Chester A. Arthur, also referred to as "The Dude President," has without a doubt earned the title the coolest president. It is strange that a man who consistently rates among the least memorable presidents would receive such a stylish nickname, but it makes sense given that the word's meaning at the time was slightly different.

Because Arthur installed a rug in the Oval Office that truly brought the space together, he didn't get the nickname "The Dude." Instead, he acquired it as a result of his adoration for clothes, frills, and the finer things in life. A "dude" back then essentially meant a "dandy," a young man who was totally committed to the newest trends.

Chester A. Arthur was one of such people. During his tenure in power, stories about his costly habits spread widely. He spent more than $30,000 in 1880 dollars only to refurbish and glam up the White House for his festivities. He had a wardrobe that would put any modern heiress or fashionista to shame, filled with silk top hats and pricey clothing and shoes imported from Europe.

Arthur also didn't fit the mold of a typical workaholic. He was undoubtedly a man who loved his downtime. Naturally, the term "dude" was used in a derogatory manner in Arthur's day, but he didn't appear to mind too much because he knew the golden rule: the Dude abides.

• 21st President of the United States

In office: September 19, 1881 – March 4, 1885
Vice President: None
Preceded by: James A. Garfield
Succeeded by: Grover Cleveland

Another twofer, but this time it's two monikers for the same president, rather than the other way around. After serving in the U.S. House of Representatives and as governor of Ohio, Rutherford Birchard Hayes (October 4, 1822 – January 17, 1893) was an American lawyer and politician.

In the midst of controversy, Rutherford B. Hayes was elected as the 19th President of the United States. Because Hayes' rival, Samuel J. Tilden, really won the popular vote, the 1876 election was tumultuous. The race was so close in three states, even though he was winning in the electoral vote, that both parties declared victory.

Congress appointed a special panel to decide the winner, and they announced that Hayes had won with 185 electoral votes to 184. As soon as Hayes assumed office, his most ardent detractors accused him of making a "corrupt deal" to obtain the presidency and gave him the nicknames "His Fraudulency" and "Rutherfraud B. Hayes.”

• 19th President of the United States

In office: March 4, 1877 – March 4, 1881
Vice President: William A. Wheeler
Preceded by: Ulysses S. Grant
Succeeded by: James A. Garfield

Strangely enough, the names "The Sphinx" were given to two American presidents. The initial one is rather simple. Silent Cal, Cautious Cal, and, oddest of all, the Sphinx of the Potomac were some of the nicknames that Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President of the United States, acquired due to his reputation as a man of few words.

The origin of the second moniker, which refers to Franklin D. Roosevelt, the only American president to hold office for three terms while having actually won four, is rather more intriguing. The nickname actually refers to his elusive third term as president. FDR seemed prepared to step down in 1939 when his second term ended, as is customary for presidents to do after serving two terms as head of state. However, after the start of World War II, there was much conjecture that Roosevelt may seek reelection for a third time to help the nation through this difficult time.

In the run-up to the election, FDR said very little on this subject and kept his cards close to his chest. As a result, drawings of Roosevelt as the Great Sphinx of Giza refusing to divulge the "third term question" to anybody else were published in a number of newspapers.

Then, on December 9, 1939, FDR was a guest of honor at the Gridiron Club's winter dinner. The highlight of the evening was when Washington journalists brought out an 8-foot-tall papier-mâché monument of Roosevelt dressed as the Sphinx, mocking politicians in skits they had performed. It continues to be displayed in a prominent location inside the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum since FDR cherished it so much.

• 30th President of the United States

In office: August 2, 1923 – March 4, 1929
Vice President: None (1923–1925), Charles G. Dawes (1925–1929)
Preceded by: Warren G. Harding
Succeeded by: Herbert Hoover

The "Madman from Massachusetts" is another nickname that sounds like it would be given to a wrestler at Wrestlemania, but it was actually given to John Quincy Adams, the sixth President of the United States. What did Adams do to earn the label of a lunatic? He dared to question the necessity of slavery. Adams initially believed that slavery was immoral but that it was vital to maintain the Union. He developed become a full-fledged abolitionist throughout the years and held the view that either the South would abolish slavery or there would be civil war.

As you can expect, his beliefs made him a lot of opponents, particularly in areas south of the Mason-Dixon Line. When he was still a member of the House of Representatives in 1842, he narrowly avoided being censured for his antislavery activism. In retrospect, being referred to as the "Madman from Massachusetts" was far from the worst thing he had to deal with because of his activities, for which he received several snubs and even threats to his life.

• 6th President of the United States

In office: March 4, 1825 – March 4, 1829
Vice President; John C. Calhoun
Preceded by: James Monroe
Succeeded by: Andrew Jackson

The 36th president of the United States, Lyndon Baines Johnson (August 27, 1908 – January 22, 1973), was an American politician who was in office from 1963 to 1969. He was frequently referred to by his initials, LBJ. Prior to being sworn in, shortly after President John F. Kennedy's assassination, he served as the 37th vice president under Kennedy from 1961 to 1963.

Johnson, a Democrat from Texas, was also a senator, representative, and majority leader of the Senate. He has the distinction of being one of the few presidents to have held every federally elected post. Since LBJ was born in Texas, the term "corn pone" here refers to a rural, uneducated person, making fun of his southern heritage.

The Kennedys were the ones who came up with the moniker, which was the most aggravating aspect of it. JFK and his brothers made fun of Johnson while he was vice president, calling him "Uncle Corn Pone" or "Rufus Corn Pone," but probably far more damaging was their nickname for LBJ's wife, Lady Bird Johnson: "Uncle Corn Pone's little pork chop."

• 36th President of the United States

In office: November 22, 1963 – January 20, 1969
Vice President: None (1963–1965), Hubert Humphrey (1965–1969)
Preceded by: John F. Kennedy
Succeeded by: Richard Nixon

Grover Cleveland, as we already know, was the second-heaviest president, trailing only William Howard Taft, who reached a maximum weight of 350 pounds while in office. Taft is best known today for being so obese that he reportedly got stuck in the White House bathtub, however it's likely that this is just an urban legend with no true basis.

Nevertheless, Taft was indeed called "Big Lub" and made fun of for his bulk and appetite during his lifetime. You would argue that it didn't sound any worse than "Uncle Jumbo," but the distinction lay in the words' malice.

While Taft's family referred to Cleveland as "Uncle Jumbo," Cleveland's family called him "Big Lub," a moniker that followed him throughout his life and even when he was elected president of the United States. At least his wife Nellie called the chubby president by a more endearing nickname. She referred to Taft as "Sleeping Beauty" since he would frequently nod off at gatherings.

• 22nd & 24th President of the United States

In office: March 4, 1893 – March 4, 1897
Vice President: Adlai Stevenson
Preceded by: Benjamin Harrison
Succeeded by: William McKinley

The 23rd President of the United States, Benjamin Harrison, was known as "The Human Iceberg," a moniker that sounds like it would be given to an NFL star or perhaps a supervillain. This nickname allegedly originated from his cold, stiff, and private personality, which stood in sharp contrast to his animated and engaging public presence.

Harrison would have no trouble holding the attention of 30,000 people if he were in front of them, but if he were speaking to a small group of people, he would find it difficult to continue talking for more than two minutes. Critics of Harrison said the nickname "human iceberg" also fit his presidency because he sluggishly lumbered through it without any notable incidents.

• 23rd President of the United States

In office; March 4, 1889 – March 4, 1893
Vice President: Levi P. Morton
Preceded by: Grover Cleveland
Succeeded by: Grover Cleveland

Many presidents were well-known for their ravenous appetites and enormous girths. Lawyer and politician Stephen Grover Cleveland, born in America on March 18, 1837, and died on June 24, 1908, the 22nd and 24th President of the United States, was one of them. He is best known for being the first president in American history to hold office for two terms that were not consecutive. In fact, Cleveland was the second-heaviest US President in history, after William Taft, weighing between 260 and 280 pounds during his political career. (However, more on him later.)

Therefore, it is not surprising that Cleveland was given the nickname "Uncle Jumbo." To his nieces and nephews first, then to his friends and relatives, it appears that the nickname at least originated from a place of love. Cleveland adopted the moniker and utilized it to portray himself as the kind, caring uncle, which connected with the electorate and aided in his election.

• 22nd & 24th President of the United States

In office: March 4, 1893 – March 4, 1897

Vice President: Adlai Stevenson
Preceded by: Benjamin Harrison
Succeeded by: William McKinley

"There's an old saying in Tennessee that goes, Fool me once, shame on — shame on you. I know it's in Texas, but it's definitely in Tennessee. You won't be able to trick me again. George W. Bush's slip-up taught him that as President of the United States, everything you say is under scrutiny, and your political rivals are more than glad to condemn you anytime you slip up.

This is particularly true during elections, when one mistake could cost you the election, as James Buchanan nearly discovered to his own peril. James Buchanan, a presidential candidate for the Democratic Party, offended the working classes during the 1856 election when he stated that he believed that 10 cents.

When he said that ten cents per day was a fair wage for manual laborers during the 1856 presidential election, Democratic Party nominee James Buchanan angered the working classes. The Republicans seized the chance to insult Buchanan by calling him "Ten-Cent Jimmy," a moniker that stuck with him at rallies throughout the election campaign.

The fact that Buchanan played the slavery card and argued that each state should determine for itself whether or not to eliminate slavery—as opposed to his Republican opponent, John C. Frémont—could have cost him the election. Despite his "Ten-Cent Jimmy" faux pas, Buchanan was able to capture the southern support and win the election as a result.

• 15th President of the United States

In office: March 4, 1857 – March 4, 1861

Vice President: John C. Breckinridge
Preceded by: Franklin Pierce
Succeeded by: Abraham Lincoln

Even if you are the commander in chief, fashion may be a capricious mistress. James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States and the man who gained the nickname "the Last Cocked Hat," learnt that lesson. This nickname made fun of Monroe's antiquated fashion choices. He continued to dress in the American Revolutionary style, complete with knee-breeches, white, powdered wigs, and the tricorn hat, even though he was in government in the 1820s. Because the presidents who came after him wore more contemporary clothing, Monroe earned the nickname "the final cocked hat."

Although we don't know how Monroe felt about it, we can at least say that the moniker was still affectionate and was never meant to be used in a disparaging manner, which is obviously not the case for all the entries on this list. This nickname followed him about for the rest of his life. In relation to that...

• 5th President of the United States

In office: March 4, 1817 – March 4, 1825

Vice President: Daniel D. Tompkins
Preceded by: James Madison
Succeeded by: John Quincy Adams