Encyclopedia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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 1 State nicknames 2 See also 3 References 4 External links

State nicknames

State	Nickname(s)
Alabama (No official Nickname)[1]	Cotton Plantation State[2] Cotton State[3] Heart of Dixie[3][4][5] Lizard State[2] Yellowhammer State[3] Camellia State
Alaska	Great Land (previously used on license plates) Land of the Midnight Sun[6] Last Frontier (previously used on license plates)[6] Seward's Folly (named after U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward)[6] Seward's Ice Box, Icebergia, Polaria, Walrussia, and Johnson's Polar Bear Garden were satirical names coined by members of the U.S. Congress during debate over the Alaska Purchase[6]
Arizona	Apache State[7] Aztec State[7] Baby State (during the 47 years that Arizona was the newest state in the Union)[7] Copper State[7] Grand Canyon State (currently used on license plates)[7] Italy of America[7] Sand Hill State[7] Sunset State[7] Sweetheart State[7] Valentine State (Arizona gained statehood on February 14, 1912)[7]
Arkansas	Bear State (pronounced "Bar State")[8] Bowie State[8] Hot Springs State[8] Land of Opportunity (former official nickname; previously used on license plates)[8] Natural State (currently used on license plates)[8] Razorback State[8] Toothpick State[8] Wonder State[8]
California	El Dorado State Golden State and "the land of sunshine and opportunity"[9] (previously used on license plates) Golden West Grape State Land of Milk and Honey The Cereal Bowl of the Nation The Eureka State [10] The Bear State (or Republic) The Sunshine State
Colorado	Buffalo Plains State[11] (in disuse) Centennial State[12] Colorful Colorado[12] (previously used on license plates) Columbine State[13] Highest State[11] Lead State[11] (in disuse) Mother of Rivers[14] Rocky Mountain Empire[15] Rocky Mountain State[16] (in disuse) Silver State[11] (in disuse; see Nevada) Switzerland of America[17]
Connecticut	Blue Law State[18] Brownstone State[18] Constitution State[19] (currently used on license plates) Freestone State[18] Land of Steady Habits[19][20] Nutmeg State[19] Provisions State[19]
Delaware	Chemical Capital[21] Corporate Capital (due to the state's business-friendly laws)[21] Diamond State (allusion to the state flag)[21] Blue Hen State or Blue Hen Chicken State[20] First State (Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution; currently used on license plates)[21] Home of Tax Free Shopping[21] New Sweden[21] Peach State[21] Small Wonder[21] Uncle Sam's Pocket Handkerchief[21]
District of Columbia	A Capital City (previously used on license plates) The Federal City The District
Florida	Alligator State[22] Citrus State Everglade State[22] Flower State[22] God's Waiting Room Gulf State[22] Hurricane State Manatee State Orange State[22] Peninsula State or Peninsular State[20] Sunshine State (currently used on license plates) Tropical State
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	Aloha State (currently used on license plates)[24] Paradise of the Pacific[24] Pineapple State[24] Rainbow State[25] Youngest State[24]
Idaho	Gem State[26] Gem of the Mountains[27] Little Ida[27] Spud State[28]
Illinois[29]	Land of Lincoln[30] (currently used on license plates) Prairie State[30] Corn State[30] Inland Empire State Sucker State (possibly named for a type of fish)[30] Garden of the West[30]
Indiana	Crossroads of America (previously used on license plates) Hoosier State[31] Hospitality State
Iowa	Hawkeye State Hawkeye State[32] Land of the Rolling Prairie
Kansas	Bleeding Kansas Jayhawk State Sunflower State Wheat State (previously used on license plates)
Kentucky	Bluegrass State (currently used on license plates)[33] Corn-cracker State (reported in 1881)[20] The Dark and Bloody Ground State (an allusion to battles between the Creek, Shawnee, Chickasaw, and Cherokee tribes)[33] Hemp State[33] Tobacco State[33]
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	The Border State (reported in 1881)[20] Pine Tree State Vacationland (currently used on license plates)
Maryland	America in Miniature[34] Chesapeake State[35] Cockade State[35] Crab State Free State[36] (most common) Monumental State[35] Old Line State[35] Oyster State[35] Queen State[35] Terrapin State[37]
Massachusetts	Baked Bean State[38] The Bay State[38] The Commonwealth Old Colony State[39] Pilgrim State[38] Taxachusetts (colloquial)[40][41][42][43][44]
Michigan	The Great Lakes State (previously used on license plates) Mitten State Winter Water Wonderland (previously used on license plates) Wolverine State[20] The Birthplace of Automotives
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	Hospitality State (previously used on license plates) Magnolia State
Missouri	Bullion State Cave State Gateway State Bellwether State Lead State Ozark State Puke State (reported in 1881)[20] Show-Me State (currently used on license plates)
Montana	Big Sky Country (currently used on license plates) The Last Best Place 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	Battle Born State (refers to the fact that Nevada joined the Union during the Civil War) Sagebrush State Silver State (currently used on license plates)
New Hampshire	Granite State[46] Mother of Rivers[46] White Mountain State[46]
New Jersey	Garden State (currently used on license plates) The Crossroads of the Revolution (previously used on license plates) The Tomato State
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
New York	The Empire State (currently used on license plates)
North Carolina	Old North State[48] Tar Heel State[49] Turpentine State[50] Variety Vacationland[51]
North Dakota	Flickertail State Peace Garden State (currently used on license plates) Rough Rider State Sioux State
Ohio	Buckeye State[20] Birthplace of Aviation[52] (currently used on license plates) Mother of Modern Presidents
Oklahoma	Native America (currently used on license plates) Land of the Red Man Sooner State[53]
Oregon	Beaver State Union State Pacific Wonderland (previously used on license plates)[54] Sunset State
Pennsylvania	Liberty Bell State Independence State Keystone State[20] Quaker State
Rhode Island	Little Rhody[20] Ocean State (currently used on license plates) Plantation State
South Carolina	Palmetto State[20] Sandlapper State Iodine Products State (in disuse)[55] (previously used on license plates)
South Dakota	Artesian State[56] Blizzard State[56] Coyote State[56] Land of Infinite Variety Mount Rushmore State (officially adopted in 1980 in place of the former nickname of Sunshine State)[56] Sunshine State[56]
Tennessee	Big Bend State (refers to the Tennessee River)[57] Butternut State (refers to the tan color of the uniforms worn by Tennessee soldiers in the American Civil War)[57] Hog and Hominy State[57] The Mother of Southwestern Statesmen[57] Volunteer State[57] (currently used on license plates)
Texas	Friendship State[58] Lone Star State[20][58] (currently used on license plates)
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	Green Mountain State[20] (currently used on license plates)
Virginia	Mother of Presidents The Old Dominion[20] The Commonwealth
Washington	Evergreen State[61] (currently used on license plates)
West Virginia	Mountain State (previously used on license plates) Panhandle State
Wisconsin	America's Dairyland (currently used on license plates) America's Bread Basket Badger State[20]
Wyoming	Cowboy State Equality State Park State

See also

• List of U.S. state mottos
• List of U.S. state slogans
• List of demonyms for U.S. states
• List of city nicknames in the United States

References

General

• Information about U.S. State Nicknames

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.  

External links

U.S. state insignia Amphibians • Beverages • Birds • Butterflies • Colors • Crustaceans • Dances • Dinosaurs • Fish • Flags • Flowers • Foods • Fossils • Grasses • Horses • Insects • Instruments • License plates • Mammals • Minerals, rocks, stones, and gems • Mottos • Nicknames • Poems • Poet Laureates • Reptiles • Route markers • Seals • Shells • Ships • Slogans • Soils • Songs • Sports • Tartans • Toys • Trees

Categories: United States state insignia | Nicknames | Alternative place names | States of the United States related lists

Hidden categories: Articles needing additional references from November 2008 | All articles needing additional references | All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements from April 2009 | Articles with unsourced statements from January 2008 | Articles with unsourced statements from October 2008 | All articles with dead external links | Articles with dead external links from May 2009

Simple English

Related links

Information about U.S. State Nicknames - American State Nicknames

Colorado State Name and Nicknames - Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration (DPA) Division of Information Technologies (DoIT)

Colorado State Flower - Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration (DPA) Division of Information Technologies (DoIT)

Colorado

Colorado - The State of Colorado - An Introduction from NETSTATE.COM

Symbols of Washington State

Heart of Dixie - Alabama Archives: "Heart of Dixie"

It's official: Ohio IS the birthplace of aviation - It's official: Ohio IS the birthplace of aviation

Illinois - The State of Illinois - An Introduction from NETSTATE.COM

State of New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development

Oregon's license plate from 1960 to circa 1966 - Oregon...Pacific Wonderland

Colorado Water History - CHS road marker program : Marker text

Why We are Called Tar Heels - North Carolina Collection-Why We're All Called Tar Heels

Official State Symbols of North Carolina - Official State Symbols of North Carolina

Emblems Index

State Symbols - California State Library - History and Culture - State Symbols

Georgia - The State of Georgia - An Introduction from NETSTATE.COM

Quick Facts: State Symbols - Quick Facts - The New Georgia Encyclopedia

History & Archaeology: Antebellum Industrialization - New Georgia Encyclopedia: Antebellum Industrialization

Folklife: Customs and Local Traditions - New Georgia Encyclopedia: Crackers

Land & Resources: Peanuts - New Georgia Encyclopedia: Peanuts

Texas:Facts, Map, and State Symbols - Texas: Facts, Map and State Symbols - EnchantedLearning.com

Related topics

• List of U.S. state slogans
• List of U.S. state trees
• Flags of the U.S. states
• U.S. state
• List of U.S. state birds
• List of U.S. state flowers
• List of U.S. state songs
• List of U.S. state minerals, rocks, stones and gemstones
• List of U.S. state and territory mottos
• List of U.S. states' Poets Laureate
• List of U.S. states by traditional abbreviation
• List of U.S. state slogans
• Lists of U.S. state insignia
• List of U.S. state sports
• State nickname
• List of U.S. state songs
• State bird
• List of U.S. state dinosaurs
• List of U.S. state trees
• List of U.S. state snack foods