What’s in a demonym, anyway?

I saw a person referred to as a Medfordite. Why not a Medfordian? And there are Ashlanders. What about Grants Pass? Is there a book that tells what suffix to use?
— Hindey M., Medford

There is, Hindey, but we’re secretive about it. We can’t have just anybody sorting out the Los Angelinos from the San Franciscans, can we?

We relish having the power to denote Oregonians, Alabamans, Connecticuters, Arkansans, New Jerseyites and especially Michiganders as what they are.

And who knows what chaos would ensue if the man on the street could tell the Galwegians from the Genoese, the Bangladeshis from the Congolese?

What you’re asking about, Hindey, are demonyms, also known as gentilics — words that denote inhabitants of a place or members of a people. They can be nouns or adjectives (the French, a French dessert). The most common way they are formed is by adding a suffix, such as -an, -ite, -er, -ese and others.

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These things evolve, and there’s no simple formula. The shortest is probably that they have to feel right. You wouldn’t say San Francisaner or Los Angelite (we hope).

To learn more, punch "demonym" or "gentilic" into your browser.

Oh, yeah. Those people in Josephine County? Grants Pastures.

Just kidding. We passed this one around the Daily Courier newsroom, and the consensus was there’s no demonym there. Must be the climate.

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