Posted by Laura Macias, a resident of the Blossom Valley neighborhood, on Jun 25, 2009 at 11:53 am

Good fun question, Jack. It is nice to have break for light fare town square. I've lived here twenty years and still don't know what the right moniker is. Palo Alto has Palo Altans. Beyond that, nothing noteworthy for other cities' residents. While Mountain Viewers sounds correct, it is a bit long.

How about "Em Vees??

Posted by Snakefinger, a resident of the North Whisman neighborhood, on Jun 25, 2009 at 2:13 pm

I've always liked Mountain Viewer.

Posted by Julie H, a resident of the Old Mountain View neighborhood, on Jun 25, 2009 at 2:50 pm

Being born and raised here, I always said I was "from Mountain View" and didn't try to put it any other way. I agree that Mountain Viewer sounds about right. Why not just shorten it to MoVer?

Posted by Martin, a resident of the Jackson Park neighborhood, on Jun 25, 2009 at 3:02 pm

Getting away from the actual name of Mountain View, how 'bout "Shoreliners"?

Posted by Really?, a resident of the Old Mountain View neighborhood, on Jun 25, 2009 at 4:41 pm

Keep it Resident of Mountain View. Don't change something that sounds fine. Looking for fun, go to Rooster T. Feathers

Posted by Bruce Karney, a resident of the Old Mountain View neighborhood, on Jun 25, 2009 at 4:54 pm

It's something I've thought about too. None of the possibilities really sound natural, do they?

I can't think of many other places that end with a "hard U" sound (like Timbuktu or Mountain View), but other places that end with a vowel other than A seem to add "an" to the name of the place. So, I'll vote for "Mountain Viewan."

(It always amused me that residents of Milpitas are called Milpitians, which sounds sort of like they come from another planet.)

Posted by QuietPlease, a resident of the Waverly Park neighborhood, on Jun 25, 2009 at 5:21 pm

LOL at Milpitians! I guess I focus on the word "View" turning into "Viewer". A little boring. How about "Mountaineer Viewer"? Nah, too eccentric. Maybe the city charter has some clause about this.

(Thanks for answering my question too. I think your question is very valid!)

Posted by Ted, a resident of the Shoreline West neighborhood, on Jun 25, 2009 at 10:01 pm

I'll vote for Mountain Viewinian although I too just say that I am from Mountain View. And that is Mountain View. Not Mt. View or Mtn. View...

Posted by Deb, a resident of the Shoreline West neighborhood, on Jun 26, 2009 at 10:38 am

Yep! I just say "I'm from Mountain View". I do use Mtn.View on envelopes, etc. where there is not enough room. Never Mt. View, not in my 35 years here.

Posted by Commander McBragg, a resident of another community, on Jun 26, 2009 at 2:12 pm

It should be "Mountain Viewees", and thanks for asking.

Posted by Snakefinger, a resident of the North Whisman neighborhood, on Jun 26, 2009 at 2:13 pm

Hey Deb, you are absolutely correct to use Mtn. View. "Mt. View" in fact stands for "Mount View."

Posted by betsy, a resident of the Cuesta Park neighborhood, on Jun 26, 2009 at 2:22 pm

Mountaineer's -

the second definition in the dictionary says.

Mountain Inhabitant; Somebody who lives in a mountainous area! :-)

Posted by joe, a resident of the Blossom Valley neighborhood, on Jun 26, 2009 at 2:40 pm

Being from the old Mountain View HS Iv always come up to people I recognize from there, saying " Hey Youre an Eagle huh! WINGS and TALONS BABYYYY!!!

Posted by gcoladon, a resident of the North Whisman neighborhood, on Jun 26, 2009 at 3:19 pm

Yeah, Mountain Viewer sounds best to me, and is also a little lighthearted.

Posted by Mountain View Resident, a resident of the Blossom Valley neighborhood, on Jun 26, 2009 at 9:34 pm

Since everyone in Mountain View is also from Silicon Valley, then the obvious answer is Valley Girls and Valley Boys.

Posted by L. Olson, a resident of the North Whisman neighborhood, on Jun 27, 2009 at 11:18 am

Mountain Viewtonian for me! :)

Posted by QuietPlease, a resident of the Waverly Park neighborhood, on Jun 27, 2009 at 11:51 am

What do the residents of Cupertino, Sunnyvale and San Jose call themselves?

Posted by Mr. Worldallwrong, a resident of the Blossom Valley neighborhood, on Jun 27, 2009 at 12:17 pm

Mtn. View Stonerz

Posted by old timer, a resident of the Castro City neighborhood, on Jun 27, 2009 at 6:31 pm

ok anyone that went to school her and remembers what MV was. Would probably call themselves "old MV" if you didnt grow up here ya dont get a name your just a want a be.

Posted by Mr. Etine, a resident of the Blossom Valley neighborhood, on Jun 28, 2009 at 7:49 am

Far Superior!!

Posted by alice, a resident of the Rex Manor neighborhood, on Jun 29, 2009 at 2:40 pm

mountain viewan sound fine to me but there are so other cute ideas in this thread too - mountain viewer - is good - it needs to be short and roll of the tongue - who has time for too many consonants and syllables around here?

Posted by ronald seward, a resident of the Old Mountain View neighborhood, on Jun 29, 2009 at 3:21 pm

I was born here in Mountain View, in 61' and at that time it was the new El Camino Hospital. Now it's new again. I say i was born in "Mountain View" So why not just call it what it is???? Mountain View. We should stay above the rest. Ron

Posted by Mark Robichek, a resident of another community, on Jun 30, 2009 at 10:00 am

As a Sunnyvale resident (and former Mountain Viewer), I've always liked the idea that those from Milpitas are Milpitians and those from Sunnyvale are Sunnyvalians ("Star Trek" fans unite!).

Posted by tommygee, a resident of the Rex Manor neighborhood, on Jun 30, 2009 at 5:22 pm

Calling someone from Mountain View a 'Mountain Viewer' seems like they are viewing something (Like the mountains).

A Mountain View-ite makes better sense.

Posted by Heidi Chun, a resident of the Shoreline West neighborhood, on Jun 30, 2009 at 5:33 pm

I would simply say that "I'm proud to live in Mountain View."

I had never considered what we should be called but now that I look back at all the possibilities, I think I'm fond of "Em Vees."

Jack, thanks for asking the question.

Posted by Dirk Diggler, a resident of the North Whisman neighborhood, on Jun 30, 2009 at 7:42 pm

I just tell people I'm the cock of the walk.

They say, "So you're from Mountain View"?

It works every time.

Posted by MV resident, a resident of another community, on Jun 30, 2009 at 8:47 pm

MVers?

Mountain Viewons?

Posted by Louis, a resident of the Waverly Park neighborhood, on Jul 1, 2009 at 9:44 am

I call ourselves "Ex-Palo Altans."

Posted by kaye g., a resident of the Blossom Valley neighborhood, on Jul 1, 2009 at 11:59 am

We live in the Varsity Park Neighborhood, and have for 55 years, and are proud to live Mountain View, California. We were the first Neighborhood--Varsity Park, not Blossom Valley!!!

Posted by Courtney B., a resident of the North Whisman neighborhood, on Jul 1, 2009 at 12:06 pm

FYI, Mountain Viewees would be the people looking at us! Mountain Viewers is the most logical, though hardly inspired. It's what came to my mind when I saw the question. Em Vees sounds like people who come from the Motor Vehicles Department. But like most people here, I say...I'm live in Mountain View. I'm from Mountain View. I don't really need an -ite or -er or -ian to tell people where I'm from. I think the people who will care most about this are people who write articles about people who live in Mountain View, and want to keep the character count low :-) or want something sassy to call us. We're sassy enough without the nickname, thank you!

Posted by Jon Wiener, a resident of another community, on Jul 1, 2009 at 2:17 pm

A good, if not hugely momentous, question. Maybe the Voice could hold some kind of reader poll or contest to resolve the issue, which it's always avoided by using the phrase "Mountain View residents." I used to try to sneak "Mountain Viewians" past my editor for my own amusement, but never succeeded.

I always assumed that the city is called Mountain View because it has a nice view of Black Mountain and the Santa Cruz Mountains, although Cuesta Park Annex is really the only place now where you can see it. I imagine that 100 years ago, the air was clear enough out here for people could probably see the Diablos too. Assuming either of those are true, "Mountain Viewers" seems like the most logical.

Is Nick Perry okay? I'm kind of shocked he hasn't weighed in on this.

Posted by Bernie Brightman, a resident of the North Whisman neighborhood, on Jul 1, 2009 at 2:21 pm

Mountaineer sounds best to me too.

There, that should sink that suggestion.

Posted by June, a resident of the Whisman Station neighborhood, on Jul 1, 2009 at 3:13 pm

Mountain Viewer is embarrassing! Sounds like some kind of hobby club.

Mountain Viewan is the only logical moniker.

Posted by eric, a resident of another community, on Jul 1, 2009 at 3:34 pm

"I call ourselves "Ex-Palo Altans." "

How about 'reformed Palo Altans'?

Posted by Nick Perry, a resident of another community, on Jul 1, 2009 at 5:52 pm

Hah, thanks for the concern Jon. It's been entertaining enough to read everyone's answers without weighing in.

I think Courtney has got it right! I never thought about what to call a resident of MV until I was forced to stick to a word count for the captions in "Images of America: Mountain View." Most long-time Mountain View residents (yep, that's a mouthful) I asked said "Mountain Viewer" was the best, but everyone agreed that we'd only heard people ID themselves as a "resident of Mountain View", a "Mountain View native", or amongst especially proud Chicano relatives, "I rep Barrio MV."

I do find myself typing "MVer" as short hand for "resident of Mountain View", but don't use it in conversation. So there's my two cents.

Posted by R.GORDON, a resident of another community, on Jul 2, 2009 at 12:41 pm

" A poor cousin"