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The name of Toronto has a history distinct from that of the city itself. Originally, the term "''Taronto''" referred to a channel of water between
Lake Simcoe Lake Simcoe is a lake in southern Ontario, Canada, the fourth-largest lake wholly in the province, after Lake Nipigon, Lac Seul, and Lake Nipissing. At the time of the first European contact in the 17th century the lake was called ''Ouentironk' ...
and Lake Couchiching on maps as early as 1675 but in time the name passed southward, and was eventually applied to a new fort at the mouth of the Humber River.
Fort Toronto Fort Toronto, also known as Fort Portneuf, was a French trading post that was located near the mouth of the Humber River in what is now Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was constructed in 1750 by French military officer Pierre Robineau de Portneuf, wh ...
was the first European settlement in the area, and lent its name to what became the city of Toronto.
John Graves Simcoe John Graves Simcoe (25 February 1752 – 26 October 1806) was a British Army general and the first lieutenant governor of Upper Canada from 1791 until 1796 in southern Ontario and the watersheds of Georgian Bay and Lake Superior. He founded Yor ...
identified the area as a strategic location to base a new capital for
Upper Canada The Province of Upper Canada (french: link=no, province du Haut-Canada) was a Province, part of The Canadas, British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North Americ ...
, believing Newark to be susceptible to American invasion. A garrison was established at Garrison Creek, on the western entrance to the docks of
Toronto Harbour Toronto Harbour or Toronto Bay is a bay on the north shore of Lake Ontario, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is a natural harbour, protected from Lake Ontario waves by the Toronto Islands. Today, the harbour is used primarily for recreational b ...
, in 1793; this later became Fort York. The settlement it defended was renamed
York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
on August 26, 1793, as Simcoe favoured English names over those of First Nations languages, in honour of Prince Frederick, Duke of York. Residents petitioned to change the name back to Toronto, and in 1834 the city was incorporated with its original name. The name York lived on through the name of York County (which was later split into
Metropolitan Toronto The Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto was an upper-tier level of municipal government in Ontario, Canada, from 1953 to 1998. It was made up of the old city of Toronto and numerous townships, towns and villages that surrounded Toronto, whic ...
and York Region), and continues to live on through the names of several districts within the city, including Yorkville,
East York East York is a former administrative district and municipality within Toronto, Ontario, Canada. From 1967 to 1998, it was officially the Borough of East York, a semi-autonomous borough within the upper-tier municipality of Metropolitan Toron ...
, and
North York North York is one of the six administrative districts of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located directly north of York, Old Toronto and East York, between Etobicoke to the west and Scarborough to the east. As of the 2016 Census, it had a po ...
, the latter two suburbs that were formally amalgamated into the "megacity" of Toronto on January 1, 1998.


History

The word ''Toronto'' was recorded with various spellings in French and English, including ''Tarento'', ''Tarontha'', ''Taronto'', ''Toranto'', ''Torento'', ''Toronto'', and ''Toronton''. ''Taronto'' referred to "The Narrows", a channel of water through which Lake Simcoe discharges into Lake Couchiching. This narrows was called by the Mohawk, meaning "where there are trees standing in the water," and was recorded as early as 1615 by
Samuel de Champlain Samuel de Champlain (; Fichier OrigineFor a detailed analysis of his baptismal record, see RitchThe baptism act does not contain information about the age of Samuel, neither his birth date nor his place of birth. – 25 December 1635) was a Fr ...
. Today, the area is partially surrounded by trees along the water's edge with the rest with marinas and location of the historic Mnjikaning Fish Weirs. Prior to the Iroquois inhabitation of the Toronto region, the Wyandot (Huron) people inhabited the region, later moving north to the area around Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. The word ''toronto'', meaning 'plenty', appeared in a French lexicon of the Wyandot language in 1632. Toronto, however, did not appear on any map of the region before 1650. After 1650, and the destruction of Fort Sainte Marie, the Hurons left the region. A 1675 map in French, by
Pierre Raffeix Pierre Raffeix (1633–1724) was a French Jesuit missionary in Canada. He was born at Clermont-Ferrand, entered the Society of Jesus in 1653, and came to Canada in 1663. In 1668 he established near Montreal a settlement for converted Iroquois (no ...
, referred to
Lake Simcoe Lake Simcoe is a lake in southern Ontario, Canada, the fourth-largest lake wholly in the province, after Lake Nipigon, Lac Seul, and Lake Nipissing. At the time of the first European contact in the 17th century the lake was called ''Ouentironk' ...
as , and the name appeared on a 1678 map of
New France New France (french: Nouvelle-France) was the area colonized by France in North America, beginning with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Great Britain and Spa ...
by cartographer Jean-Baptiste-Louis Franquelin. In 1680, it appeared as on a map created by French court official Abbé Claude Bernou. By 1686, referred to a canoe route tracking what is now the Humber River. The river became known as ''Rivière Taronto'' as the canoe route became more popular with French explorers, and by the 1750s, a fort to the east of the delta on Lake Ontario was named
Fort Toronto Fort Toronto, also known as Fort Portneuf, was a French trading post that was located near the mouth of the Humber River in what is now Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was constructed in 1750 by French military officer Pierre Robineau de Portneuf, wh ...
by the French. was renamed to Humber River by Simcoe. The change of spelling from Taronto to Toronto is thought to originate on a 1695 map by Italian
cartographer Cartography (; from grc, χάρτης , "papyrus, sheet of paper, map"; and , "write") is the study and practice of making and using maps. Combining science, aesthetics and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality (or an ...
Vincenzo Coronelli. During his travels in Upper Canada in 1796, Isaac Weld wrote about Simcoe's policy of assigning English names to locations in Upper Canada. He opposed the renaming scheme, stating: The name has also sometimes been identified with , a village marked on a 1656 map of
New France New France (french: Nouvelle-France) was the area colonized by France in North America, beginning with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Great Britain and Spa ...
by Nicolas Sanson. However, the location on this map is east of
Lake Nipissing Lake Nipissing (; french: lac Nipissing, oj, Gichi-nibiinsing-zaaga’igan) is a lake in the Canadian province of Ontario. It has a surface area of , a mean elevation of above sea level, and is located between the Ottawa River and Georgian Bay ...
and northwest of
Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple- ...
in what is now Quebec. The use of the name ''Tkaronto'' has reemerged as an alternate name for the city in 2020. The reemergence of the name has been attributed to an "Indigenous awakening", that aims to honour the city's Indigenous history and to
decolonize Decolonization or decolonisation is the undoing of colonialism, the latter being the process whereby imperial nations establish and dominate foreign territories, often overseas. Some scholars of decolonization focus especially on independence m ...
the city's name.


Town of York

In 1786, Lord Dorchester arrived in Quebec City as Governor-in-Chief of
British North America British North America comprised the colonial territories of the British Empire in North America from 1783 onwards. English colonisation of North America began in the 16th century in Newfoundland, then further south at Roanoke and Jamestow ...
. His mission was to solve the problems of the newly landed Loyalists. At first, Dorchester suggested opening the new Canada West as districts under the Quebec government, but the British Government made known its intention to split Canada into Upper and Lower Canada. Dorchester began organizing for the new province of Upper Canada, including a capital. Dorchester's first choice was Kingston, but he was aware of the number of Loyalists in the Bay of Quinte and Niagara areas, and he chose instead the location north of the Bay of Toronto, midway between the settlements and from the US. Under the policy of the time, the British recognized aboriginal title to the land and Dorchester arranged to purchase the land from the
Mississaugas The Mississauga are a subtribe of the Anishinaabe-speaking First Nations peoples located in southern Ontario, Canada. They are closely related to the Ojibwe. The name "Mississauga" comes from the Anishinaabe word ''Misi-zaagiing'', meaning " ho ...
. Dorchester intended for the location of the new capital to be named Toronto. Instead, Lieutenant Governor Simcoe ordered the name of the new settlement to be called York, after the Duke of York, who had guided a recent British victory in Holland. Simcoe is recorded as both disliking aboriginal names and disliking Dorchester. The new capital was named York on August 27, 1793. In 1804, settler Angus MacDonald petitioned the Upper Canada Legislature to restore the name Toronto, but this was rejected. To differentiate it from York in England and New York City, the town was known as ''Little York''.


Adoption of the name Toronto

In 1834, the Legislative Council sought to incorporate the city, then still known as York. By this time, it was already the largest city in Upper Canada, growing greatly in the late 1820s and early 1830s following the slow growth from its founding in the 1790s. The Council was petitioned to rename the city ''Toronto'' during its incorporation, and on March 1, 1834, debated the issue. In ''Debate on Name Toronto in Incorporation Act, March 1, 1834'', records indicate various council members noting their support for or opposition to the measure. The most vocal opponents were John Willson, and Mr. Jarvis and Mr. Bidwell. Proponents were William Chisholm,
William Bent Berczy William Bent Berczy (January 6, 1791 – December 9, 1873) was a farmer, painter and political figure in Upper Canada. Life Early years He was born in London, England in 1791, the son of German immigrants William Berczy and Jeanne-Cha ...
, and Mr. Clark. The
Speaker Speaker may refer to: Society and politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly * Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture * A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially: ** In ...
noted that "this city will be the only City of Toronto in the world", to cheers from council. The name was chosen in part to avoid the negative connotations that ''York'' had engendered in the city's residents, especially that of ''dirty Little York''. ''Toronto'' was also considered more pleasing, as the speaker noted during the debate, "He hoped Honourable Members had the same taste for musical sounds as he had". Berczy noted that "it is the old, original name of the place, and the sound is in every respect much better". Some sources also indicate that the name ''Taronto'' and its variants was so common on maps, that it made sense to use this word. The City of Toronto was incorporated on March 6, 1834.


Nicknames

Toronto has had various
nickname A nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place or thing. Commonly used to express affection, a form of endearment, and sometimes amusement, it can also be used to express defamation of character. As a concept, it is ...
s throughout its history. Among the earliest of these was the disparaging Muddy York, used during the settlement's early growth. At the time, there were no sewers or storm drains, and the streets were unpaved. During rainfall, water would accumulate on the dirt roads, transforming them into often impassable muddy avenues. A more disparaging nickname used by the early residents was ''Little York'', referring to its establishment as a collection of twelve log homes at the mouth of the Don River surrounded by wilderness, and used in comparison to
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
in the United States and
York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
in England. This changed as new settlements and roads were established, extending from the newly established capital. Adjectives were sometimes attached to Little York; records from the Legislative Council of the time indicate that "dirty Little York" and "nasty Little York" were used by residents. In his book ''Naming Canada: Stories about Canadian Place Names'', Alan Rayburn states that "no place in Canada has as many
sobriquet A sobriquet ( ), or soubriquet, is a nickname, sometimes assumed, but often given by another, that is descriptive. A sobriquet is distinct from a pseudonym, as it is typically a familiar name used in place of a real name, without the need of expla ...
s as Toronto". Among them are the nicknames: * "Broadway North", in reference to the
Broadway theatre Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''T ...
area in
Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
. Toronto is home to the world's third largest English-speaking theatre district after London and New York City. * "Centre of the Universe", as mentioned in the documentary film ''
Let's All Hate Toronto ''Let's All Hate Toronto'' is a 2007 Canadian documentary film co-directed by independent documentarian Albert Nerenberg and Rob Spence. The documentary is a comedic examination of the reasons why so many people in Canada seem to hate Toronto, ...
'', as the term is used derisively by residents of the rest of Canada in reference to the city. It is also infrequently used by the media. The moniker "Center of the Universe" was originally a popular nickname for New York City, and more specifically
Times Square Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. Together with adjacent ...
in
Midtown Manhattan Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan and serves as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Buildi ...
. It has since been used to refer to other cities. * "City of Churches". * "Hogtown", said to be related to the livestock that was processed in Toronto, largely by the city's largest pork processor and packer, the William Davies Company. However, the name may also be derived from the
Anglo-Saxon The Anglo-Saxons were a cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo-Saxons happened wit ...
word for York, , which literally translates to 'wild boar village'; or a by-law which imposed a 10-cent-per-pig fine on anyone allowing pigs to run in the street. * " Hollywood North", referring to the film industry. * "Queen City", a reference now most commonly used by
French Canadians French Canadians (referred to as Canadiens mainly before the twentieth century; french: Canadiens français, ; feminine form: , ), or Franco-Canadians (french: Franco-Canadiens), refers to either an ethnic group who trace their ancestry to Fren ...
() or speakers of Quebec English, other French-language or
Franco-Ontarian Franco-Ontarians (french: Franco-Ontariens or if female, sometimes known as ''Ontarois'' and ''Ontaroises'') are Francophone Canadians that reside in the province of Ontario. Most are French Canadians from Ontario. In 2016, the Government of O ...
newsmedia such as
Le Droit ''Le Droit'' is a Canadian French-language daily newspaper, published in Gatineau, Quebec. Initially established and owned by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, the paper was published by Martin Cauchon and his company, Capitales Médias ...
or in advertising. The second part of the three-part ''Toronto: City of Dreams'' documentary about the city was titled ''The Queen City (1867–1939)''. * "The
416 __NOTOC__ Year 416 (Roman numerals, CDXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Theodosius and Palladius (or, less frequen ...
", referring to the original telephone
area code A telephone numbering plan is a type of numbering scheme used in telecommunication to assign telephone numbers to subscriber telephones or other telephony endpoints. Telephone numbers are the addresses of participants in a telephone network, r ...
for much of the city (the other area codes are 647 and 437); the surrounding GTA
suburb A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separ ...
s, now using
area codes 905, 289, and 365 Area codes 905, 289, 365, and 742 are telephone area codes in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) for the Golden Horseshoe region that surrounds Lake Ontario in Southern Ontario, Canada. The numbering plan area (NPA) comprises (clockwise) t ...
, are similarly "the 905". * "The Big Smoke", used by
Allan Fotheringham Allan Fotheringham (August 31, 1932August 19, 2020) was a Canadian newspaper and magazine journalist. He styled himself Dr. Foth and "the Great Gatheringfroth". He was described as "never at a loss for words". Early life Fotheringham was born ...
, a writer for ''
Maclean's ''Maclean's'', founded in 1905, is a Canadian news magazine reporting on Canadian issues such as politics, pop culture, and current events. Its founder, publisher John Bayne Maclean, established the magazine to provide a uniquely Canadian pers ...
'' magazine, who had first heard the term applied by
Aboriginal Australians Aboriginal Australians are the various Indigenous peoples of the Australian mainland and many of its islands, such as Tasmania, Fraser Island, Hinchinbrook Island, the Tiwi Islands, and Groote Eylandt, but excluding the Torres Strait ...
to Australian cities. ''The Big Smoke'' was originally a popular nickname for
London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
,
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
, and is now used to refer to various cities throughout the world. * "The City That Works", first mentioned in a ''
Harper's Magazine ''Harper's Magazine'' is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts. Launched in New York City in June 1850, it is the oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the U.S. (''Scientific American'' is older, b ...
'' article written by ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large n ...
'' correspondent Anthony Astrachan in 1975. It refers to the city's reputation for successful urban planning. * "The
Megacity A megacity is a very large city, typically with a population of more than 10 million people. Precise definitions vary: the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs in its 2018 "World Urbanization Prospects" report counted urban ...
", referring to the amalgamation of the former
Metropolitan Toronto The Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto was an upper-tier level of municipal government in Ontario, Canada, from 1953 to 1998. It was made up of the old city of Toronto and numerous townships, towns and villages that surrounded Toronto, whic ...
. * "The Six" (also written as "The 6" or "The 6ix") and popularized in 2015 by Toronto-born musician
Drake Drake may refer to: Animals * A male duck People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name * Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name ...
with his mixtape '' If You're Reading This It's Too Late'' and 2016 album '' Views''. Drake himself credits Toronto rapper
Jimmy Prime Gordon Edward Phillips III (born ), better known by his stage name Jimmy Prime, is a rapper from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Jimmy is known for coining "The Six" as a nickname for Toronto and being the frontman of the hip hop group Prime Boys. Mu ...
with inventing the term but it was used by other Toronto rappers in the early 2000s, in songs such as
Baby Blue Soundcrew Baby Blue Soundcrew was a Canadian DJ group from Toronto, Ontario, specializing in hip-hop and R&B music. The group was composed of Kid Kut, KLC, C-Boogie, and Singlefoot. They are notable for releasing two commercially successful compilatio ...
's "Love 'Em All". The usage of the nickname in many of Drake's songs has since brought it to global attention. While the meaning of the term was initially unclear, Drake clarified in a 2016 interview by
Jimmy Fallon James Thomas Fallon (born September 19, 1974) is an American comedian, television host, actor, and writer. He is known for his work in television as a cast member on '' Saturday Night Live'' and as the host of the late-night talk show ''The To ...
on ''
The Tonight Show ''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. The show has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2009 and 201 ...
'' that it derived from the shared digits of the 416 and 647 telephone area codes and the six municipalities that amalgamated into the current Toronto city proper in 1998. It has since influenced numerous works within the
Canadian Hip Hop The Canadian hip hop scene was established in the 1980s. Through a variety of factors, it developed much slower than Canada's popular rock music scene, and apart from a short-lived burst of mainstream popularity from 1989 to 1991, it remained l ...
community, including the formation of
6ixBuzz 6ixBuzzTV Ltd., doing business as 6ixBuzz (pronounced ''six-buzz''), is a Canadian media platform and record company based in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 2017 by Sarman Esagholian, and Abraham Tekabo the company provides entertainment stories, i ...
and the release of the documentary
6IX RISING 6IX RISING: Toronto’s Rap Ascendence (pronounced ''six rising'') is a Canadian documentary film about the hip hop culture in Canada. The film was directed by Shawney Cohen and released on November 16, 2017. It was distributed by Vice Media's o ...
. The name has also been noted for having transcended the hip hop community, crossing into mainstream usage by March 2016; having been adopted by the media at a level unseen by Toronto's other hip hop-based nicknames like ''T-dot''. The adoption of the nickname by some media outlets has been named as a contributing factor for its entry into the public's consciousness. Culture critics note the nomenclature is an example of a organically grown " city brand", having originated from the hip hop community as opposed to Toronto City Hall, or an advertising agency. * "TO" or "T.O.", from Toronto, Ontario, or from Toronto; pronounced "Tee-Oh". The variation of the moniker, "T-dot", is a hip hop-based nickname, used in music by local artists like
Kardinal Offishall Jason Drew Harrow (born May 11, 1976), better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall (), is a Canadian rapper, record producer, DJ, and record executive. Often credited as Canada's " hip hop ambassador", he is regarded as one of the countr ...
. * "Toronto the Good", from its history as a bastion of 19th century Victorian morality and coined by mayor
William Holmes Howland William Holmes Howland (11 June 1844 – 12 December 1893) was Mayor of Toronto from 1886 to 1887. He was also a member of the Orange Order in Canada. Biography Prior to William Holmes Howland becoming Toronto's 25th mayor, he was a businessm ...
. An 1898 book by C.S. Clark was titled ''Of Toronto the Good. A Social Study. The Queen City of Canada As It Is''. The book is a facsimile of an 1898 edition. Today sometimes used ironically to imply a less-than-great or less-than-moral status. *"YYZ", the
IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA ) is a trade association of the world's airlines founded in 1945. IATA has been described as a cartel since, in addition to setting technical standards for airlines, IATA also organized tarif ...
airport code for
Toronto Pearson International Airport Lester B. Pearson International Airport , commonly known as Toronto Pearson International Airport, is an international airport located in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. It is the main airport serving Toronto, its metropolitan area, and the surr ...
(the primary international airport serving Toronto) that inspired the name of an instrumental song by Canadian rock band Rush.


Notes


Works Cited

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{Toronto History of Toronto
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...