Jacksonville says “DUUUVAL” as a loud, stretched‑out shout of pride for Duval County, the county where the city of Jacksonville is located and whose boundaries largely overlap the city itself. It started in the 1990s on local radio and in the hip‑hop scene, then migrated into Jacksonville Jaguars culture as a stadium chant and has since become a general badge of local identity.

What “DUUUVAL” Means

  • It refers to Duval County, named after William Pope Duval, the first territorial governor of Florida.
  • Because Jacksonville and Duval County merged governments in 1968, shouting “DUUUVAL” basically means “this is Jacksonville” in a short, punchy way.
  • Locals use it as:
    • A hype word at games
    • A greeting or sign‑off online
    • A general expression of city and county pride

How the Chant Started

  • In the 1990s, Jacksonville DJ Easy E began using a long, drawn‑out “DUUUVAL” drop on local radio and in mixes, stretching the middle vowel for dramatic effect.
  • The sound caught on in the local hip‑hop community, then slowly bled into everyday slang around the city.
  • Jaguars fans picked it up as an in‑stadium chant, and by the 2000s–2010s it had become the team’s unofficial battle cry, regularly heard before kickoffs and after big plays.

Why It Stuck So Hard

  • It’s easier and more chant‑friendly than yelling “Jacksonville,” with that long “u” making it perfect for a crowd roar.
  • It fits Jacksonville’s self‑image as a blue‑collar, underdog city and gives fans a simple way to show collective identity.
  • Over time it evolved from just a football thing to a city‑wide cultural tag used in:
    • Social media posts
    • Local events like “904 Day”
    • Music, merch, and streetwear tied to Jacksonville pride

Any Controversy Around It?

  • Duval County’s name comes from William Duval, who was a slave‑owning territorial governor, which some residents and writers have noted when debating the chant’s symbolism.
  • Despite that, “DUUUVAL” in current usage is mostly understood as a modern, reclaimed symbol of community, sports fandom, and local culture rather than a celebration of the historical figure.

TL;DR: Jacksonville says “DUUUVAL” because the city is essentially the same area as Duval County, and a stretched‑out “Duuuuval” started as a 1990s DJ drop that evolved into the Jaguars’ trademark chant and then into an all‑purpose shout of Jacksonville pride.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.