What Is the Nickname of the Mississippi River?

One of the oldest nicknames for the Mississippi is "Big Muddy," named because the river carries one of the highest silt loads of any river in the United States. The Mississippi River is the third longest river in North America. It flows 2,350 miles from Lake Itasca through the center of the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. The river flows at an average speed of 1.2 miles per hour.