The re-naming of a local restaurant and the opening of a new market has raised the question: What do you call someone who lives in Jacksonville?The question arises following the re-branding of Jacksonville Beach restaurant KC Crave to Jaxon Social and the opening of Jaxsons Night Market, which according to the market's Facebook page will "focus on what makes us uniquely Jaxsons."
In a 2000 Florida Times-Union letters column, an anonymous reader writes that Jaxson is the preferred term, calling the moniker Jacksonvillian "grammatically gauche."
"I have a lot of history books about Jacksonville, and both terms are used," said Jaxsons Night Market founder Mike Field. "I frankly just like Jaxson more."
"This has been a problem for a long time," said University of North Florida history professor emeritus Jim Crooks.
Crooks said both Jaxson and Jacksonvillian have been used throughout the years. Jaxson has never caught on, and Jacksonvillian has too many syllables to gain any popularity.
"Even Floridian comes out easier," he said of the latter, longer term.
Asked whether he thought Jaxson might become more common given recent developments, Crooks kept speculation to a minimum.
"Whether it would catch on this time, or whether some bright person comes up with a modification of it that sounds right, who knows?" he said.
Let us know what nickname you think Jacksonville residents should go by on Facebook and Twitter.
You can follow Patrick Donges on Twitter @patrickhdonges.
*Correction- the story was updated to reflect the correct spelling of Jaxsons in Jaxsons Night Market.
