Hotlanta

Hotlanta is a slang that refers to both the social and the weather temperature of the US city Atlanta, Georgia.

Besides advertising the warm summers known for the state, “hot” can also mean that something is fun, exciting and attractive.

Therefore, “Hotlanta” is meant to attract people to the energetic capital, particularly to the vibrant nightlife Atlanta is known for.

However, some claim that the catchy nickname is not even used by people who live in Georgia, and that people from the state find the advertisement stunt annoying and stupid.

After the lynching of American factory superintendent Leo Frank in 1915, Atlanta experienced numerous social, regional and political concerns, leading to the creation of contemporary place names, such as “Hotlanta”.

Besides a couple mentions in music and TV, the nickname didn’t gain much popularity until the Atlanta Convention Bureau popularized the term during marketing efforts in the early 2000’s, together with several tourist and marketing organizations.

The nickname is considered silly by people from the city and corresponding state, therefore it is mainly used by tourists who visit Atlanta.

In 1971, the Allman Brothers Band released the jazz rock instrumental piece “Hot ‘Lanta” as a tribute to the vibrant city life of the Georgia capital.

Around the 2000’s, the term was mentioned in several other music pieces.

Over a decade later, in 2013, writer Meghan Quinn released the first out of four books in the “Hot-Lanta” series, a romantic drama taking place in Atlanta.

• Urban Dictionary – Hotlanta