What's in a name? To those who live and work on the Danforth, the answer's a whole lot, especially since the Danforth Mosaic BIA, which represents 500 businesses between Jones and Westlake - want to nickname the area "The Danny."

BIA chair Billy Dertilis explains he and his team worked with landlords, business owners and residents to better define the neighbourhood's identity.

"When someone says, 'hey, let's go grab a bite to eat on the Danforth,' they're not talking about Danforth and Greenwood, they're talking about Danforth and Pape," says Dertilis, who grew up on the Danforth and now runs Red Rocket Coffee.

For whatever reason hearing the Danforth called "The Danny" makes me think of this. #toronto #TheDanny pic.twitter.com/jPo942gPTH

— Jay Maddog Michaels (@JayOnTheRushTO) May 30, 2017

Some other suggestions were floated around, including Dan-E (for Danforth East, presumably), Midlands and the Upper East Side.

Ultimately, The Danny won out and the BIA started putting up signage with the name about two months ago.

"It sounds scrappy, it sounds young, it sounds up-and-coming and that is something that really defines who we are," says Dertilis.

Riding the undeniable momentum of "The Danny" I have renamed more Toronto neighbourhoods and now they are cool. pic.twitter.com/1Ww8VbVbYg

— Frza (@TheRealFRZA) May 30, 2017

Dertilis knows not everyone's a fan of this moniker - some, such as Edward Keenan in the Toronto Star - have called it contrived and inauthentic, but Dertilis stresses the name's not as important as what the BIA is trying to do to showcase the neighbourhood.