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About This Quiz
Politicians are nickname magnets — their prominence in society makes them targets for alternative monikers, sometimes respectful, sometimes … not so much. Presidents are no exception. How much do you know about nicknames for U.S. Presidents?
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About This Quiz
Politicians are nickname magnets — their prominence in society makes them targets for alternative monikers, sometimes respectful, sometimes … not so much. Presidents are no exception. How much do you know about nicknames for U.S. Presidents?
Which president was sometimes called “Unconditional Surrender”?
Grover Cleveland
Ulysses Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was a Civil War general who took the enemy to task over and over again. His hardline mentality made him “Unconditional Surrender” Grant.
Ronald Reagan
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Why was Chester Arthur sometimes called “Dude President”?
was a former cowboy
liked marijuana
loved fancy things
That’s right, Arther was the “Dude.” He was a stylish man who reveled in fancy, high-class things.
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Which president was “American Fabius”?
Martin Van Buren
George Washington
George Washington got the nickname American Fabius for his tendency to avoid front assaults. He preferred smaller, shorter engagements like the Roman dictator who gave the Fabian strategy its name.
Thomas Jefferson
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Which president’s nickname became a huge part of his campaign marketing?
Dwight Eisenhower
Dwight Eisenhower, or “Ike,” resulted in one of the most memorable campaign slogans in human history. “I Like Ike” is still ingrained in the American consciousness.
Franklin Roosevelt
William Taft
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Who was “The Teflon President”?
George W. Bush
Bill Clinton
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan’s detractors did everything they could to stick him with a negative image — but nothing stuck to “Teflon Ron.” His squeaky-clean image still prevails in some quarters of the American mind.
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Why was Abraham Lincoln sometimes called “The Ancient One”?
because he was wise
Lincoln earned great respect around the country for his insightful wisdom. Some people took to calling him “The Ancient One,” a descriptive and respective nickname.
because he was young
because he was old
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How did Theodore Roosevelt feel about the nickname “Teddy”?
hated it
Roosevelt despised the nickname Teddy. But once it caught hold in the media and the public mind, there was no going back — he became Teddy for the ages.
loved it
never expressed his feeling on the matter
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Why was James Monroe called “Last of the Cocked Hats”?
fought in the Spanish-American War
fought in the Civil War
fought in the Revolutionary War
Many soldiers in the Revolutionary War wore cocked hats, and Monroe was one of the last of these men around in politics.
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Who was “Ten-Cent Jimmy”?
Jimmy Carter
James Garfield
James Buchanan
In the mid-19th century, James Buchanan made the mistake of saying that 10 cents per day was a good wage for workers. People ridiculed him by calling him “Ten-Cent Jimmy.”
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For being cold and impersonal, what was Benjamin Harrison’s nickname?
The Walking Icicle
The Freeze
The Human Iceberg
Harrison was “The Human Iceberg” due to his aloof nature, particularly in one-on-one situations. He had zero patience for small talk.
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What nickname did John Adams wind up with after offering this line during one of his speeches: “Sink or swim, survive or perish with my country, is my unalterable determination.”
Big Country
Sink or Swim
After this bold line, some people took to calling Adams “Old Sink or Swim.” Adams served as the country’s second president.
Survive or Perish
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Who was “Sir Veto” because of his frequent use of presidential veto powers?
Dwight Eisenhower
Gerald Ford
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson became president after Lincoln’s assassination. Sir Veto then used his veto powers over and over again for the rest of his term.
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Why was Grover Cleveland called “Uncle Jumbo”?
was wealthy
was obese
Cleveland is still the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms. He was also a large man who reportedly weighed more than 250 pounds.
loved pork-laden bills
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Which president was called “The Phrasemaker” because he wrote his own well-crafted speeches?
Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson had no need for a speechwriter. The Phrasemaker used his keen mind and sharp vocabulary to communicate with his fellow countrymen.
John F. Kennedy
George W. Bush
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Franklin Roosevelt was called “The Sphinx” for his silence on which issue?
his health woes
his finances
his campaign
Roosevelt at one point refused to reveal whether he’d be running for office. Frustrated members of the media took to calling him “Sphinx” for his unwillingness to discuss the matter.
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Who was “Grand Wrestler,” known for his feats on the mat?
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was no spindly weakling. In his younger days, he was a powerful wrestler with a huge (6-foot-4) frame willing to take on just about anyone.
Harry Truman
Benjamin Harrison
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Which of the following was NOT one of Andrew Jackson’s nicknames?
Indian Killer
Scalper
He wasn’t Scalper, but Jackson was sometimes called Indian Killer or Sharp Knife. He initiated some of the cruelest military campaigns against Native Americans.
Sharp Knife
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Why was Thomas Jefferson called “Long Tom”?
had a long nose
was a careful strategist
was very tall
Jefferson was extremely tall, especially for the 18th century. He was nearly 6 feet 3 inches in height.
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Who was “Old Rough and Ready”?
Grover Cleveland
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor was a general in the U.S. Army, and his performance there earned him the nickname “Old Rough and Ready.” In 1850, he died suddenly in office from a stomach problem.
James Buchanan
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Lyndon Johnson frequently walked around the White House turning off the lights. This act earned him which nickname?
“Powerhouse”
“The Switch”
“Light-Bulb”
Johnson reportedly couldn’t stand to see energy being wasted to light unoccupied rooms. He was “Light-Bulb Lyndon.”
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Why was Rutherford Hays sometimes called “His Fraudulency”?
election was considered fraudulent by some people
The 1876 election was hotly contested and some head-scratching decisions by the authorities made many observers wonder whether Hays had been legally elected. He became “His Fraudulency.”
he was completely corrupt
he offered many kickbacks during his term
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Teddy Roosevelt was also known as what?
The Lion
Roosevelt was a real-life version of a superhero, constantly achieving amazing feats with his courage. He was known as “The Lion.”
Big Chief
Mr. Nice Guy
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Why was Benjamin Harrison called “Grandfather’s Hat”?
his grandfather had been president
Harrison’s grandfather (William Harrison) had been president before him, and the younger man couldn’t escape his grandad’s legacy. His opponents loved to call him “Grandfather’s Hat.”
he looked like a grandpa
he always acted elderly
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Who was “Mr. Nice Guy”?
Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford became known as Mr. Nice Guy because he straddled the fence on so many issues and expressed willingness to work with both sides of the political aisle.
Jimmy Carter
H.W. Bush
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Which of the following was NOT one of Martin Van Buren’s many nicknames?
The Careful Dutchman
The Great Manager
Martin Van Damme
OK, so he wasn’t Martin Van Damme. Van Buren had all sorts of nicknames, from Martin Van Ruin to The Little Magician, a tribute to his political abilities and his short height.
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Why was James Garfield called “Canal Boy”?
started work on the Panama Canal
worked on canals as a young man
As a young man, Garfield worked on cargo boats that moved up and down Ohio canals. As the legend goes, he supposedly fell overboard repeatedly so he moved on to other things.
shot down several major canal projects
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Herbert Hoover was called “The Great Engineer.” He was actually an engineer.
true
Hoover really was a civil engineer who worked on major projects. Later, during his presidency, the nickname would be used derisively in reference to the man’s apparent unwillingness to help build up certain populations in the country.
false
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Who was “His Accidency,” the vice president who became president due to the president’s death?
Franklin Pierce
John Tyler
John Tyler was “His Accidency,” who became president after William Harrison died just a month into his term in 1841. Tyler didn’t do much in office — his legacy is bland, at best.
Teddy Roosevelt
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What issue earned William McKinley his “Wobbly Willie” nickname?
the economy
a war
At the end of the 1800s, McKinley hemmed and hawed about entering the Spanish-American War. He did everything he could to avoid it, but eventually, the U.S. was drawn into combat.
his health
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Why was Calvin Coolidge called “Silent Cal”?
was very quiet
Coolidge earned a reputation for listening more than speaking. His quietness made him “Silent Cal.”
talked a lot
was mostly deaf
FINISH QUIZ
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