The nickname “The 6ix,” also written “The Six,” is an informal name for Toronto, Ontario. It became known worldwide in the 2010s through the rapper Drake, who helped spread it but did not invent it. The usual explanations are the digit six in the area codes 416 and 647, and the six former municipalities that once made up Metropolitan Toronto.
Where the nickname came from
The Dictionary of Canadian Hip Hop Slang, published by the University of British Columbia, treats “the 6ix” as an informal name used mainly in hip hop and urban culture. Its entry says Toronto’s hip hop community created and popularized the term, and that it later spread into basketball, fashion, and social media. The entry credits Drake with bringing the word into the mainstream and states plainly that he did not coin it.
The dictionary does not name one person as the inventor. Some popular articles name individual Toronto rappers who used the word in the early 2000s, but those claims were not confirmed in a primary or scholarly source, so they are left out here. The dictionary’s cited quotations run from 2015 to 2025, which shows when the term entered print rather than when it first appeared in speech.
Outside Canada, use of the term followed Toronto marketing campaigns, according to the same entry. That points to a nickname that started locally, gained an audience through music, and was then adopted by the city’s sports teams and promoters.
Area codes 416 and 647
The first explanation concerns telephone numbers. Toronto’s original area code is 416, and 647 was added later for the same territory. Both contain the digit six. The dictionary entry reports that Drake pointed to the area code when asked about the name in a 2016 interview, and that he connected it with the six sub-regions of the city.
This version is a statement by the performer who made the name famous, which makes it the most direct account available. It does not prove who first thought of the link, only why the name made sense to the people using it.
The six municipalities
The second explanation concerns local government. The dictionary lists the six sub-regions as Old Toronto, Scarborough, East York, North York, Etobicoke, and York. These were the six municipalities of Metropolitan Toronto, a two-tier federation created by the Ontario legislature.
The dates are often given loosely, so they are worth stating carefully. The act creating Metropolitan Toronto passed on April 2, 1953, and the federation’s powers took effect on January 1, 1954. At that start the federation had 13 member municipalities, according to Britannica as summarized by secondary sources. Six municipalities remained only after a reorganization that took effect on January 1, 1967. One web page about Metro Hall gives 1961 for that reorganization, but the 1967 date is given by several other sources and is the one used here. In 1998 the six municipalities were merged into a single City of Toronto.
A writer who links the nickname to the six municipalities of 1954 therefore has the wrong year. The six-member structure belongs to the period from 1967 to 1998.
Timeline
- April 2, 1953: the Ontario legislature passes the Metropolitan Toronto act.
- January 1, 1954: the federation’s taxation and legislative powers take effect, with 13 member municipalities.
- January 1, 1967: the federation is reorganized into six members: Toronto, Etobicoke, North York, East York, York, and Scarborough.
- 1998: the six municipalities are amalgamated into one city.
- 2000: Michael Di Cosmo, a Toronto DJ and producer, applies to register the term as a trademark.
- 2015: a company linked to Drake applies for the same trademark.
- Later: the Canadian Intellectual Property Office rules in favor of Di Cosmo.
Who says what
| Claim | Who states it | Status |
|---|---|---|
| The term was created and popularized by Toronto’s hip hop community | Dictionary of Canadian Hip Hop Slang (UBC) | Stated in the entry |
| Drake popularized the term but did not coin it | Dictionary of Canadian Hip Hop Slang (UBC) | Stated in the entry |
| The name refers to the digit six in area codes 416 and 647 | Drake, as reported by the dictionary | Stated by Drake in 2016; not independently confirmed as the origin |
| The name refers to six municipalities | Drake, as reported by the dictionary | Six municipalities existed from 1967 to 1998 |
| A named rapper first used the word in the early 2000s | Popular articles | Not confirmed; omitted |
The trademark dispute
Ownership of the phrase is a separate matter from its origin. The dictionary reports that Drake’s company applied for the trademark in 2015, and that the Canadian Intellectual Property Office ruled that it belongs to Michael Di Cosmo, who applied in 2000. The ruling concerns who holds the registration, not who coined the word.
Other Toronto nicknames
The dictionary also lists Cowtown, Hogtown, and T-dot as related names for the city. The 6ix is the one that turned into a brand used on clothing, in basketball marketing, and in song titles. The older names are not covered further here because the entry gives no dates for them.
Frequently asked questions
Did Drake invent the name The 6ix?
No. The Dictionary of Canadian Hip Hop Slang says he helped bring the term into the mainstream but did not coin it.
Why is the number six linked to Toronto?
Two reasons are given: the digit six appears in the area codes 416 and 647, and six municipalities formed Metropolitan Toronto from 1967 to 1998.
Did Metropolitan Toronto have six municipalities in 1954?
No. It began with 13 members in 1954 and was reduced to six on January 1, 1967.
Does Drake own the trademark for The 6ix?
No. The Canadian Intellectual Property Office ruled that the trademark belongs to Michael Di Cosmo, who applied in 2000.
Last verified: October 2026
Sources
- Dictionary of Canadian Hip Hop Slang, University of British Columbia, entry “the 6ix”
- Britannica and Wikipedia articles on Metropolitan Toronto (secondary summaries of the 1953 act and the 1967 reorganization)
- Lost Rivers project page on Metro Hall (gives a conflicting 1961 date, not used)
Related reading
- Where the name Toronto comes from
- A full history of Toronto from its Indigenous roots
- How Toronto street names developed
- Why the airport code is YYZ
- Overview of Toronto history
Cite this page
APA: History of Toronto. (2026, October 23). The 6ix: How Toronto Got Its Nickname. https://historyoftoronto.ca/blog/why-toronto-is-called-the-six-unraveling-the-mystery-behind-the-nickname
MLA: “The 6ix: How Toronto Got Its Nickname.” History of Toronto, 23 Oct. 2026, https://historyoftoronto.ca/blog/why-toronto-is-called-the-six-unraveling-the-mystery-behind-the-nickname. Accessed .
Chicago: History of Toronto. “The 6ix: How Toronto Got Its Nickname.” Last modified October 23, 2026. https://historyoftoronto.ca/blog/why-toronto-is-called-the-six-unraveling-the-mystery-behind-the-nickname.
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