HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT, Westminster Big Ben

You'll often hear London's important monuments referred to by their nicknames. For example, the Gherkin, the Cheesegrater, and the Shard are nicknames for three of the city's newer skyscrapers: it's easy to figure out which buildings have earned these names just by examining the skyline. But the most famous nickname of all is "Big Ben". The name was coined for the large bell of the clock tower, but today it's used to refer to the entire Neo-Gothic tower built in the mid-1800s.

There are two theories about the name's origin. The first comes from Sir Benjamin Hall, the architect who managed the construction work for the entire building. During a parliamentary debate to choose a name for the huge clock's bell, a parliamentarian joked and suggested the name "Big Ben", alluding to the large stature of the architect.

The second theory comes from Benjamin Caunt, a powerful heavyweight boxer and champion who had earned the nickname "Big Ben". Since his times, the expression has been used to generally define oversized objects, and therefore also the "Great Bell", which was the bell's first official name....