St. Patrick's Day Quick Hits, Including 'Which Is Correct: St. Patty's or St. Paddy's?'

From the best cities to celebrate to the Chicago River going green, here are some quick facts about the Irish holiday.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 7:38pm

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It's St. Patrick's Day, and if you aren't wearing green you might want to change immediately. Here are a few St. Patrick's Day quick hits, including which term - St. Patty's or St. Paddy's - is more accurate, the best cities for St. Patrick's Day celebrations, and the history of dyeing the Chicago River green.

Why it matters

St. Patrick's Day is a major cultural and commercial holiday, with cities across the U.S. hosting parades, festivals, and other celebrations to mark the occasion. Understanding the proper terminology and history behind the holiday can help people appreciate its significance.

The details

According to Merriam-Webster, 'St. Paddy's Day' with Ds is generally considered more accurate than 'St. Patty's Day' with Ts, because the name Patrick is traditionally spelled 'Pádraig' with the nicknames 'Páidín' and 'Paddy.' The term 'Patty' is usually short for the name Patricia. While some argue 'Paddy' can be a derogatory term, it's unlikely to be seen that way in the context of the holiday. WalletHub ranked the best cities for St. Patrick's Day celebrations, with Boston, Reno, Savannah, Overland Park, and Henderson topping the list. In 1962, Chicago became the first city to successfully dye its river green for the holiday, using 60 pounds of dye. This year, some people spotted 'shark fins' in the Chicago River, which turned out to be a stunt to promote an upcoming Netflix movie.

  • In 1962, Chicago used 60 pounds of green dye to become the first city to successfully dye its river bright green on St. Patrick's Day.
  • Today is also National Corned Beef and Cabbage Day.

The players

Merriam-Webster

The leading dictionary publisher in the United States.

WalletHub

A personal finance website that provides credit scores, reports, and other financial tools and information.

Netflix

A popular streaming service that produces original movies and TV shows.

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The takeaway

St. Patrick's Day is a beloved holiday with rich cultural traditions, from the proper terminology to use to the creative ways cities celebrate, like dyeing rivers green. Understanding these details can help people more fully appreciate the significance of the Irish holiday.