Brum
Brum is the everyday short name for Birmingham, used by locals and in the city's own branding. It is a shortening of Brummagem, a form of the city's name used for centuries in local speech.
In practice
You will hear "in Brum", "back to Brum" and "Brum-born" constantly, and see the word in event names, beer labels and news headlines. Brummagem had a less flattering history: in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries the city's mass-produced metal goods, and counterfeit coins made there, gave "brummagem" a sense of cheap and showy. The city has long since reclaimed the name with pride.
Why it matters to newcomers
Using "Brum" is friendly and normal, not slang to avoid. If someone says they are "going into town", they usually mean Birmingham city centre; outer districts such as Moseley, Harborne or Sutton Coldfield have strong identities of their own.
Related
- Brummie - a person from Brum
- City of a thousand trades - the industrial nickname
- Bull Ring - the heart of the city centre
Source: Birmingham City Council.