This is 99% invisible. I'm Roman Mars.

In San Francisco, the area south of Market Street is called Soma.

The part of town north of the panhandle is

known as Nopa. Just north of our office is a part of town that Oakland is

trying to brand as Kono, short for Kerea Town Northgate, but no one actually calls it that.

I live in a part of town at the intersection of North Oakland, Berkeley, and Emryville.

A neighborhood real estate brokers are calling Nobe.

That's producer Avery Truffelman.

The whole nobee thing makes me feel pretty icky.

These abbreviated neighborhood names are such cliches.

Like there's that episode of South Park

where part of town gets rebranded as

South Park or Soto Sopa.

There's a certain quality to the vibe and energy that is Soto Sopah.

From the independent merchants and unique cafes to the rustic charm of a mixed income crowd.

In an episode of How I Met Your Mother,

two characters by an apartment in Doi Satripla.

Dois Satripla.

Oh, I see.

You're not New Yorkers.

Oh, no, actually, we live on the Upper West Side.

No need to be embarrassed.

...