List of U.S. state nicknames

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The following is a table of U.S. state nicknames, including officially adopted nicknames and other traditional nicknames for individual states and district of the United States. Current official state nicknames are highlighted in bold.

Contents

[edit] State nicknames

State Nickname(s)
 Alabama
(No official Nickname)[1]
 Alaska
 Arizona
 Arkansas
 California
  • El Dorado State
  • Golden State[9] (previously used on license plates)
  • Golden West
  • Grape State
  • Land of Milk and Honey
  • The Eureka State [10]
  • The Bear State (or Republic)
  • The Sunshine State
 Colorado
 Connecticut
 Delaware
 District of Columbia
  • A Capital City (previously used on license plates)
  • The Federal City
  • The District
 Florida
 Georgia
  • Peach State[23] (previously used on license plates)
  • Cracker State — Along with Florida, Georgia had been called "The Cracker State" in earlier times, perhaps a derogatory term that referred to immigrants, called "crackers," from the mountains of Virginia and North Carolina.[23] See also Atlanta Crackers: Origin of the name
  • Empire State of the South — Refers to economic leadership[23]
  • Yankee-land of the South: Similarly to the above nickname, "Yankee-land of the South" speaks to industrial and economic development in the south. This nickname may be used in a derogatory sense.[23]
  • Goober State — Refers to peanuts, the official state crop.[23]
 Hawaii
 Idaho
 Illinois[29]
 Indiana
 Iowa
  • Hawkeye State
  • Hawkeye State[32]
  • Land of the Rolling Prairie
 Kansas
 Kentucky
 Louisiana
  • Bayou State (previously used on license plates)
  • Child of the Mississippi
  • Creole State
  • Fisherman's Paradise
  • Holland of America
  • Pelican State
  • Sportsman's Paradise (currently used on license plates)
  • Sugar State
 Maine
 Maryland
 Massachusetts
 Michigan
 Minnesota
  • Gopher State
  • Land of 10,000 Lakes (currently used on license plates)
  • Land of Lakes
  • Land of Sky-Blue Waters
  • North Star State
  • State of Hockey[45]
 Mississippi
 Missouri
 Montana
 Nebraska
  • Beef State (previously used on license plates)
  • Cornhusker State (previously used on license plates)
  • Tree Planter's State
 Nevada
 New Hampshire
 New Jersey
 New Mexico
  • Cactus State[47]
  • The Colorful State
  • Land of Enchantment[47] (currently used on license plates)
  • Land of Sunshine (predates "Land of Enchantment"; this earlier nickname highlighted the large percentage of sunshine received statewide)[47]
  • New Andalusia[47]
  • The Outer Space State
  • The Spanish State[citation needed]
 New York
 North Carolina
 North Dakota
 Ohio
 Oklahoma
 Oregon
 Pennsylvania
 Rhode Island
 South Carolina
 South Dakota
 Tennessee
 Texas
 Utah
  • Beehive State
  • Mormon State[59]
  • Friendly State (in disuse) (formerly used on license plates)[60]
  • Greatest Snow on Earth (formerly used on all license plates; now an alternate slogan on license plates alongside the state's current tourism slogan, "Life Elevated")
 Vermont
 Virginia
  • Mother of Presidents
  • The Old Dominion[20]
 Washington
 West Virginia
 Wisconsin
 Wyoming
  • Cowboy State
  • Equality State
  • Park State

[edit] See also

[edit] References

General
Notes
  1. ^ "Emblems Index". State of Alabama. http://www.archives.alabama.gov/kids_emblems/. Retrieved 2008-01-26. 
  2. ^ a b Introduction to Alabama, 50 States, retrieved April 24, 2009.
  3. ^ a b c "Alabama Emblems, Symbols and Honors". Alabama Department of Archives & History. 2006-04-20. http://www.archives.state.al.us/emblems/emblems.html. Retrieved 2007-03-18. "Alabama does not have an official nickname." 
  4. ^ "Heart of Dixie". Alabama Emblems, Symbols and Honors. Alabama Department of Archives & History. 2004-06-29. http://www.archives.state.al.us/emblems/Heart_of_Dixie.html. Retrieved 2007-03-18. 
  5. ^ "Nicknames: America's 50 States (First of Four Parts)". Voice of America (VOA Special English program). 2008-01-06. http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/archive/2008-01/2007-12-31-voa3.cfm. Retrieved 2009-01-04. 
  6. ^ a b c d The Last Frontier State, 50 States, retrieved April 24, 2009.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Introduction to Arizona, 50 States, retrieved April 24, 2009.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h Introduction to Arkansas, US States, retrieved April 24, 2009.
  9. ^ "State Symbols". California State Library (State of California). http://www.library.ca.gov/history/symbols.html#Heading13. Retrieved 2008-01-26. 
  10. ^ http://www.shgresources.com/ca/symbols/motto/
  11. ^ a b c d "Colorado" (HTML). NetState.com. NState, LLC.. http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/co_intro.htm. Retrieved 2007-02-21. 
  12. ^ a b "Colorado State Name and Nicknames" (HTML). Colorado State Symbols & Emblems. State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/history/symbemb.htm#Name. Retrieved 2007-02-21. 
  13. ^ "Colorado State Flower" (HTML). Colorado State Symbols & Emblems. State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/history/symbemb.htm#Flower. Retrieved 2007-02-21. 
  14. ^ "Colorado Water History" (asp). Colorado Historical Society. http://www.coloradohistory.org/RIPsigns/show_markertext.asp?id=797. Retrieved 2007-11-29. 
  15. ^ "Denver" (HTML). wikipedia.org. Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denver,_Colorado. Retrieved 2007-05-05. 
  16. ^ "Colorado" (HTML). USAtourist.com. USATourist. http://www.usatourist.com/english/places/colorado/index.html. Retrieved 2007-02-21. 
  17. ^ Introduction to Colorado, 50 States, retrieved April 24, 2009.
  18. ^ a b c Introduction to Connecticut, 50 States, retrieved April 24, 2009.
  19. ^ a b c d STATE OF CONNECTICUT, Sites º Seals º Symbols; Connecticut State Register & Manual; retrieved on January 4, 2007
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Barry Popik, Smoky City, barrypopik.com website, March 27, 2005
  21. ^ a b c d e f g h i Introduction to Delaware, 50 States, retrieved April 24, 2009.
  22. ^ a b c d e Introduction to Florida, 50 States, retrieved April 24, 2009.
  23. ^ a b c d e "Quick Facts: State Symbols" (HTML). The New Georgia Encyclopedia. University of Georgia Press. http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/QuickFacts.jsp?hl=y&id=State_Symbols&action=openTo#idState_Symbols. Retrieved 2008-03-03. 
  24. ^ a b c d Introduction to Hawaii, 50 States.
  25. ^ http://www.guidebookamerica.com/news/hawaii_rainbow/index.htm
  26. ^ "Nicknames: America's 50 States (Second of Four Parts)". Voice of America (VOA Special English program). 2008-01-12. http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/archive/2008-01/2008-01-13-voa3.cfm. Retrieved 2009-01-04. 
  27. ^ a b Introduction to Idaho, 50 States.
  28. ^ "SuperPages: Idaho History" (HTML). http://www.superpages.com/states/ID/history.html. Retrieved 2008-03-21. 
  29. ^ "Illinois" (HTML). Illinois State Symbols & Emblems. http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/il_intro.htm. Retrieved 2007-04-29. 
  30. ^ a b c d e Introduction to Illinois, 50 States, retrieved April 24, 2009.
  31. ^ The official sobriquet of the State of Indiana has given rise to the humorous constructions Hoosierana (the land of Hoosiers; see uses in Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame and by sports journalist Frank DeFord) and Hoosierstan (the place of Hoosiers).
  32. ^ "Iowa Department of Economic Development Travel Iowa web site - State Symbols". Iowa Department of Economic Development. http://www.traveliowa.com/iowafacts/symbols.html. Retrieved August 7, 2007. 
  33. ^ a b c d Introduction to Kentucky, 50 States.
  34. ^ Judy Colbert, Off the Beaten Path: Maryland and Delaware, 8th ed., 2007, ISBN 15385485.
  35. ^ a b c d e f [1]
  36. ^ "Nicknames: America's 50 States (Third of Four Parts)". Voice of America (VOA Special English program). 2008-01-19. http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/archive/2008-01/2008-01-16-voa2.cfm. Retrieved 2009-01-04. 
  37. ^ Archives of Maryland Online
  38. ^ a b c Introduction to Massachusetts, 50 States, retrieved April 24, 2009.
  39. ^ Massachusetts (state, United States), Britannica Online, retrieved April 24, 2009.
  40. ^ Andrew Ryan, Report: 'Taxachusetts' label remains part of Massachusetts' past, Boston Globe, April 6, 2007.
  41. ^ Daniel J. Flynn, 'Taxachusetts' no more?, Forbes, October 22, 2008.
  42. ^ 'Taxachusetts' Voters May Eliminate State Income Tax, Fox News, October 7, 2008.
  43. ^ Michael D. Shear, Giuliani Backers Attack 'Taxachusetts Romney', The Washington Post, December 12, 2007.
  44. ^ Slate's Chatterbox: The Myth of 'Taxachusetts', National Public Radio, October 15, 2004.
  45. ^ Jess Myers, Hockey roots run deep in Minnesota, ESPN.com, February 10, 2004
  46. ^ a b c "State of New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development" (HTML). State Facts. http://www.visitnh.gov/about-new-hampshire/state-facts.aspx. Retrieved 2007-07-09. 
  47. ^ a b c d New Mexico Symbols, State Names, SHG Resources website, accessed July 7, 2008
  48. ^ "Official State Symbols of North Carolina". State of North Carolina. http://statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/NC/SYMBOLS/SYMBOLS.HTM#nickname. Retrieved 2008-01-26. 
  49. ^ "Official State Symbols of North Carolina". State of North Carolina. http://statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/NC/SYMBOLS/SYMBOLS.HTM#nickname. Retrieved 2008-01-26. 
  50. ^ "Why We are Called Tar Heels". UNC Libraries. http://www.lib.unc.edu/ncc/tarheel.html. Retrieved 2008-01-26. 
  51. ^ Jenkins, Jim. "A motto: no contest if you please". The News and Observer. http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/jenkins/2007/story/574749.html. Retrieved 2008-12-27. 
  52. ^ "It's official: Ohio IS the birthplace of aviation". The Cincinnati Enquirer. 2003-06-14. http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2003/06/14/loc_ohioflight14.html. Retrieved 2007-04-06. 
  53. ^ "Nicknames: America's 50 States (Fourth of Four Parts)". Voice of America (VOA Special English program). 2008-01-26. http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/archive/2008-01/2008-01-16-voa3.cfm. Retrieved 2009-01-04. 
  54. ^ "Oregon's license plate from 1960 to circa 1966". Plate Shack. http://www.plateshack.com/oregon/oregon3.html. Retrieved 2007-07-12. 
  55. ^ "Iodine". South Carolina Encyclopedia. 2007-04-14. http://www.scencyclopedia.com/iodine.htm. Retrieved 2007-04-06. 
  56. ^ a b c d e South Dakota Symbols, State Names, SHG Resources website, accessed July 7, 2008
  57. ^ a b c d e Tennessee Symbols and Honors, in Tennessee Blue Book
  58. ^ a b "Texas:Facts, Map, and State Symbols". EnchantedLearing.com. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/states/texas/. Retrieved 2008-03-09. 
  59. ^ "NetState: Utah" (HTML). http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/ut_intro.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-24. 
  60. ^ "State it on a plate — Over the years, slogans, designs have taken some poetic license". Deseret News. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,660210998,00.html?pg=1. 
  61. ^ "Symbols of Washington State". Washington State Legislature. http://www1.leg.wa.gov/Legislature/StateSymbols/. Retrieved 2007-03-11. 

[edit] External links