# Are ZIP/postal codes of area phone codes/prefixes used as local nicknames in your country?



## Suburbanist (Dec 25, 2009)

In some countries, postal codes and/or area telephone codes are used as nicknames to describe places they are associated with. 

Here in The Netherlands, it is common for people to refer to cities (especially in Internet or SMS chat) by their codes, like 010 - Rotterdam or 026 - Arnhem. Some business also incorporate the codes as part of their branding, especially if they want to appear local within the online Dutch-written community.

In US, it appears ZIP codes have more cultural-social prominence. In some metro areas, places are described as "good" and "bad" based on their ZIP codes - which are also extensively used for release of government-based statistics, since ZIP codes in US are well defined and uniform whereas 3rd and 4th level administrative jurisdiction aren't (unincorporated territory, independent city etc). 

What is the situation in your country? Are phone codes or postal codes routinely used for other purposes other than their intended ones? Are there some other index or parameter used by people to identify specific geographical areas?


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## SydneyCity (Nov 14, 2010)

To an extent yes, but mainly by the younger generation as well as gangs which identify with particular areas.


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## Chrissib (Feb 9, 2008)

In Germany no. The current postal code system has only been in place for the last 20 years now.


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## pesto (Jun 29, 2009)

This is fairly common in the US. Around LA, 714 means Orange County ("the OC") and 818 "the Valley" (San Fernando Valley). 

But the best known is 626, which is widely used for the street-hip Chinese of the San Gabriel Valley. You can google it to get the idea.


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## -Corey- (Jul 8, 2005)

Not everywhere. in MIami is 305, in LA 310 too, San Diego 619...


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## SE9 (Apr 26, 2005)

Interesting, as my username is a postal code :lol:


In London, postal codes are synonymous with the area they represent, especially the more prominent ones. If someone said that "it's been a good day of tennis at SW19", the "SW19" is synonymous with Wimbledon (as Wimbledon is SW19).

There are several London forumers with postal codes as their username; myself SE9, N1, GreenwichSE10 and so on, which implies some sort of connection or affinity for the area that the postcode represents. The fact that the postcodes are used indicates their prominence as a construct beyond mere postal deliveries.

The popular use of postal codes in common/casual speech by the youth is even greater. From clothing (SE5 = the Camberwell district):










To tattoos (W14 = the West Kensington district):


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## weava (Sep 8, 2007)

Suburbanist said:


> In some countries, postal codes and/or area telephone codes are used as nicknames to describe places they are associated with.
> 
> Here in The Netherlands, it is common for people to refer to cities (especially in Internet or SMS chat) by their codes, like 010 - Rotterdam or 026 - Arnhem. Some business also incorporate the codes as part of their branding, especially if they want to appear local within the online Dutch-written community.
> 
> ...


nobody I know in the US uses zip codes(postal) to describe areas, I couldn't name a single zip code outside of the one I live in, I don't even know my dads zip code and I used to live there. Area codes(phone) only seem to be used by rappers to describe what city they are from. I don't know if zip codes ever change but my state has gone from 3 to 6 area codes in my lifetime and I'm under 30.


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## johnniemae (Dec 24, 2010)

Some Americans probably remember 90210 (Beverly Hills), a postal code that was popularized by a television show of the same number.


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## NordikNerd (Feb 5, 2011)

Yes. In Sweden a 08 is someone from Stockholm. This was more common in the past though before people began to use cellphones.


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## poshbakerloo (Jan 16, 2007)

I like in the 'SKs' Stockport 10


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## -Corey- (Jul 8, 2005)

johnniemae said:


> Some Americans probably remember 90210 (Beverly Hills), a postal code that was popularized by a television show of the same number.


You're right... Only that one, but even 90210 is not that well known. Are code are more used to recognize certain areas like 305 for Miami.


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## bozenBDJ (Jul 18, 2012)

In Indonesia well no, not.


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## NickABQ (Jun 6, 2007)

In my city Albuquerque, our area code (phone code) is the same for cell phones and landlines. 

A slang term for the city is the "505".


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## julesstoop (Sep 11, 2002)

Rotterdam (010) and Amsterdam (020) are quite commonly referred to with their respective area phone codes. To a lesser extent this counts for smaller cities as well, but I think 010 and 020 are the only two that are known nationally and by a majority of the general public.


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## Mr_Dru (Dec 15, 2008)

I've notice that the Dutch newspapers and magazines starting to use 010 (R''dam) or 020 (A'dam) more and more in their headlines.


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## alexandru.mircea (May 18, 2011)

In France, the number assigned to departments is relevant. Not only the two figures are the beginning of the postal code, but they are also featured on car registration plates, which always helps to create narratives (as you can tell where a car, and therefore its driver, is from). In newspaper, a place will be referred to with its number in brackets - like, say, "Fontainebleau (77)".


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## Chicagoago (Dec 2, 2005)

Zip codes in Chicago are fairly uniform boxes and tend to tie in with certain neighborhoods. They all start with "606" as well, so you know if you're in the city or not. I know that 60614 is Lincoln Park, 60657 is lakeview and wrigley area, the small 60601, 60602, 60603... are downtown. You can vaguely see how nice a place is by looking at the codes, many people know them. 

As for area codes, 312 is the downtown area, while 773 is the rest of the city, so those are associated with "city dwellers". The 630 and 708 are generally western and southern, while the 847 is a little more wealthy on the north side. 219 is associated with Indiana and 815 means you're way out in the rural areas. Now they're overlaying all those with new area codes as well since they're out of room, so who knows.

It use to mean more, but now with Chicagoland having 12 area codes it got a little silly.


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## Jonesy55 (Jul 30, 2004)

SE9 said:


> Interesting, as my username is a postal code :lol:
> 
> 
> In London, postal codes are synonymous with the area they represent, especially the more prominent ones. If someone said that "it's been a good day of tennis at SW19", the "SW19" is synonymous with Wimbledon (as Wimbledon is SW19).
> ...


I don't think outside London they are used too much. I can't imagine anybody getting an SY3 tattoo, even though it is the best postcode! :laugh:

UK postcodes are actually very specific, if you add the second half (eg SW19 5AE) it generally only refers to a handful of individual homes or one small apartment/office building. Larger buildings often have multiple postcodes covering different floors.


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## LosAngelesSportsFan (Oct 20, 2004)

weava said:


> nobody I know in the US uses zip codes(postal) to describe areas, I couldn't name a single zip code outside of the one I live in, I don't even know my dads zip code and I used to live there. Area codes(phone) only seem to be used by rappers to describe what city they are from. I don't know if zip codes ever change but my state has gone from 3 to 6 area codes in my lifetime and I'm under 30.



90210. i bet you know that one


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## nicholasrudar (Jun 9, 2012)

808 is the area code for Hawaii. The Locals use it a lot as profile names.


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