Dallas has been referred to as the Big D for years now, but why?

The nickname dates back to 1956 from a musical called The Most Happy Fella. Frank Loesser wrote the song “Big D” for the play which was originally sung by Susan Johnson and Frederick Long.

In the same year, Bing Crosby recorded the song which brought it into the mainstream. Its lyrics spell out “Big D, little A, double L, A, S.”

The song was covered by various artists in the next five years, with the most notable being Julie Andrews’ performance of it on The Garry Moore Show.

Over the past few decades, “Big D” has begun to refer to all the qualities that make Dallas so great: dynamic, designer, dazzling, and diverse. All these qualities mean Dallas is filled with wonderful sights and colorful characters.

Beyond the D adjectives, Dallas also excels in sports. The city has teams in every major sports league, making the Big D quite a big deal.

Reasons Why Dallas Is the Big D of Texas

Dallas is a dynamic city.

Being a dynamic city means being full of energy and innovation. In this regard, Dallas is a top city.

The city is occupied by the biggest names in tech like Texas Instruments and Microsoft—companies that are at the forefront of innovation in their respective industries.

The city’s bustling economy attracts young professionals from all over the country, so Dallas rarely ever stagnates. 

The constant influx of migrants ensures a continuous exchange of ideas and mixing of cultures.

Dallas is a designer city.

Dallas is a designer city since it’s filled with high-class people and establishments, and it’s also got a vibrant cultural scene. 

The city features numerous luxurious neighborhoods like Highland Park, the Arts District, and the Design District.

These neighborhoods have everything a cultured person could ever want. Highland Park has the famous Highland Park Village, famous for its designer boutiques, jewelry stores, and diverse restaurants.

The Arts District is the city’s cultural hub, featuring places like the Meyerson Symphony Center, Winspear Opera House, and the Dallas Museum of Art. 

This neighborhood is the nation’s largest contiguous urban arts district to boot.

Lastly, there’s the Big D’s Design District, home to the best fine-art dealerships, showrooms, and high-end textile stores in Texas. There’s no better place to enjoy and shop in the world of high-end fashion.

Dallas is dazzling.

The Big D’s dazzling reputation comes from its beautiful city skyline and architecture.

The city skyline is decorated with buildings recognizable from a mile away. The most notable ones are Reunion Tower, Bank of America Plaza, JPMorgan Chase Tower, Comerica Bank Tower, and Fountain Place. 

Reunion Tower is the one with the big sphere that penetrates the clouds. 

The tower’s visitors get the best view of the city when they enter its sphere, while faraway spectators get to enjoy the sphere’s lights.

The Bank of America Plaza is the third-tallest skyscraper in Texas. This huge building complements Dallas’ urban aesthetic with its clean, polished exterior, making it look almost transparent.

JPMorgan Chase Tower is not as tall as the Bank of America Plaza, but its architecture is recognizable amidst the concrete jungle. The building is famously referred to as “the keyhole building” because it features a vertical, rectangular hole.

Comerica Bank Tower is the third-tallest skyscraper in Dallas and is defined by its curved roof. On the inside, it’s also one of the most beautiful buildings in the country.

Aside from Reunion Tower, Fountain Place is probably the most recognizable building in Dallas — it’s the one shaped like a giant glass triangle. 

It’s one of the cleanest buildings you’ll ever get to see, plus it’s got 172 fountains and a water show.

If you want to get a closer look at these landmarks, here are their details.

Dallas is diverse. 

Dallas is fourth among the most diverse cities in the US, meaning there’s a community for almost any race. 

Diversity is great because it fills the city with color and mixes cultures. It’s also a core quality of world-class cities because it signifies inclusivity and a healthy exchange of worldviews.

If you want to truly experience what the Big D’s diversity creates, the Arts District is one of Dallas’ most diverse neighborhoods. 

It’s a melting pot of cultures and it shows in the food, wall and street art, and the exhibits in the district’s showrooms.

Dallas has a big sports culture.

Dallas sports teams are some of the best in the country, winning a total of 65 championships across all major league sports except soccer. 

The Big D has the best sports culture in Texas too, and you’ll see why when you interact with the city’s passionate fans.

Here are their achievements as of 2022.

What is Dallas most known for?

Dallas is known for its successful sports teams, diverse communities, high concentration of restaurants and shopping centers, and beautiful skyscrapers.