Other Names For Las Vegas (Las Vegas Nicknames)
Usually whenever ya hear someone talking about Las Vegas, they refer to it by the commonly used nickname of “Sin City.”
With all of the gambling, booze, and other debauchery, it’s easy to see why most people think of Vegas as Sin City.
But that’s not the only nickname for this bright city in the desert.
In fact, there are other names for Las Vegas that ya may not know.
So, let’s dig into those other names for Vegas and learn more about this magical Nevada city.
What Other Names Is Vegas Known By?
If ya’re looking for some fun names to use when ya mean Las Vegas, then here’s a few to get ya started:
- Sin City
- the City of Sin
- Lost Wages (fun variation of Las Vegas)
- the Entertainment Capital of the World
- the Marriage Capital of the World
- the Divorce Capital of America
- the Gambling Capital of the World
- the Neon Capital of the World
- the City of Lights (similar to Paris, France)
- the City of Second Chances
- the City That Never Sleeps (similar to NYC)
- Hot Vegas (similar to Hotlanta for Atlanta)
- Disneyland for Adults
- the Glitter Gulch
- Gluttony Central
- Skin City
- Desert Oasis
- that Sleepy Little Town In The Desert
Why Is Vegas Called Sin City?
When ya visit Las Vegas, it is easy to see why is has this scandalous moniker. But have ya ever wondered when Sin City was first used to refer to Vegas?
Some people believe that Dick Taylor and Pat Howell, a couple of local casino executives, were the first to use this now infamous nickname.
The two executives published a book in 1963 titled, Las Vegas: City of Sin?
But some people think the nickname origin dates back further to the earlier 1900s.
After Nevada outlawed gambling in 1910, a bunch of underground casinos popped up and stayed in business until gambling became legal again in 1931.
So, during that period between 1910 and 1931, the original two blocks of Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas (known then as Block 16 and Block 17) became well known for easy access to gambling, booze, and ladies of the night.
And those two blocks full of vice during that period of time led to the Sin City moniker.
What Does Las Vegas Mean?
You might be wondering if any of these nicknames are related to what Las Vegas actually means.
As ya might guess, the words are Spanish in origin.
The story goes that back in the 1800s there was a Spanish trader who ended up in what is present day Las Vegas.
At the time, the area featured natural springs surrounded by wild desert grass meadows. And thus, he named it “las vegas” meaning “the meadows” in Spanish.
Though ya won’t find any lush meadows in Vegas these days, it is interesting to think about how this glittering desert oasis used to be covered in lush wild desert grasses and natural springs.
