It has been broadcasting since the 1970s – but some Nickelodeon fans are only just learning what the TV channel's name actually means. Owned by Paramount Global, the American television channel is a favourite among children thanks to its shows aimed at two to 17-year-olds.
The channel's concept was created by educator Dr Vivian Horner, who dreamed up Nickelodeon's first series, Pinwheel – which first aired on December 1, 1977. Throughout the years, its most popular shows have included All That, Rugrats, SpongeBob SquarePants, Hey Arnold!, The Amanda Show, Kenan and Kel, Clarissa Explains It all, Drake and Josh, Doug, and iCarly.
Despite its popularity, some social media users couldn't help but wonder how it landed on its 'unusual-sounding' name, with one Quora user asking: "What was/is a 'Nickelodeon'?" While Nickelodeon is now synonymous with the children's TV show, its name actually has origins associated with the theatre.
Screen Rant explains: "Contrary to what many believe, 'Nickelodeon' is not a made-up word for the network, but a theatre from the early 1900s. Nickelodeons were the first type of indoor exhibition spaces dedicated to showing motion pictures and took their name from the admission cost (five cents, or a nickel) and the ancient Greek word 'odeion', which refers to a roofed-over theatre."
It was Sandy Kavanaugh who came up with Nickelodeon's name after Dr Vivian Horner asked her co-workers to pitch their ideas. Despite not being "fully satisfied" with the name, Kavanaugh said on a 2013 interview: "I wasn't thrilled with 'Nickelodeon.' It was whimsical sounding, though. It had a fun lilt."
Commenting on Nickelodeon's impact over the years, one viewer said: "SpongeBob Squarepants is nostalgic because many people have grown up with it and have become attached to it and also due to the fact that many people have grown up with it as it is a humorous , whimsical and fantastical children’s series so it’s basically fodder for young kids. The show has been on the air since 1999 and it’s a Nickelodeon cartoon. That’s enough time for the show to become a childhood fixture and constant presence for tons of now grown children."
Another added: "Nickelodeon started out as an awesome network. That’s not even the nostalgia talking; they had some genuinely great, unique shows from the 90’s onward. That was their strong point. The old Nickelodeon appreciated creativity, and they weren’t afraid to take risks."
A third said: "I personally think that Nickelodeon is better than Disney Channel, but a lot of that comes down to personal preference. Disney tend to play things very safe with the TV shows that they make. They like squeaky clean casts, squeaky clean writing, squeaky clean storylines, etc. Disney wants to protect its Mickey Mouse, safe for all ages brand and as such you get formulaic show after formulaic show that are quite boring."
English (US) ·