Does Fayetteville really need a nickname?
I’m a ridiculously positive person, to the point that it is almost weird. Ask anyone. Or read my stories on the Flyer.
That said, if there is one thing I can’t stand, it’s LSU. Hate those guys.
But if there are two things that I hate, the second thing would be parking tickets, which I get a lot of, or speeding tickets which I also seem to get a lot of, but the third thing…the third thing I hate is absolutely the nickname “Fayettenam” for Fayetteville.
There are several reasons for this.
Vietnam is a country in SE Asia, and while I’m sure it is a very nice place, but I can’t really see the connection to Fayetteville.
Is it supposed to have a negative connotation, like the Vietnam War?
What does it even mean?
For another thing, that’s what they call Fayetteville, North Carolina. In fact, it was certainly a North Carolina thing before it was an Arkansas thing.
Other nicknames for Fayetteville I’ve heard are “the ‘Ville,” which is kinda generic, or F-Town, which is also not very original.
Fay-town is another one I’ve heard several times. It’s whatever.
“The Hill” is used typically to mean the University of Arkansas.
Lioneld Jordan calls it Fedvul, but I think that’s just a pronunciation thing.
Can we agree that Fayettenam is a bad idea, and banish that term from the local vernacular? Can we just call Fayetteville what it is, which is awesome? Can we just call it awesome?
Do you have a nickname for Fayetteville? Do we really need one?
Discussion
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By ryan on November 9th, 2009
“What does it even mean?”
Fayetteville is perceived by some to be left-wing politically, and since Vietnam is communist (pseudo communist these days), there you go.
By mpetty on November 9th, 2009
I’ve been guilty of all of the above at times.
Now I really just use “fville” sometimes when writing.
By lindaR on November 9th, 2009
Hey Dustin….”Awesome” is a great descriptive word for our fair Fedvul. My fav adjective is “fascinating”, as in “fascinating fayettevilleAR….(come) find us!”
Do ya think that one’s worth the big bucks, such as the A & P paid earlier this year for the “Are you feeling Fayetteville” phrase? It even came with zero punctation marks, mind ya! Fascinating, huh?!
By burgerboy on November 9th, 2009
I liked the old school bumper sticker my granny used to have that said “Fayetteville is Fantastic”.
I call Fayetteville “Fedvul” now and then.
I’ve even called it “The Nam”.
When I encounter more than one really stupid person within an hour, I call it “Hooterville”.
How about Gay-berry.
By burgerboy on November 9th, 2009
Lets name it some adult male name, like Liberals DINKs like to name their cats. Like Phillip.
Or Russell. Or Gerald. Kevin.
Yeah.
By Lankford on November 9th, 2009
Don’t forget about Steve. Hate that guy.
I’m with you, Dustin. The nicknames are like nails on a chalkboard to me.
By Johnathan on November 9th, 2009
I’m with you, Dustin. I’m not a fan of any of the listed nicknames. I’ve never once called our city “Fayettenam”. I’m not necessarily against a nickname, but we haven’t hit on a good/original/classy one yet.
By burgerboy on November 9th, 2009
Jesus-ville. I vote for that.
Its unique, plus everbody loves Jesus.
By burgerboy on November 9th, 2009
What do I have to do to get an avatar?
By Urk on November 9th, 2009
In the 80s we used to call it “Fayettenam” sometimes but we intended it to be dripping with irony. Like a sideways way of saying that this place was too nice. Punk rockers are (or at least were then)supposed to be at war with their surroundings. All of our punk rock idols were from bleak urban environments like London or LA or New York. Except for not having much of any place to play and a preponderance of goofy hippies who took themselves too seriously, we didn’t have much to be at war about. Thus the irony. I’m pretty sure we thought we thought of the name ourselves too. We were, of course, wrong. it definitely was a North Carolina thing first, and I’m certain we weren’t the first generation to apply it to our Fayetteville.
i like “fedvul” because that’s how many folks actually say it. I don’t know hardly anyone who sounds out Fay-ette-ville correctly, at least anyone who’s actually lived there.
By Johnathan on November 9th, 2009
Burgerboy, sign up at http://en.gravatar.com/ . It’s linked to your email address, so any blog you post at that uses Gravatar will have the same avatar.
By Beebs on November 10th, 2009
I’ve honestly never been bothered by the nicknames. I also know that I’m guilty of saying most of them. Now that i know it drives people crazy I’ll probably stop. Can we still have nicknames for Springdale? Those are more fun anyway.
By Jerry Perez on November 10th, 2009
Never, ever heard anyone call this place Fayettenam.
Does the town need a nickname. Maybe. It needs an identity. Since “Fayettenam” belongs to North Carolina and “Keep Fayetteville Funky” is a rip off of Austin, it should have something unique to distinguish it.
Like Fay-Dog…wow that’s actually worse than any of the other nicknames.
By Sardon on November 10th, 2009
I like Jacob T. Rake’s “Fableville.” It’s the kind of place where Gone Boy and Raven Beauty could fall in love. I know. It happened to me.
I also like The Athens of the Ozarks. Compared to the rest of Arkansas, we really are the Shining City on the Hill (but without so much pederasty).
Fedvul is said by country people and people with country affectations. People who say “wheelbar.”
The Bob Dylan Himself named Springdale “Chickentown,” and that can’t be improved on.
By Infidel on November 10th, 2009
@ Sardon – are you serious about Bob Dylan? I’ve never heard that.
Also, I don’t think Fayetteville needs a nickname. We can just let its badassness speak for itself.
By Urk on November 10th, 2009
@infidel: The lyric from “Lo and Behold” by Dylan and the Band, from the Basement Tapes (just remastered this year & sounding pretty great I have to say)includes this verse:
I come into Pittsburgh
At six-thirty flat.
I found myself a vacant seat
An’ I put down my hat.
“What’s the matter, Molly, dear,
What’s the matter with your mound?”
“What’s it to ya, Moby Dick?
This is chicken town!”
Lo and behold! Lo and behold!
Lookin’ for my lo and behold,
Get me outa here, my dear man!
Local lore has long considered that a reference to Springdale. Written out on the page it looks more like Pittsburgh is “chicken town” but I’ve never heard it called that (neither apparently has Google) and the geography in the song is pretty jumbled. The imagery in the lyrics is pretty surreal and it’s easy to hear each line standing on it’s own as it goes by. the song was recorded in the basement of Big Pink, without Levon (who was in Arkansas playing with the Cates around that time) but with the other members of the band who had spent plenty of time in Northwest Arkansas themselves, playing with Ronnie Hawkins at The Rockwood club which he co-owned, and performing at least once in the Fayetteville High School cafeteria (!)
it also wouldn’t be the only NWA reference in Band related lyrics, as some of the characters in The Weight are supposedly Fayettvillians that Levon knew, including Crazy Chester.
Which is all to say…Maybe. I’d like it to be true, and it’s certainly appropriate, but who knows?it’s certainly “true” in the sense that many of us of a certain age (ahem) picture Springdale in our minds when that line comes around during the song. sometimes that’s as close to “ture” as you can get.
By Urk on November 10th, 2009
oops, wish there was an “edit comment” button. I meant to note the years: “Lo and Behold” was recorded in 1967. The Hawks had been playing in NWA as recently as 3 years before that.
@Sardon: I like “Fableville” a little bit too. And that reminded me that in Ellen gilchrist’s first novel, the Annunciation, Fayetteville is called “Fateville” a few times.
By Dustin on November 10th, 2009
@Urk That’s really awesome. I’ve never heard that before.
By The Truth on November 10th, 2009
@Urk I’ve heard all the stories about “The Weight’s” connection to Fayetteville (and I believe them), but not the Dylan connection.
Very cool indeed.
By George on November 10th, 2009
That’s interesting, Urk. Thinking along those lines got me to the obvious choice for our fair town’s nickname….Hot Dog City!
I can’t take credit for that. Neil Young coined the term in reference to Fayetteville in his classic “Here We Are In The Years” off his self-titled 1969 album. While the imagery may be vague to some, anyone who was around Neil Young at the time could vouch (including Ronnie Van Zant….were he not dead). Apparently he was on a four day bender when he rolled into F’ville in 1969 and thought he was in Springfield, IL. Things likely would have been different had he been coherent enough to realize he was South of the (figurative) Mason-Dixon Line. Look it up (okay…don’t).
“Go to the country take the dog
Look at the sky without the smog
See the world laugh
At the farmers feeding hogs
Eat hot dogs.
What a pity
That the people from the city
Can’t relate to the slower things
That the country brings.”
Fableville isn’t bad either…or The F’n Ville.
By Infidel on November 11th, 2009
Thanks Urk, that was some badass knowledge dropping right there. I had to watch “No Direction Home” last night after reading that.
By George on November 12th, 2009
Can we at least agree that the correct term for residents is Fayette-villains?
By Infidel on November 12th, 2009
George, I would agree with that. Now we just need to get rid of the term Arkansawyers. I friggin’ hate that.
By Sardon on November 12th, 2009
@George, why not Fayette-heroes?
By burgerboy on November 12th, 2009
I like “Arkansawyers” better than R-Kansans.
I also prefer Arkansaw. Or Maybe Arkansau.
Arkans-Ahhhhh…..
yo tengo hambre…
By five by five on November 12th, 2009
never liked “Fayettenam” either. when the situation calls for a nickname, i prefer “F-Bomb”
By George on November 12th, 2009
@Sardon – I think there’s room for both. Unfortunately I fall into the former.
@5X5 – Diggin’ on the “F-Bomb”!!!
As far as Arkansas residents…I prefer Arkanians.
By Johnathan on November 12th, 2009
I am definitely guilty of calling the people of Fayetteville “Fayettevillains”.
By Laurie on November 17th, 2009
I haven’t heard Fayettenam, but I’m all for recalling it.
Maybe the Flyer should host a contest for knicknames for all of the NW Metro’s bigger cities. Just for ****s and grins.
“Coolest City on the Planet or in the Ozarks, Whichever You Are Closest To” would be my submission for Fayetteville. CCPOWYACT would be the acronym. Catchy.
By Urk on November 17th, 2009
@Laurie
The little town of Gilbert, pop.33 is somewhat officially known as “the Coolest Town In Arkansas.” They have it as a slogan on the signs leading into and out of town. It’s apparantly a kind of a pun since being right on the Buffalo keeps the temperatures there lower than average for the state.
By David on November 22nd, 2009
As far as I know the name Fayette-nam sprung up in the 70s during the Vietnam War, mainly because of all the wrecks on the 2lane by-pass. No overpasses at that time only stop signs, which quickly got known as the Die-fast. So the negative nick-name sprung up due to all the people who were being killed on the roadway. Be careful of the die-fast when traveling thru Fayettnam!
By Tonya Janks on November 22nd, 2009
Lamest downtown in Arkansas?
By David Franks on November 22nd, 2009
I’d have to say that Chester or Ozan would beat out Fayetteville for lamest downtown in Arkansas. Not that they lack charm, but their downtowns are far more ambulation-impaired.
By yrfuneralmytrial on November 22nd, 2009
I’ve always used the name “Fartwhistle”. Like it?
By David Franks on November 22nd, 2009
Sounds like an episode of Family Guy.
By Megadeath on November 25th, 2009
FayetteKILL!