What to call Christchurch locals

Have you ever met a Yam Yam, a Cofi or a Dabber? How about a Weegie, a Yonner or Cod Head?

They may sound like characters from Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, but are actually nicknames for people across Britain – specifically the Black Country, Caernarfon, Norwich, Glasgow, Oldham and Redcar.

Australia has its Sydneysiders, Melburnians and Brisbanians, while New Zealand has Aucklanders Wellingtonians and Dunedinites.

But where does that leave Christchurch?

There is no collective term for residents of the Garden City and although Cantabrian is commonly used, it could equally apply to people living in Waimate or Twizel – more than 200 kilometres away.

A demonym is the name that people who live in a specific town, city or country use to describe themselves. For example, New Yorkers hail from New York.

Historian Dr Geoffrey Rice, an Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Canterbury, said traditionally there had never been a demonym for Christchurch.

‘‘John Cookson’s introduction on Christchurch’s ‘Englishness’ in [the book] Southern Capital makes no mention of a demonym, and nor do I in my illustrated history, Christchurch Changing,’’ he said.

Many New Zealand demonyms have been created by adding -er, such as Bay of Plentiers, or by adding -ians, such as Gisbornians. In fewer cases -ites is used, such as Otagoites.

Adding a snappy sounding suffix to Christchurch was problematic, Rice said.

‘‘Christchurch is an awkward mouthful, and does not lend itself to adaptation as a demonym. Christchurchuvian? Christchurchite? They won’t do.

‘‘Cantabrian, however, rolls easily off the tongue, and has a strong positive ring to it. I think Christchurch people tend to identify themselves with the province rather than the city,’’ Rice said.

Although it is not known why Christchurch residents have never been given their own demonym, the etymology of other demonyms may provide some suggestions.

Words such as Mancunian, to describe people from Manchester, England, or Venetian, the term for people from Venice, Italy, originate from their original Latin names. Que´ be´ cois, which is used by the inhabitants of Quebec, Canada, is rooted in old French. While Wulfrunian, used by the residents of Wolverhampton, England, comes from medieval Anglo-Saxon.

Other demonyms often relate to local trades (Mackems is used because the people of Sunderland, England, ‘‘make ships’’), or the landscape (Salopians hail from Shrewsbury but the term Salop meant scrubland).

Rice suggested Christchurch’s national reputation could be used to create its own demonym.

‘‘The rest of NZ used to see Christchurch as a sleepy conservative place, so Snoozers might be right. Or we could drop the saviour and call ourselves Churchillians, full of bulldog spirit, to avoid the connotation with churches and religion.

The city’s Englishness was always a bit of a manufactured myth, which had faded since the 1960s, he said.

‘‘Its reputation as New Zealand’s Garden City has persisted much longer, but I’ve never heard anyone refer to us ‘Gardenites’.

‘‘Cathedralites might be a starter, now that the cathedral is to be restored.’’

Rice said although no demonym existed, the subject was sure to provoke debate.

‘‘Whatever name you suggest, you can bet on it starting a typical Christchurch controversy. The city’s history is littered with passionate debates for and against bright ideas.’’