List of U.S. state nicknames

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Map of the United States showing the state nicknames as hogs. Lithograph by Mackwitz, St. Louis, 1884.

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. A state nickname is not to be confused with an official state motto.

Contents

State nicknames [edit]

State Nickname(s)
 Alabama
(No official nickname)[1]
 Alaska
 Arizona
 Arkansas
 California
  • El Dorado State
  • The Golden State[12][13] (previously used on license plates)
  • The Land of Sunshine and Opportunity
  • Golden West
  • Grape State
  • Land of Milk and Honey
  • Land of Fruits and Nuts
  • Where Stars Are Buried
  • The Cereal Bowl of the Nation
  • The Eureka State [14]
  • The Bear State (or Republic)
  • The Sunshine State (in disuse) (c.f. FL)
 Colorado
 Connecticut
  • Constitution State
  • Nutmeg State
  • Charter Oak State
 Delaware
 District of Columbia
 Florida
 Georgia
  • Peach State[26] (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.[26] See also Atlanta Crackers: Origin of the name
  • Empire State of the South — Refers to economic leadership[26]
  • 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.[26]
  • Goober State — Refers to peanuts, the official state crop.[26]
 Hawaii
 Idaho
 Illinois[32]
 Indiana
 Iowa
  • Hawkeye State[35]
  • Land of the Rolling Prairie
  • Tall Corn State
 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
  • The Great Lakes State
  • Mitten State
  • Winter Water Wonderland (previously used on license plates)
  • Wolverine State[23]
  • The World's Motor Capital (previously used on licese plates)
  • America's High Five
 Minnesota
  • Butter Country
  • Gopher State
  • Land of 10,000 Lakes ("10,000 Lakes" currently used on license plates)
  • Land of Lakes
  • Land of Sky-Blue Waters
  • North Star State
  • State of Hockey[50]
  • Vikings State
 Mississippi
 Missouri
 Montana
  • Big Sky Country (currently used on license plates)
  • The Last Best Place[51]
  • Treasure State (previously used on license plates)
 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[53]
  • The Colorful State
  • Land of Enchantment[53] (currently used on license plates)
  • Land of Sunshine (predates "Land of Enchantment"; this earlier nickname highlighted the large percentage of sunshine received statewide)[53]
  • New Andalusia[53]
  • The Outer Space State
  • The Tex-Mex State
  • The Spanish State[citation needed]
 New York
 North Carolina
 North Dakota
 Ohio
 Oklahoma
 Oregon
 Pennsylvania
 Puerto Rico
  • Isla del Encanto ("Island of Enchantment")
  • Borinquen (name given by indigenous people, the Tainos) [61]
  • The Shining Star of the Caribbean
  • Progress Island [62]
 Rhode Island
 South Carolina
 South Dakota
 Tennessee
 Texas
 Utah
  • Beehive State
  • Mormon State[67]
  • Friendly State (in disuse) (formerly used on license plates)[68]
  • 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[23]
  • The Commonwealth
 Washington
 West Virginia
 Wisconsin
 Wyoming
  • Cowboy State
  • Equality State
  • Park State
  • Forever West (On highway welcome signs)

For the proposed State of Jefferson, the nickname "State of Mind" has been used since the 1940s.

See also [edit]

References [edit]

General
Notes
  1. ^ "Emblems Index". State of Alabama. 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. 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. Retrieved 2007-03-18. 
  5. ^ "Nicknames: America's 50 States (First of Four Parts)". Voice of America (VOA Special English program). 2008-01-06. Retrieved 2009-01-04. 
  6. ^ a b c d e The Last Frontier State, 50 States, retrieved April 24, 2009.
  7. ^ Alaska Division of Economic Development (2010-12-21). "Alaska Division of Economic Development". Alaska Division of Economic Development. Retrieved 2011-07-30. 
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Introduction to Arizona, 50 States, retrieved April 24, 2009.
  9. ^ Ariz. HB 2549 Officially adopted by Arizona on February 14, 2011
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h Introduction to Arkansas, US States, retrieved April 24, 2009.
  11. ^ Arkansas § 1-4-106 - State nickname Retrieved Feb. 28, 2011
  12. ^ California Government Code Section 420.75 Retrieved Feb. 28, 2011
  13. ^ "State Symbols". California State Library (State of California). Retrieved 2008-01-26. 
  14. ^ http://www.shgresources.com/ca/symbols/motto/
  15. ^ a b c d "Colorado" (HTML). NetState.com. NState, LLC. Retrieved 2007-02-21. 
  16. ^ a b "Colorado State Name and Nicknames" (HTML). Colorado State Symbols & Emblems. State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. Retrieved 2007-02-21. 
  17. ^ "Colorado State Flower" (HTML). Colorado State Symbols & Emblems. State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. Retrieved 2007-02-21. 
  18. ^ "Colorado Water History" (asp). Colorado Historical Society. Retrieved 2007-11-29. 
  19. ^ "Denver" (HTML). wikipedia.org. Wikipedia. Retrieved 2007-05-05. 
  20. ^ "Colorado" (HTML). USAtourist.com. USATourist. Retrieved 2007-02-21. 
  21. ^ Introduction to Colorado, 50 States, retrieved April 24, 2009.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g h i Introduction to Delaware, 50 States, retrieved April 24, 2009.
  23. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Barry Popik, Smoky City, barrypopik.com website, March 27, 2005
  24. ^ Delaware Code Title 29 Section 318 retrieved on February 28, 2011
  25. ^ a b c d e Introduction to Florida, 50 States, retrieved April 24, 2009.
  26. ^ a b c d e "Quick Facts: State Symbols" (HTML). The New Georgia Encyclopedia. University of Georgia Press. Retrieved 2008-03-03. 
  27. ^ a b c d Introduction to Hawaii, 50 States.
  28. ^ http://www.guidebookamerica.com/news/hawaii_rainbow/index.htm
  29. ^ "Nicknames: America's 50 States (Second of Four Parts)". Voice of America (VOA Special English program). 2008-01-12. Retrieved 2009-01-04. 
  30. ^ a b Introduction to Idaho, 50 States.
  31. ^ "SuperPages: Idaho History" (HTML). Retrieved 2008-03-21. 
  32. ^ "Illinois" (HTML). Illinois State Symbols & Emblems. Retrieved 2007-04-29. 
  33. ^ a b c d e Introduction to Illinois, 50 States, retrieved April 24, 2009.
  34. ^ 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).
  35. ^ "Iowa Department of Economic Development Travel Iowa web site - State Symbols". Iowa Department of Economic Development. Retrieved August 7, 2007. 
  36. ^ "Kansas Signage". roadsideamerica.com. Retrieved 2007-03-26. 
  37. ^ a b c d Introduction to Kentucky, 50 States.
  38. ^ http://www.50states.com/bio/nickname2.htm
  39. ^ Judy Colbert, Off the Beaten Path: Maryland and Delaware, 8th ed., 2007, ISBN 15385485.
  40. ^ a b c d e f [1]
  41. ^ "Nicknames: America's 50 States (Third of Four Parts)". Voice of America (VOA Special English program). 2008-01-19. Retrieved 2009-01-04. 
  42. ^ Archives of Maryland Online
  43. ^ a b c Introduction to Massachusetts, 50 States, retrieved April 24, 2009.
  44. ^ Massachusetts (state, United States), Britannica Online, retrieved April 24, 2009.
  45. ^ Andrew Ryan,
    • The People's Republic of Massachusetts (colloquial)
    Report: 'Taxachusetts' label remains part of Massachusetts' past, Boston Globe, April 6, 2007.
  46. ^ Daniel J. Flynn, 'Taxachusetts' no more?, Forbes, October 22, 2008.
  47. ^ 'Taxachusetts' Voters May Eliminate State Income Tax, Fox News, October 7, 2008.
  48. ^ Michael D. Shear, Giuliani Backers Attack 'Taxachusetts Romney', The Washington Post, December 12, 2007.
  49. ^ Slate's Chatterbox: The Myth of 'Taxachusetts', National Public Radio, October 15, 2004.
  50. ^ Jess Myers, Hockey roots run deep in Minnesota, ESPN.com, February 10, 2004
  51. ^ In Montana, a Popular Expression Is Taken Off the Endangered List New York Times, August 17, 2008; Retrieved February 28, 2011
  52. ^ a b c "New Hampshire Almanac >Fast New Hampshire Facts" (HTML). State of New Hampshire official website. Retrieved October 12, 2012. 
  53. ^ a b c d New Mexico Symbols, State Names, SHG Resources website, accessed July 7, 2008
  54. ^ a b Introduction to North Carolina, 50 States, retrieved February 28, 2011.
  55. ^ "Why We are Called Tar Heels". UNC Libraries. Retrieved 2008-01-26. 
  56. ^ Variety Vacationland Postcard Exhibit Retrieved February 28, 2011.
  57. ^ "It's official: Ohio IS the birthplace of aviation". The Cincinnati Enquirer. 2003-06-14. Retrieved 2007-04-06. 
  58. ^ "Nicknames: America's 50 States (Fourth of Four Parts)". Voice of America (VOA Special English program). 2008-01-26. Retrieved 2009-01-04. 
  59. ^ "Oregon's license plate from 1960 to circa 1966". Plate Shack. Retrieved 2007-07-12. 
  60. ^ "Turnpikes and Toll Roads in Nineteenth Century America". Retrieved 8 November 2012. 
  61. ^ http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1998/3/98.03.04.x.html
  62. ^ "Progress Island U.S.A.". Progress Island U.S.A. wikipedia. Retrieved 20 August 2011. 
  63. ^ "Iodine". South Carolina Encyclopedia. 2007-04-14. Retrieved 2007-04-06. 
  64. ^ a b c d e South Dakota Symbols, State Names, SHG Resources website, accessed July 7, 2008
  65. ^ a b c d e Tennessee Symbols and Honors, in Tennessee Blue Book
  66. ^ a b "Texas:Facts, Map, and State Symbols". EnchantedLearing.com. Retrieved 2008-03-09. 
  67. ^ "NetState: Utah" (HTML). Retrieved 2008-03-24. 
  68. ^ "State it on a plate — Over the years, slogans, designs have taken some poetic license". Deseret News. 
  69. ^ "Symbols of Washington State". Washington State Legislature. Retrieved 2012-08-16. 

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