Call it Frisco!

I’ve long been against the Don’t call it Frisco thing, mainly because I don’t like rules, and also because I like nicknames and abbreviations.

Today on Thrillist, local treasure Daisy Barringer digs into the history of the issue, and proves we should actually probably all be calling it Frisco all the time. I mean, sorry for the spoiler, but even Herb Caen himself relented, way back in 1977:

It’s okay, you may call it ‘Frisco’ now. The gray-beards, the ones who objected so strenuously and endlessly to the ‘irreverent’ sailor-spawned nickname for San Francsico, are mostly gone now — and so, it must be added is a large part of the city they loved and helped to build, the city that spawned world legends and legions of worshippers.

Suck it, gray-beards!

Read on for a ton of great history and the rest of Daisy’s very compelling argument.

73 Responses to “Call it Frisco!”

  1. Mission King says:

    frisco sounds a bit lame, but san fran is perfectly acceptable

    san francisco is way too long and no one should ever have to mouth that out

  2. Leyla Gulen 7 says:

    Duh…only outta-town kooks still say Frisco is wrong.

  3. Leyla Gulen 7 says:

    Kooks like Dr Meth Veggie

  4. GG says:

    I think “San Fran” is significantly worse than “Frisco,” which has an almost charmingly retro appeal for me. It may also just be that the people I’ve heard use “San Fran” tend to annoy me to begin with…

    • Leyla Gulen 7 says:

      You got it right. Some of you kids from Michigan are OK.

      ‘Frisco’ is on some gangster level – don’t get caught sleepin.

  5. Mouth breather(dickjoke) says:

    There are plenty of folks in San Francisco who don’t mind mouthing something other people think would be “too long.”

  6. LA says:

    It’s class thing. A city that rhymes with disco is sexier.

    • lemmycaution says:

      That rhyme did cause sister sledge to set the song “greatest dancer” in Daley City or something.

  7. Herr Doktor Professor Deth Vegetable says:

    Fuck that. Anyone who calls San Francisco “frisco” can fuck right the hell off.

    • Ugly Fat Boy says:

      … proclaims the Douche Vegetable …

      • Herr Doktor Professor Deth Vegetable says:

        Yup. And anyone else with a soul.

        • You’re wrong, but that’s OK — no one’s right all the time.

        • Well, you’ve got Emperor Norton on your side, anyway. From the Wikipedia page:

          On August 12, 1869, “being desirous of allaying the dissensions of party strife now existing within our realm”, he abolished the Democratic and Republican parties.[4] The failure to treat Norton’s adopted home city with appropriate respect was the subject of a particularly stern edict in 1872:

          Whoever after due and proper warning shall be heard to utter the abominable word “Frisco,” which has no linguistic or other warrant, shall be deemed guilty of a High Misdemeanor, and shall pay into the Imperial Treasury as penalty the sum of twenty-five dollars.[18]

          • Of course, now that I live on a rock in the middle of Puget Sound, and only come to San Francisco when forced by events, I tend to call it, “SFO”. Unless I’m flying in to OAK.

          • Samanther says:

            That’s where Herb ripped the notion off from. Fool foisting his 3-dot Friday Fishwrap on gullible Herbs.

    • High Risk Vermin says:

      Tell that to the Hell’s Angels you moron.

      • High Risk Vermin says:

        oops – hadn’t seen the Belows.

      • Herr Doktor Professor Deth Vegetable says:

        OK: Fuck right the hell off.

        • High Risk Vermin says:

          no….say it TO the Hell’s Angels, – not the Pasty Masses of Bloggery. They certainly qualify as ‘anyone’. no?

          “Fuck that. Anyone who calls San Francisco “frisco” can fuck right the hell off.”
          - H.D.D.V.

        • High Risk Vermin says:

          Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco Frisco

    • Mobity Mosely says:

      Mark Twain called it Frisco. And look what happened to him.

  8. scum says:

    Frisco has tended to be used by people who usually are less educated. Sailors, bikers, young inner city kids. No one I know who grew up in the western or northern parts of The City ever used frisco or sanfran, regardless of their race.

    • B0b says:

      Really? ’90s city kids from Pac Heights are laughing at you. It just wasn’t said around parental units.

      • scum says:

        90′s city kids from Pac Heights tend to be racist/homophobic wiggers that thug and mug but are scared of black people.

  9. Greg says:

    Panties in a bunch

  10. I’m OK with Frisco, but you have to *earn* the right to say it. And most of you haven’t (myself included).

    But god help you if you call it “San Fr*n”, for if you do you shall die in a fiery rain of superheated, supersonic al pastor.

  11. Chalk man says:

    Frisco is for the ignorant, San Fran is for mom jeans, SF or “The City” for locals

    • Ess Eff is dumb says:

      The City has long been used by snobs and folks in surrounding counties. If you are in suburban Oakland, Palo Alto, or Walnut Creek, there is only one city, The City. When you are talking about that nearby city that is a real city, you say, The City. For instance, “I’m going to The City tonight with my girl. We’re going to check out that new cocktail bar.”

      While San Jose wants to be a city, it most certainly isn’t. It’s a big sprawling suburb with a few high rises and a hockey team.

      Ess Eff is on par with san fran. So stupid, so ugly, so El Ay. I’ve never heard anyone say En Why, why, because it is stupid like Ess Eff. I usually hear The City.

  12. I think Frisco is just an abbreviation but nothing also fiercely to San Francsico it is also referred to as a name any other region.

  13. Omkey says:

    Geez. Am I the only SF native who never said “Frisco”, but occasionally did say “San Fran”?

    I mean, I outgrew it, but still…

  14. siesta says:

    All my born-and-raised SF friends either call it Frisco or don’t care. I have been really curious about it for a while and have asked all them about it. I find it so funny that people are so vehemently against calling it Frisco. Good post.

  15. Joe Shlabotnik says:

    Growing up here in the 60′s we all called it Daly City Del Norte.

  16. Valenchia says:

    I grew up here and am not a big fan of Frisco or San Fran, but am not passionate about it. However, please don’t say “The 101″ or “The BART” — it marks you as from Southern California or worse.

  17. DomPara says:

    You all have funny short names for the City and County of San Francisco. I think the short name I like best is San Francisco.

  18. lurkskatesf says:

    if it’s good enough 4 da G’s it’s good enough 4 me…

    http://youtu.be/Y82xZv22klk

  19. lurkskatesf says:

    if it’s good enough 4 da G’s it’s good enough 4 me…
    FRISCO
    http://youtu.be/Y82xZv22klk

    • Brandon Cruz says:

      “I.M.P. Ft Cellski, Dre…” The YouTube account associated with this video has been terminated due to multiple third-party notifications of copyright infringement.

  20. Dave Marra says:

    As a native I have always referred to San Francisco as “THE CITY”. I was raised in the Mission went to Mission Dolores grammar school. Went trick or treating on Mission street and went to the Crown Theater for the Saturday Matinee horror films. Dolores park was a playground and Valencia Street Park (Mission Playground) had an outdoor swimming pool that probably had more urine than water. Call San Francisco what you like but first call it “Home”. You live in one of the most awesome places on Earth. Appreciate it!

    • Samanther says:

      Cricket sounds are heard as most of the commenters on this topic scurry away……well said.

    • scum says:

      Raised in The Richmond and went to Anza, behind the Sears on Geary, both long gone. It will never be frisco but will always be home.

  21. NOOOO! X-nay on the isco-Fray! I am an expat (San Franciscan) and after 13 yrs on the east coast, my heart races whenever I hear “Frisco” from the people out here. It was bad enough when everyone started calling my home state Cali.

    So stop it. I had the pleasure of meeting Herb Caen on the streets of SF in 1995, and he responded to at least one of my letters. I feel personally obliged to carry on his legacy.

    Don’t call it Friso. It’s San Francisco now and forever.

  22. Mark says:

    I was born in SF and lived here for a couple of stints as an infant, young adult and now as a graybeard (but clean shaven). My perspective? Why care what anybody calls it? Eskimos have how many words for snow? Call it anything – doesn’t matter. IMO its the provincially minded that get ruffled by by “Frisco”, which has got a ring to it anyway, enough to appeal to Kerouac BTW – are you cooler than him?

  23. friv4school says:

    I think I need it. Thank you

  24. Kizi 10 says:

    It gave me a lot of useful information. thank you very much

  25. happy wheels says:

    good enough for hells angels good enough for me

  26. Cricket sounds are heard as most of the commenters on this topic scurry away……well said.

  27. pacman says:

    I think if you refer to it at all you’re going to get in trouble. Real people don’t even acknowledge it. They don’t need to.