How to Speak Dallas: An Unofficial Big D Dictionary

There’s nothing more embarrassing than being in a new place, or out at a work happy hour with your younger coworkers, when someone suddenly uses a word you’ve never heard before but that everyone else seems to understand. And Dallas has no shortage of local code words that have left us scratching our heads a time or two.

We aren’t talking about the “Bless Your Hearts” and “Y’all’d’ve” lingo that only confuses Northeasterners. We’re talking about the terms only a true Dallasite would know. Without a doubt, our attempt to build a Dallas dictionary is woefully incomplete.

The next time your Gen-Z intern says she’s spending her weekend walking her labradoodle on the “Datey,” don’t fret. We have the answers.


$30k Millionaire: If you’re new to town and someone refers to you as a “$30k millionaire,” it’s not a good thing. Dallas has a thing for hype, and like it or not, that has made us a mecca for average-job Joes who spend all their earnings on bottle service, BMW rentals and an apartment that he definitely can’t afford. This guy’s (or gal’s) Instagram is chock full of designer shoes, trips to Greece and champagne bottle pops, but we shudder to imagine what their credit card statement looks like each month.

Big D: A rousing debate in the Observer newsroom is whether Dallas’ most well-known and not stupid nickname is the Big D or just Big D, sans definite article. Our senior-most colleague says it’s the latter, so we (reluctantly) accept the latter. Every other city gets a “the” in its nickname. The Windy City. The Big Apple. The Big Easy. But Dallas, at some point or another, decided to drop the “the.” It’s cleaner.

Bruh: A name you may not call the Mayor.

Deathstar, Temple: The (Arlington) stadiums at which the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers play, respectively. The Deathstar can also be called Jerry World, if you want to mix it up.

Disney Streets: A pocket of Northwest Dallas that is literally named after Disney characters. There’s Cinderella Lane and Peter Pan Drive. If you’re looking to purchase a home on Dwarfs Circle (an offshoot, naturally, of Snow White Drive), you’ll need a smooth two mill.

Dilbeck: An architect whose whimsical and eclectic designs are sprinkled across Dallas. His homes are so revered that each time one goes on the market, it seems to warrant a news article, but some of his commercial projects may sadly be lost to time.

Fire Nico: A local rallying cry.

Hoe: Before you clutch your pearls, let us clarify: in Dallas, any person, place or thing can be a hoe. “I smashed that hoe,” a Dallasite who just finished a particularly delectable burger may say. “You hit that hoe,” someone may say to a friend who just showed off an impressive dance move. “This hoe is fire,” we said when Shaboozey’s new song came on while we were three beers deep on the 4th of July.

Large Marge: A charming nickname for the Margaret Hunt Hill bridge that spans the Trinity River to connect West Dallas and downtown. The nickname was a necessity, seeing as Dallas decided to build two large, white bridges parallel to one another and name both after women named Margaret.

Marg and Guac: This may not be a Dallas-specific thing, but it’s virtually impossible to walk into an establishment these days without hearing a girl with vocal fry asking for a “Marg” or some “Guac.” Can we stop shortening things to one-syllable half-words? When you put in your bar order, be an adult. Say the whole word.

Metroplex: Another point of contention in the Observer office is the word "Metroplex." It feels like a descriptor that’s been around forever, but it actually was just a marketing portmanteau designed to promote the region, and it isn’t really a thing anywhere else. Use it or don’t, just know that every time you mention something about “The Metroplex,” you’re a victim of marketing.

One-Namers: Dak. Dirk. Pudge. They’re Dallas sports icons so renowned that they only need one name. Know them, love them and accept them into your heart as we all have, even though their teams will inevitably break it.

P1: A radio industry term commandeered by Dallasites looking to identify themselves as superfans of The Ticket.

T-Jones: A term to describe one’s female guardian, such as a mother or grandmother. Urban Dictionary still says this phrase is a Dallas thing. Some light research shows that Houstonites online vehemently disagree.

The Datey Trail: Is this a thing? Are we letting this become a thing? It appears a cabal of influencers is taking it upon themselves to rebrand Dallas’ hottest walking path, the Katy Trail. Few United States institutions boast such a high rate of 27-year-old singles making goo-goo eyes at each other while decked out in athleisure, but does anyone actually stop to talk? How many dates is the Katy Trail responsible for? Regardless, the social media girlies say Datey Trail is a thing, so here we are.

The Ticket: Not a physical ticket. Dallas’ best sports radio station.

The Tunnels: A series of tunnels located under several downtown buildings. We’d say they’re a well-kept secret, but there's a Starbucks in the food court, so how underground (pun intended) are they really?

The Strip: A stretch of Cedar Spring Road known for LGBTQ+ friendly nightlife and shops.

South Dallas vs. Southern Dallas: One of the quickest ways to expose yourself as a Dallas rookie is to incorrectly use the phrase “South Dallas” when you mean to say “Southern Dallas.” Southern Dallas can be virtually anything under Interstate 30, but if you call the Bishop Arts District South Dallas, prepare for some eye daggers. The Cedars-Bonton-Fair Park neighborhoods make up the lumpy triangle known as South Dallas. The area is also affectionately called “Sunny South Dallas” by community leaders.