Do you know the nicknames of the American states? Not everyone knows, but each federal state of the United States of America has a nickname, indeed almost always more than one. On this page we just want to list the official and most used ones for each state.
Many times the nickname is also exposed on car plates. The inhabitants are proud of it because it is the state symbol.
The official nicknames of the various states
Alabama - (no official nickname)
Alabama has a central location in the cotton growing area east of the Mississippi, which has led it to be known as Cotton State (1844). In more recent times the state has been known as Yellowhammer State, due to the yellow color of the uniforms that Alabama troops wore during the civil war. Although there is no official nickname for the state, The Heart of Dixie it is the most commonly used and was introduced by the Chamber of Commerce in the 40s for advertising purposes.
Alaska - The Last Frontier (the last frontier) or Land of the Midnight Sun (land of the midnight sun). Alaska license plates show the writing North to the Future.
Arizona - Grand Canyon State (the State of Grand Ganyon)
Arkansas - The earliest known nickname for Arkansas appears to be Bear State, first registered in 1858, and this is a nickname that several states have resorted to. Arkansas license plates show another nickname (The Natural State) which became the state's newest official nickname in 1995.
California - was initially known simply as The Gold State, due to the 1848 gold rush. It was also sometimes known as El Dorado and, due to its winemaking relationships, The Grape State. "The Gold" was changed to "Golden" in 1867, and the state has since been known as The Golden State, which became California's official nickname in 1968 (and also appears on license plates).
Colorado - Admitted 100 years after the founding of the Union, Colorado quickly became known as The Centennial State but it is written The Mountain State that appears on the license plates.
Connecticut - The state has had its fair share of other nicknames. The first formal constitution written on American soil, in Hartford, in 1639, gave it the nickname The Constitution State, which was made the state's official nickname in 1959 and appears on license plates.
Delaware - The state also had two other common nicknames: The Diamond State (due to its small size) and the semi-official name (as it appears on the license plates), The First State (being the first state to be admitted to the Union in 1787 ). In 2002, the state formally adopted The First State as an official nickname.
District of Columbia - Not quite a state as such, DC has no official nickname - but it is often called The Nation’s Capital (which appears on its license plates) and America's First City.
Florida - For many years, Florida appeared as The Sunshine State on its license plates, but this name was only officially given in 1970 when it was officially adopted by the legislature. The nickname is also unofficially claimed by New Mexico and (until 1980) South Dakota.
Georgia - The nicknames for Georgia these days are The Empire State of the South (originally used in the mid 19th century), and the name that appears on the license plates, The Peach State (the peach is the official fruit of the state since 1995). However, Georgia's legislature has not designated an official nickname for the state.
Hawaii - Many of Hawaii's supporters call it Paradise of the Pacific, or Crossroads of the Pacific (although this is mostly associated with the city of Honolulu), and others call it The Pineapple State. ). But since 1959 a Polynesian salute has given the official nickname to the state (which also appears on license plates), The Aloha State.
Idaho - The state name was often (but incorrectly) supposed to be Indian which meant "Gem of the Mountains". This has led to the state being nicknamed the Gem of the Mountains, or more succinctly in more recent times, The Gem State.
Illinois - The state has had numerous nicknames over the years - Garden of the West, The Garden State and The Corn State are just three of them. Lincoln began his political career in Illinois and in 1955 his motto became Land of Lincoln (which now appears on his license plates). However, these days it is often known as The Prairie State, a name that has had at least since 1842.
Indiana - Indiana is one of the few states that has had only one nickname - The Hoosier State - a name it has had since 1830. At one time, a "hoosier" was a rude person in the Wild West, but was eventually applied with contempt (like "Yankee") to anyone from Indiana. No one knows exactly where "Hoosier" came from, but it appears to have first appeared in 1826. Indiana license plates carry the motto, The Hospitality State.
Iowa - No one is entirely sure where the name "Hawkeye" came from, but it appears to have been applied to the inhabitants of Iowa around 1840, and The Hawkeye State it was first recorded around 1859. A more popular and recent (but also semi-official) nickname is the Corn State, which has appeared on state license plates.
Kansas - Kansas has probably had more nicknames in its history than any other state. Kansas itself officially favored the more modest Sunflower State – the state of the sunflower - which is the official nickname (and the sunflower is the state flower), but it is the inscription The Wheat State that appears on its license plates.
Kentucky - The "Blue Grass" region of the United States once stretched from Pennsylvania in the east to Ohio in the west, and down into Tennessee in the south. Although the grass is green, the bluish shoots produced in spring give the grass a distinctly blue color. Kentucky himself was The Bluegrass State from the time of the Civil War, and remains so (the name appears on state license plates).
Louisiana - Louisiana was the Pelican State since about 1859 (the pelican is also the official state bird) and has had few nicknames since. The great river's influence has led some to call it Child of the Mississippi, and many of the state's waterways have also led to the Bayou State (which is the name on the state license plates).
Maine - Maine has a pine tree as its symbol, and has been known as the Pine Tree State since the mid 19th century. Its name comes from the white pine, the official state tree.
Maryland - Maryland is another state that has had numerous nicknames since colonial times, but the official one is The Old Line State (the old line state - from the Maryland Line in the old colonial army, which some say was bestowed on the state by George Washington).
Massachusetts - Massachusetts is usually known as Bay State, a nickname that dates back to its earliest settlers in 1789, with Old Bay State appearing some 50 years later. Both nicknames allude to the Massachusetts Bay colony, founded in 1628. The earlier settlement of Plymouth gave Massachusetts Old Colony, a name that first appeared around 1798, and those early settlers led to the state being recognized at times as well. such as the Pilgrim State and the Puritan State.
Michigan - Michigan is also known as the Lake State, or the Great Lakes State (which appeared on state license plates) due to its proximity to Lake Michigan, but this name conflicts with the "Lake States", the name given to the states bordering the Great Lakes. To avoid this conflict, some have transformed it into the Lady of the Lake and the more remote Water Wonderland.
Minnesota - Minnesota's official nickname is the North Star State (the state of the northern star), and the state seal has the motto L'Etoile du Nord. The state's many lakes have also led to it being occasionally known as the Land of 10.000 Lakes (in fact, Minnesota has more than 12.000 lakes)
Mississippi - The state is known as the Hospitality State. However, the abundance of magnolia and its adoption as the official state flower and tree, has led to the modern nickname of the Magnolia State (the state of magnolia)
Missouri - To his modern nickname of Show Me State (which also appears on license plates) was given national popularity in the late 19th century by a phrase included in a speech by a Missouri Congressman, William Vandiver, although this name had existed before then.
Montana - Its rich gold and silver deposits have led it to be known as Treasure State (the state of the treasury), although the wide open spaces have led to having Big Sky Country written on the plaques.
Nebraska - Initially, Nebraska was known as Antelope State, or as Tree Planters State. In 1945, the original nickname was replaced by Cornhusker State, where "Cornhusker" was originally applied to the University of Nebraska athletics and soccer teams.
Nevada - Also known by strange names, such as the state of divorce (in this case, due to the rise of Reno and Las Vegas), the state was better known as Silverland (dating back to 1863, from the wealth of silver deposits). Nevada's nickname eventually became the Silver State (the silver state), a nickname disputed by Colorado, but which also appears on state license plates today.
New Hampshire - In 1830, New Hampshire was known as Granite State (state of granite), and this nickname has prevailed to this day (there was once a huge industry based on the extraction of granite). New Hampshire license plates declare the state's motto, Live Free or Die!
New Jersey - In the XNUMXs, New York was invaded by insects originating from the New Jersey swamps, which led to the state being known as the Mosquito State. But today New Jersey is simply known as the Garden State, a name coined by Abraham Browning in a speech at the Centennial Exhibition in 1876. Despite the governor's objection and veto, it has also officially appeared on state license plates since 1954.
New Messico - New Mexico for many years has been known as the Sunshine State, as well as Cactus State (the state of cacti). Enthusiastic supporters ranged New Mexico with Land of Cactus, Land of Opportunity and Land of Enchantment, but it is the last of these nicknames that appears on the license plates.
New York - The state motto is "Excelsior", and some have called New York the Excelsior State. But, when George Washington referred to New York state as "the seat of Empire" in 1784, he set the seed for the long-term nickname of the state that appeared around 1820 - theEmpire State. This is what appears on state license plates.
North Carolina - Once commonly known as the Old North State, due to its location and history, North Carolina has some beautiful mountain towns which have led to it being also known as the Land of the Sky. ). But the modern nickname of the Tarheel state dates back to the mid 19th century.
North Dakota - International Peace Gardens (spanning the state's northern border into Manitoba) have given the state its modern nickname (and car license slogan) of the Peace Garden State.
Ohio - During the very early part of the 19th century, Ohio was sometimes known as the Yankee State as many settlers had come from New England, but this is a nickname that was given a long time ago. But the state tree, a variety of horse chestnut, gives the state its current nickname of Buckeye State. Ohio license plates read The Heart of it All.
Oklahoma - Even before the land was open to white settlements, many settlers crept across the border and claimed their lands there. When the first official settlers were admitted, they found these "sooners" already in possession of the land they hoped to take. This resulted in the state being called the Sooner State.
Oregon - Oregon's state animal is the beaver (since 1969), and is a widely recognized symbol for the state - which led to the State University's team of athletes being known as "the Beavers", and the state to be called the Beaver State.
Pennsylvania - One of the oldest nicknames in the state (and the one that appears on its license plates) is The Keystone State, probably applied to Pennsylvania since the late 1802th century (although the first official citation is from XNUMX, when Pennsylvania was described as "the keystone of the Union" in a demonstration).
Rhode Island - Due to its location, its unofficial nickname (mainly for the benefit of tourists) is the Ocean State, and this is what appears on its license plates.
South Carolina - The palm has been associated with South Carolina since colonial times and the first appearance of Palmetto State (the nickname used in modern times) appears to have been around 1843.
South Dakota - Mount Rushmore State (the state of Mount Rushmore) appearing in words on the state flag.
Tennessee – Volunteer State (the voluntary state), a name that dates back (whichever reference is used) to 1812, when volunteer soldiers showed particular courage in the Battle of New Orleans, or to 1847, when the Governor summoned three regiments to serve in the Mexican War , and 30.000 men volunteered.
Texas - Probably no state has a better known nickname than Texas: the Lone Star State (which is how it is described on its license plates). It represents the symbol on the flag of the Republic of Texas of 1836 (also based on history dating back to the "Long Expedition" in 1819) and appears on the state flag and seal today. Despite its prominence, the nickname is purely traditional and has not been enshrined in legislation.
Utah - The first settlers in Utah were members of the Church of Latter-day Saints, also called Mormons. Mormons called the state "Deseret" when they arrived. "Deseret" is actually a bee and the early Mormon settlers were described as carrying "swarms of bees". This is what gave the state its symbol (officially adopted in 1959) of a conical beehive with a swarm of bees around (on the state flag) and the nickname of the Beehive State (state of hives)
Vermont - Green Mountain State (the state of the green mountains) which also appears on the license plates.
Virginia - Virginia has the oldest mention of any state nickname. Old Dominion makes its first appearance in 1778, but derives from Ancient Dominion, the nickname for the state of the late 17th century.
Washington - The numerous coniferous forests of the state of Washington have produced the nickname of Evergreen State (the always green state).
West Virginia - It is one of the states that have tried to claim the name of Switzerland of America, but it is more commonly known (also on the license plates) as Mountain State (the state of the mountains).
Wisconsin - Badger State (the rate status). The name appears to have arisen from the first miners who worked in Illinois lead mines in the 1830s. However, the name "badger" did not come from the action of mining lead mines, but because Wisconsinians did not live in homes. but in the caves on the hillside that looked like yew burrows.
Wyoming - The first grant of suffrage in the United States was made in Wyoming in 1869, leading to the state being called the State of Suffrage or with the current nickname Equality State (the state of equality). The Wyoming license plates state, Like No Place on Earth.
