How every state got its nickname

Alabama doesn’t have an official nickname, but it’s often called the “Yellowhammer State” or the “Heart of Dixie.”

Perhaps surprisingly, Alabama’s unofficial nicknames have nothing to do with the popular rival university cheers, “Roll Tide!” or “War Eagle!”

Instead, both of the state’s most common nicknames hark back to the Civil War, with “Yellowhammer” referencing Alabama soldiers’ uniforms, which were trimmed with yellow, and “Heart of Dixie” referring to Montgomery, Alabama’s position as the first capital of the Confederacy.

Alaska’s vast wilderness has led to its nickname, “the Last Frontier.”

Alaska is the largest state in the US, yet it has one of the smallest populations, with fewer than 750,000 residents, according to the 2020 Census.

With so much space and so few people, Alaska was dubbed “the Last Frontier,” as there is still so much area to be explored.

Arizona is the home of the Grand Canyon, making it the “Grand Canyon State.”

More than 4.5 million people visited Grand Canyon National Park in 2023, according to the National Park Service.

Arkansas’ nickname, the “Natural State,” became official in 1995.

The Encyclopedia of Arkansas reported that the Arkansas Parks System started advocating for more tourism in the 1980s, using the nickname the “Natural State.”

The nickname became official in 1995 thanks to Rep. Dennis Young, who introduced legislation citing the state’s various rivers, streams, lakes, bayous, mountains, and wildlife.

Arkansas Tourism is now a $9.2 billion industry with upward of 48 million visiting the state in 2022, per a press release from the Arkansas Cabinet Secretary.

California is the “Golden State.”

From the Gold Rush and golden poppies to sunshine and Hollywood, golden has always been the perfect way to describe California.

Colorado is the “Centennial State” because it became a state 100 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Colorado became a state on August 1, 1876.

Connecticut is nicknamed the “Constitution State.”

Long before the US Constitution was ratified in 1788, settlers drafted the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut.

The Fundamental Orders were adopted in 1639 and served as a state constitution determining the scope of government.

Delaware was the “First State” in the US.

Delaware ratified the Constitution on December 7, 1787.

The nickname the “Sunshine State” belongs to Florida.

With beautiful beaches, a warm climate, and plenty of sunshine, Florida adopted the nickname in 1970.

Georgia’s nickname the “Peach State” stems from a much darker history.

Peaches may now be widely known as a symbol for Georgia, but the state’s attachment to the fruit was actually part of a post-Civil War effort to reinvent its image, NPR reported.

Like so many of the other Southern states, Georgia was primarily known for producing cotton, but after the war, peaches became a new focus as fruit production seemed more “refined and European” than corn and cotton farming.

Idaho’s wide variety of minerals and gems led to its nickname, the “Gem State.”

In addition to its potatoes, Idaho is known for its many natural resources, including minerals and gems.

Copper, gold, opal, sapphire, and garnet are just a few of the stones that can be found in the state.

Residents of Indiana live in the “Hoosier State.”

The word “Hoosier” has been part of Indianans’ dialect for more than 100 years, but the word’s origins are hard to nail down.

The Indiana Historical Bureau said that one way the word may have gained popularity was from a poem written by John Finley called “The Hoosier’s Nest” (originally written as Hoosher), which was published and used as the “Carrier’s Address” of the Indianapolis Journal in January 1833.

The “Hawkeye State” was first recorded as a nickname for Iowa in 1859.

The origin of the Hawkeyes’ connection to Iowa is still unclear, but, according to the University of Iowa, some believe a local judge suggested the name after reading James Fenimore Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans, which features a character named Hawkeye.

The name gained popularity and is now used by the university’s sports teams, with Caitlin Clark being one of the most famous Hawkeyes in recent history.

Louisiana is known as the “Pelican State.”

The brown pelican is native to Louisiana, making it the perfect choice for the state’s official bird. It also appears on Louisiana’s flag, state seal, and in professional sports teams — hello, New Orleans Pelicans.

The nickname the “Pine Tree State” belongs to Maine.

As of 2021, Maine had over 17 million acres of forests, accounting for 83% of the state’s area, the USDA Forest Service reported.

The state is home to a high number of Eastern white pine trees.

Maryland has two nicknames: the “Old Line State” and the “Free State.”

George Washington gave Maryland the name “Old Line State.” As a general in the Revolutionary War, Washington praised Maryland’s regular line troops, who served in many battles throughout the war.

Meanwhile, the “Free State” originally referred to Maryland’s abolition of slavery in 1864. A congressman from Georgia later adopted the nickname in the 1920s for an editorial piece criticizing Maryland’s refusal to pass an act enforcing Prohibition.

Michigan is bordered by four of the five Great Lakes, making it the “Great Lakes State.”

Michigan is bordered by Lakes Superior, Huron, Erie, and Michigan.

Ontario is the only Great Lake to not border the state.

Minnesota’s nickname, the “North Star State” stems from its motto.

Minnesota’s motto, “L’Étoile du Nord,” was coined by the state’s first governor, Henry Sibley, in 1858.

William “Bill” Convery, director of research at the Minnesota Historical Society, told CBS station WCCO in 2023, “You can think of the North Star as a guide, as a way into the future. And I don’t know for sure, but I very much guess that’s what Sibley had in mind when he suggested that motto for Minnesota.”

A Missouri representative is often credited with inventing the state’s nickname, the “Show-Me State.”

While no one can say for certain how the “Show-Me State” originated, Rep. Willard Duncan Vandiver is often given credit.

Vandiver spoke at a naval banquet in 1899, and outlets reported that he said, “I come from a state that raises corn and cotton and cockleburs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me.”

Montana is known as the “Treasure State.”

Similar to Idaho and its gems, Montana is known for producing a wide variety of minerals like platinum, gold, and talc.

Montana Public Radio reported that the state is also known as “Big Sky Country” or the “Big Sky State” thanks to a 1930s advertising campaign by the Transportation Department. The name gained even more popularity in 1947 after the release of a book called “The Big Sky” by A.B. Guthrie Jr.

Nebraska is a major producer of several corn varieties, hence its nickname, the “Cornhusker State.”

The Nebraska Corn Board reported that in 2022, the state yielded more than 1.4 billion bushels of corn to yield almost $10 billion.

The state accounts for 10% of the country’s corn production overall.

New Jersey officially became the “Garden State” in 1954.

While the nickname originally dates back to the 1870s, the New Jersey state legislature voted to make the name official in 1954, overruling the governor to add “The Garden State” to license plates.

While the state doesn’t exactly lend itself to visions of farmlands and gardens, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture reported that the state is actually among the top 10 producers of fruits and vegetables like blueberries, peaches, tomatoes, spinach, and squash, with the state’s farms generating nearly $1.5 million in 2022.

New Mexico’s natural beauty and rich history contributed to its nickname, “Land of Enchantment.”

Similar to other states, New Mexico’s nickname was once used to promote tourism. While “Land of Enchantment” was used on license plates as early as 1941, the phrase didn’t become the official nickname until 1999.

North Carolina is known as the “Tar Heel State.”

North Carolina’s nickname stems from the state’s early beginnings as a leader in naval industry supplies.

As explained by Carolina Alumni, people working with pine trees to collect and produce materials like turpentine, tar, and pitch often had bare feet during summers, so they would get tar on their soles. As a result, “tar heel” soon became a name for someone working a trade job.

However, during the Civil War, soldiers reclaimed the phrase for themselves, turning it into a celebration of their state, and North Carolina became known as the “Tar Heel State.”

North Dakota is called the “Peace Garden State.”

The International Peace Garden, founded in 1932, is located along the border of North Dakota and the Canadian province of Manitoba.

North Dakota began using “Peace Garden State” on its license plates in 1956 and the phrase was officially adopted by the state legislature the following year.

Oklahoma’s nickname, the “Sooner State,” dates back to the 1800s.

In 1889, Congress passed a bill allowing people to settle on land that is now Oklahoma. However, all settlers were supposed to make their claims to land in accordance with the federal government’s designated land opening.

Those who entered the land early were nicknamed “Sooners.” The nickname stuck and now applies to all Oklahoma residents and is used by the University of Oklahoma’s mascot.

Oregon’s nickname, the “Beaver State,” dates back to the fur trade.

Beavers were a key aspect of Oregon’s economy during the fur trade, becoming a symbol of prosperity.

However, the success of the trade diminished beaver populations so much that the state is still working on conservation and restoration efforts for beavers and their habitats.

Pennsylvania is nicknamed the “Keystone State.”

Pennsylvania played a critical role in the establishment of the US, serving as the central location for planning the American Revolution, signing the Declaration of Independence, and signing the Constitution, thus earning the nickname the “Keystone State.”

South Carolina’s history as the “Palmetto State” began during the Revolutionary War.

The palmetto tree played a crucial role in South Carolina’s defense against the British during the Revolutionary War, as trunks were used to build the fort that defended Sullivan’s Island.

Since then, the tree has been featured on the state flag and seal and is referenced directly in the state pledge to the flag.

South Dakota is the “Mount Rushmore State.”

South Dakota is home to the famous landmark that features the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.

Their faces were carved into the mountainside in South Dakota’s Black Hills between 1927 and 1941, but the project was vehemently opposed by the Lakota Sioux Native American tribe, who consider the Black Hills sacred.

Volunteers in the War of 1812 earned Tennessee the nickname the “Volunteer State.”

According to the Tennessee Historical Society, volunteers played a significant role in the Tennessee militia during the War of 1812.

Then, 40 years later during the Mexican American War, a reported 30,000 Tennesseans responded to a call for 2,600 volunteers.

The University of Tennessee continues to use the nickname today for its sports teams, which are also known as the Vols.

Vermont is known as the “Green Mountain State.”

Vermont’s nickname is a literal translation of its modern name, which was derived from the French “les verts monts,” meaning “green mountains.”

The state is also home to a mountain range called the Green Mountains, which are part of the larger Appalachians.

Virginia’s nickname, “Old Dominion,” dates back to colonial times.

Virginia’s nickname, “Old Dominion,” is thought to have originated from two sources: its status as the oldest overseas colony of England or from King Charles II because of its loyalty to the monarchy during the English Civil Wars.

West Virginia is located in the Appalachian Mountains, making the “Mountain State” a fitting nickname.

It is the only state located completely within the Appalachian Mountains which is why it was given such a nickname.

It should come as no surprise, then, that the University of West Virginia draws on this fact for its mascot, the Mountaineers.

And finally, Wyoming is nicknamed the “Equality State.”

Just over 50 years before the 19th Amendment was ratified, Wyoming became the first state to give women the right to vote and hold office.

Unfortunately, the state has not lived up to its nickname. WalletHub reported that the state ranked 48th for women’s equality in 2024 based on factors such as workplace environments, political empowerment, and education and health.