Bingo Board Lingo – Traditional Bingo Call Names
A list of all the known Bingo Calling Names
Scroll down to the Bingo Calling Names.
If you are new to the world of online bingo or traditional bingo, you may be forgiven for thinking Read More
What are Bingo Calling Names?
Calling names are traditional nicknames given to all the numbers on the bingo board, from one through to Read More
Many bingo calling names have one than one calling name – one of ‘rhyme’ and one of ‘reason’. This is because many rhyming nicknames can rhyme with other numbers down the list (for example, the number 25’s calling name ‘Duck and Dive’ also rhymes with all numbers on the list that end with five). This makes it difficult to remember all the rhyming names and so a ‘reasonable’ name is given as well. Multiples of 10 (ie. numbers 20, 30, etc.) have the word ‘blind’ put before the number. Knowing the lingo is just as necessary in online bingo as it is in regular bingo, however bingo games wouldn’t be the same without it. Lists of these popular nicknames can be found at some online bingo sites.
Have you tried our Free Bingo Game Yet? |
|
Traditional Bingo Calling Names and Some of their Explanations
No. |
Bingo Calling Name |
Bingo Calling Name Explanation |
1 | At the beginning/Kelly’s eye | Named for the one-eyed Australian gangster called Ned Kelly |
2 | Me and You/One little duck | The number two is shaped like a swan |
3 | You and me/Cup of tea | You and me is a romantic rhyme |
4 | Knock at the door | One Two, buckle my shoe nursery rhyme (3 4 Knock at the door) |
5 | Man alive | Man alive is a simple rhyme that works here |
6 | Tom’s Tricks/Tom Nix | Because they rhyme |
7 | God’s in heaven/Lucky seven | As in the 7th heaven. Superstition also holds that 7 is a lucky number |
8 | Golden gate/Garden gate/One fat lady | Named for the shape of the number 8 |
9 | Doctor’s Orders | During World War II, the common name for the laxative pill was “No. 9” |
10 | David’s Den | Refers to Prime Minister David Cameron who lives at No. 10 Downing Street. When the English PM changes, the calling name also does. |
11 | Leg’s eleven | Refers to a pair of sexy legs (2 straight up legs, side by side) |
12 | One dozen | Twelve is one dozen |
13 | Unlucky for some/Devil’s number/Baker’s dozen | Refers to the unlucky qualities of number 13 and the fact that 13 is a baker’s dozen |
14 | Valentine’s Day | A holiday which falls on February 14th |
15 | Young and keen/Rugby team | A rugby team consists of 15 players |
16 | She’s lovely/Sweet sixteen | A young girls 16th birthday is called her Sweet sixteen |
17 | Often been kissed/Dancing queen | Abba’s hit Dancing Queen had the line “You are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only 17” |
18 | Coming of age | The legal coming of age in the U.K. |
19 | Goodbye teens | Last “teen” year before 20 comes along |
20 | Blind 20/One score | One score is also known as twenty |
21 | Key of the door | Tradition – At age 21 a child was often given a symbolic key to represent entering adulthood |
22 | All the twos/two little ducks | Refers to the shape of the number 2 |
23 | She and me/The Lord is my shepherd | Refers to Psalm number 23 in the Bible |
24 | Two dozen | Self explanatory 12 plus 12 |
25 | Duck and dive | The shape of 2 is a duck and dive rhymes with five |
26 | Pick and mix/Half a crown/Bed and breakfast | Traditionally, the cost of one night’s accommodation plus breakfast in England used to cost ‘2 and 6’ (two shillings and a sixpence) |
27 | Gateway to heaven/Little duck with crutch | Refers to the shape of the numbers |
28 | In a state/Overweight | Number 8 is one fat lady but with a 2 extra it’s “overweight” |
29 | Rise and Shine/You’re doing fine/In your prime | One more year till you are 30. You better be doing fine! |
30 | Blind thirty/Burlington Bertie/Dirty Gertie/Flirty Thirty/Speed Limit | Refers to the speed limit for cars in yester-year England |
31 | Get up and run | No apparent reason other than it rhymes |
32 | Buckle my shoe | It rhymes and comes from the Rhyme, 1,2 Buckle my shoe |
33 | All the threes/Dirty knees/All the feathers/Two little fleas/Sherwood forest | With both 3’s here, all the 3’s is a logical call. If you say “All the trees” you will know why Sherwood FOrest is used as well |
34 | Ask for more | Used because it rhymes |
35 | Jump and jive | Would appear to be for rhyming purposes only |
36 | Three dozen | You guessed it. A dozen is 12, 3 dozen is 36 |
37 | A flea in heaven/More than eleven | 3 is often called a flea and 7 is often used in connection with heaven |
38 | Christmas cake | Seems to be no reason other than rhyme |
39 | Steps/Those famous steps | The 39 Steps was a well known book that was adapated for film |
40 | Naughty forty | Popular saying that rhymes as well |
41 | Time for fun | Life begins at 40 is a popular saying so at 41, it is time to have fun |
42 | Winnie the Pooh/That famous street in Manhattan | Refers to 42nd Street in Manhattan |
43 | Down on your knees | Seems to be because it rhymes |
44 | All the fours/Droopy drawers | All the 4’s is rather obvious. Droopy drawers refers to 4 looking like a pair of trousers, sagging at the waist |
45 | Halfway House/Halfway there | Refers to the fact that 45 is half of 90 |
46 | Up to tricks | Only because it rhymes |
47 | Four and seven | It rhymes and is of course written 4 then 7 |
48 | Four dozen | A dozen is 12. 4 times 12 is 48 |
49 | P.C./Constable/Nick Nick | Linked to an old British radio show, PC49 |
50 | Blind fifty/Half a century/Bull’s Eye | Refers to the number of points won for a bulls eye in the game of darts |
51 | Tweak of the Thumb | No apparent reason other than rhyme |
52 | Danny la Rue/Weeks in a year | Danny la Rue was apparently a famous Drag Queen |
53 | Stuck in the Tree | Used because it rhymes |
54 | Clean the floor | No other reason other than the fact that it rhymes |
55 | All the fives/Snakes alive | Two 5’s make it all the 5’s. The shape of 5’s make it snakes alive |
56 | Was she worth it? | This was apparently the price of an old marraige license |
57 | Heinz varieties | Heinz apparently had 57 varieties. Best known would be Heinz Beans |
58 | Choo-choo Thomas/Make them wait | 58 looks a bit like a steam train & Thomas the Tank Engine was no. 8 |
59 | Brighton Line | Traditional English bus service from London to Brighton was no. 59 |
60 | Blind sixty/Three score/Five dozen | All are mathematical or popular calling conventions |
61 | Baker’s Bun | Apparently only because it rhymes |
62 | Tickety Boo/Turn on the Screw | It rhymes but no other apparent reason for these |
63 | Tickle Me | Rhyme but no reason |
64 | Red Raw/The Beatle’s Number | Refers to the famous song “When I’m 64” by pop group, the Beatles |
65 | Age old pension | Retirement age for men in England |
66 | Clickety Click/All the sixes | Rhyme, both sixes |
67 | Argumentative number/Made in Heaven | Definitely religeous connotations here. 6 is bad and 7 is good |
68 | Saving Grace | There is a movie by that name. Any significance? None that we see |
69 | The same both ways/Either way up/Your place or mine/Meal for two | A number with sexual connotations. Six and nine can be flipped to be six and nine |
70 | Blind seventy/Three score and ten | A score is twenty. Three score is sixty plus ten more |
71 | Bang on the drum | Would appear that rhyme is the reason |
72 | Six dozen/Par for the course/Crutch and a duck | Six times twelve (dozen). Seven is said to look like a crutch and 2 looks like a duck |
73 | Queen B/A crutch and a flea | Queen B rhymes. 7 looks like a crutch and 3 looks like a flea |
74 | Candy store | Rhymes with the call. No other reason |
75 | Strive and Strive | Only because it rhymes. No other apparent reason |
76 | Trombones/Was she worth it? | Refers to the cost of a traditional marriage license in England that used to cost “7 and 6” (7 shillings and sixpence) |
77 | Sunset Strip/All the sevens/2 little crutches | Both sevens, shape of 7, 77 Sunset Strip |
78 | Heaven’s Gate | 7 is associate with heaven and eight rhymes with gate |
79 | One more time | This is a rhyming convention only |
80 | Blind 80/Eight and blank/Ghandi’s breakfast | Ghandi sitting cross-legged facing his empty plate for breakfast |
81 | Stop and run | It rhymes but there seems no other reason for the call |
82 | Straight on through/Fat lady with a duck | 8 is a fat lady and 2 is a duck, the call is logical |
83 | Time for tea/Ethel’s ear | Refers to a fat lady and the shape of an ear (3) |
84 | Seven dozen | 7 times 12 (dozen) |
85 | Staying alive | Only there because it rhymes |
86 | Between the sticks | What sticks? Only for rhyming reasons |
87 | Torquay in Devon/Fat lady with a crutch | There is that fat lady again (8) with her crutch (7) |
88 | All the eights/Two fat ladies | Seriously, the over generously proportioned ladies (8) will be angry |
89 | All but one/Nearly there | Almost out of numbers, only one to go |
90 | Blind 90/End of the line/Top of the shop/Top of the house | The end of the numbers or the top of the list, whatever, it’s logical |
Have you tried our Free Bingo Game Yet? |
|