"From the Museum". Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. June 2, 2011. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
^Barrett, John Q. (October 15, 2008). ""That One" & "That Man"". George Washington University Columbian College of Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
^Mieczkowski, Yanek (2013). "16. Eisenhower versus Kennedy". Eisenhower's Sputnik Moment: The Race for Space and World Prestige. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. p. 255. ISBN978-0801451508.
^Stabler, David (October 28, 2014). Kid Presidents True Tales of Childhood From America's Presidents. Quirk Books. ISBN978-1-59474-731-1.
^Schorr, Isaac (September 18, 2020). "Enough of 'Orange Man Bad'". National Review. Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
^Robbins, Jim (January 24, 2021). "In Rural Montana, a Hope That Biden Will Reopen the Rails". The New York Times. Retrieved January 25, 2021. The North Coast Hiawatha hasn't run through Montana since 1979. Now cities like Billings, Bozeman, Helena and Missoula are hoping that "Amtrak Joe" will help fund new rail service. [...] But with a new president known as "Amtrak Joe" and Democratic control of both houses of Congress, [...]
^"Gaza: UN experts call on international community to prevent genocide against the Palestinian people". OHCHR. November 16, 2023. Archived from the original on December 24, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2023. Grave violations committed by Israel against Palestinians in the aftermath of 7 October, particularly in Gaza, point to a genocide in the making, UN experts said today. They illustrated evidence of increasing genocidal incitement, overt intent to "destroy the Palestinian people under occupation", loud calls for a 'second Nakba' in Gaza and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory, and the use of powerful weaponry with inherently indiscriminate impacts, resulting in a colossal death toll and destruction of life-sustaining infrastructure.
^Amnesty International (2024). 'You Feel Like You Are Subhuman': Israel's Genocide Against Palestinians In Gaza(PDF) (Report). Archived(PDF) from the original on December 5, 2024. This report focuses on the Israeli authorities' policies and actions in Gaza as part of the military offensive they launched in the wake of the Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023 while situating them within the broader context of Israel's unlawful occupation, and system of apartheid against Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Israel. It assesses allegations of violations and crimes under international law by Israel in Gaza within the framework of genocide under international law, concluding that there is sufficient evidence to believe that Israel's conduct in Gaza following 7 October 2023 amounts to genocide.
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