Every building should have a nickname.

Well, maybe not every building, but certainly the big ones, the tall, dark and handsome, the new and novel. London, which boasts the best nicknames, has the Shard, the Gherkin, the Cheesegrater, the Walkie Talkie and Big Ben (actually the Great Bell of the Great Clock of Westminster).

In Prague, there’s Frank Gehry’s Fred and Ginger. Beijing, not known for its humour, has the Bird’s Nest. In Barcelona, Gaudi’s famous apartment building, la Casa Mila, is known as La Padrera (The Stone Quarry). Closer to home, the Absolute Condos in Mississauga were given their perfect nickname, the Marilyn Monroe, even before the first tower opened in 2007.

But what about Toronto, a city whose mostly generic towers could use something to make them a little more interesting if not exciting? Perhaps a few good nicknames might enliven Toronto’s grim streetscape. So for better or worse, here are a few suggestions:

Source: The Nicknames 8 Iconic (And Infamous) Toronto Buildings Deserve (storeys.com)