List of U.S. State Nicknames - State Nicknames

State Nicknames

State Nickname(s)
Alabama
(No official nickname)
  • Cotton Plantation State
  • Cotton State
  • Heart of Dixie
  • Lizard State
  • Yellowhammer State
  • Camellia State
Alaska
  • Great Land (previously used on license plates)
  • Land of the Midnight Sun
  • Land of the Noonday Moon
  • The Last Frontier (presently used on license plates)
  • Seward's Folly (named after U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward)
  • 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
Arizona
  • Apache State
  • Aztec State
  • Baby State (during the 47 years that Arizona was the newest state in the Union)
  • Copper State
  • Grand Canyon State (currently used on license plates)
  • Italy of America
  • Sand Hill State
  • Sunset State
  • Sweetheart State
  • Valentine State (Arizona gained statehood on February 14, 1912)
Arkansas
  • Bear State
  • Bowie State
  • Hot Springs State
  • Land of Opportunity (former official nickname; previously used on license plates)
  • The Natural State (currently used on license plates)
  • Razorback State
  • Toothpick State
  • Wonder State
  • Diamond State
California
  • El Dorado State
  • The Golden State (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
  • The Bear State (or Republic)
  • The Sunshine State (in disuse) (c.f. FL)
Colorado
  • Buffalo Plains State (in disuse)
  • Centennial State (previously used on license plates)
  • Colorful Colorado (previously used on license plates)
  • Columbine State
  • Highest State
  • Lead State (in disuse)
  • Mother of Rivers
  • Rocky Mountain Empire
  • Rocky Mountain State (in disuse)
  • Silver State (in disuse; see Nevada)
  • Switzerland of America
Connecticut
  • Constitution State
  • Nutmeg State
  • Charter Oak State
Delaware
  • Chemical Capital
  • Corporate Capital (due to the state's business-friendly laws)
  • Diamond State (allusion to the state flag)
  • Blue Hen State or Blue Hen Chicken State
  • The First State (Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution; currently used on license plates)
  • Home of Tax Free Shopping
  • New Sweden
  • Peach State
  • Small Wonder
  • Uncle Sam's Pocket Handkerchief
District of Columbia
  • A Capital City (previously used on license plates)
  • The Federal City
  • Taxation without Representation (currently used on License Plates)
  • The District
Florida
  • Alligator State
  • Citrus State
  • Everglade State
  • Flower State
  • God's Waiting Room
  • Gulf State
  • Hurricane State
  • La Florida
  • Manatee State
  • Orange State
  • Peninsula State or Peninsular State
  • Sunshine State (currently used on license plates)
  • Tropical State
Georgia
  • Peach State (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. See also Atlanta Crackers: Origin of the name
  • Empire State of the South — Refers to economic leadership
  • 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.
  • Goober State — Refers to peanuts, the official state crop.
Hawaii
  • Aloha State (currently used on license plates)
  • Paradise of the Pacific
  • Pineapple State
  • Rainbow State
  • Youngest State
Idaho
  • Gem State
  • Gem of the Mountains
  • Little Ida
  • Spud State
  • Potatonia
Illinois
  • Land of Lincoln (currently used on license plates)
  • Prairie State
  • Corn State
  • Inland Empire State
  • Sucker State (possibly named for a type of fish)
  • Garden of the West
  • Baja Wisconsin
Indiana
  • Crossroads of America (previously used on license plates)
  • Hoosier State
  • Hospitality State
Iowa
  • Hawkeye State
  • Land of the Rolling Prairie
  • Tall Corn State
Kansas
  • America's Bread Basket
  • Sunflower State
  • Wheat State (previously used on license plates)
  • Home of Beautiful Women
Kentucky
  • Bluegrass State (currently used on license plates)
  • Corn-cracker State (reported in 1881)
  • The Dark and Bloody Ground State (an allusion to battles between the Creek, Shawnee, Chickasaw, and Cherokee tribes)
  • Hemp State
  • Tobacco State
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
  • Vacationland (currently used on license plates)
  • Pine Tree State
Maryland
  • America in Miniature
  • Chesapeake State
  • Cockade State
  • Crab State
  • Free State
  • Monumental State
  • Old Line State
  • Oyster State
  • Queen State
  • Terrapin State
Massachusetts
  • Baked Bean State
  • Codfish State (formerly represented on licence plates by a codfish)
  • The Bay State
  • The Commonwealth
  • Old Colony State
  • Pilgrim State
  • The Spirit of America (currently used on licence plates)
  • Taxachusetts (colloquial)
Michigan
  • The Great Lakes State (previously used on license plates)
  • Pure Michigan (currently used to promote tourism and on highway signs)
  • Spectacular Peninsulas (currently used on license plates)
  • Mitten State
  • Winter Water Wonderland (previously used on license plates)
  • Wolverine State
  • 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
  • Vikings State
Mississippi
  • Hospitality State (previously used on license plates)
  • Magnolia State
  • The South's Warmest Welcome
  • The Birthplace of America's Music (currently being used on license plates)
Missouri
  • Bullion State
  • Cave State
  • Gateway State
  • Bellwether State
  • Lead State
  • Ozark State
  • Puke State (reported in 1881)
  • Sleepy State
  • 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
  • Land of Dustin's Home
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
  • Mother of Rivers
  • White Mountain State
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
  • The Colorful State
  • Land of Enchantment (currently used on license plates)
  • Land of Sunshine (predates "Land of Enchantment"; this earlier nickname highlighted the large percentage of sunshine received statewide)
  • New Andalusia
  • The Outer Space State
  • The Tex-Mex State
  • The Spanish State
New York
  • The Empire State (currently used on license plates)
North Carolina
  • Old North State
  • Tar Heel State
  • Turpentine State
  • Variety Vacationland
  • Rip Van Winkle State
  • Land of the Sky
  • First in Flight State (currently used on license plates)
North Dakota
  • Flickertail State
  • Peace Garden State (currently used on license plates)
  • Rough Rider State
  • Sioux State
Ohio
  • Buckeye State
  • Birthplace of Aviation (currently used on license plates)
  • Mother of Modern Presidents
  • The Heart of it All
Oklahoma
  • Native America (currently used on license plates)
  • Land of the Red Man
  • Sooner State
Oregon
  • Beaver State
  • Union State
  • Pacific Wonderland (previously used on license plates)
  • Sunset State
Pennsylvania
  • Liberty Bell State
  • Independence State
  • Keystone State
  • Quaker State
  • Toll Booth State
Puerto Rico
  • Isla del Encanto ("Island of Enchantment")
  • Borinquen (name given by indigenous people, the Tainos)
  • The Shining Star of the Caribbean
  • Progress Island
Rhode Island
  • Little Rhody
  • Ocean State (currently used on license plates)
South Carolina
  • Palmetto State
  • Sandlapper State
  • Iodine Products State (in disuse) (previously used on license plates)
South Dakota
  • Artesian State
  • Blizzard State
  • Coyote State
  • Land of Infinite Variety
  • Mount Rushmore State (officially adopted in 1980 in place of the former nickname of Sunshine State)
  • Sunshine State
Tennessee
  • Big Bend State (refers to the Tennessee River)
  • Butternut State (refers to the tan color of the uniforms worn by Tennessee soldiers in the American Civil War)
  • Hog and Hominy State
  • The Mother of Southwestern Statesmen
  • Volunteer State (currently used on license plates)
Texas
  • Friendship State
  • Lone Star State (currently used on license plates)
  • Chili State
Utah
  • Beehive State
  • Mormon State
  • Friendly State (in disuse) (formerly used on license plates)
  • 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 (currently used on license plates)
Virginia
  • Mother of Presidents
  • The Old Dominion
  • The Commonwealth
Washington
  • Evergreen State (currently used on license plates)
  • Apple State
West Virginia
  • Mountain State (previously used on license plates)
  • Panhandle State
Wisconsin
  • America's Dairyland (currently used on license plates)
  • Cheese State
  • Badger State
Wyoming
  • Cowboy State
  • Equality State
  • Park State
  • Forever West (On highway welcome signs)

Read more about this topic:  List Of U.S. State Nicknames

Famous quotes containing the word state:

    “The principal saloon was the Howlin’ Wilderness, an immense log cabin with a log fire always burning in the huge fireplace, where so many fights broke out that the common saying was, “We will have a man for breakfast tomorrow.””
    —For the State of California, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)