List of nicknames of U.S. states

Written by

Samuel Shipley

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

This is a list of nicknames for each of the 50 states of the United States, ordered alphabetically by state. A single state may have more than one nickname. Not all of these nicknames are considered official. This list excludes the District of Columbia and U.S. territories.

state	nickname
Alabama	Cotton State, Yellowhammer State
Alaska	The Last Frontier
Arizona	Grand Canyon State
Arkansas	Natural State
California	Golden State
Colorado	Centennial State
Connecticut	Nutmeg State, Constitution State
Delaware	First State, Diamond State
Florida	Sunshine State
Georgia	Peach State, Empire State of the South
Hawaii	Aloha State
Idaho	Gem State
Illinois	Prairie State, Land of Lincoln
Indiana	Hoosier State
Iowa	Hawkeye State, Corn State
Kansas	Sunflower State, Jayhawker State
Kentucky	Bluegrass State
Louisiana	Pelican State, Creole State, Sugar State
Maine	Pine Tree State
Maryland	Free State, Old Line State
Massachusetts	Bay State, Old Colony State
Michigan	Wolverine State, Great Lake State
Minnesota	North Star State, Gopher State, Land of 10,000 Lakes, Land of Sky-Blue Waters
Mississippi	Magnolia State
Missouri	Show Me State
Montana	Treasure State, Big Sky Country
Nebraska	Cornhusker State, Beef State
Nevada	Silver State, Sagebrush State, Battle Born State
New Hampshire	Granite State
New Jersey	Garden State
New Mexico	Land of Enchantment, Sunshine State
New York	Empire State
North Carolina	Tar Heel State, Old North State
North Dakota	Flickertail State, Sioux State, Peace Garden State
Ohio	Buckeye State
Oklahoma	Sooner State
Oregon	Beaver State
Pennsylvania	Keystone State
Rhode Island	Ocean State, Little Rhody
South Carolina	Palmetto State
South Dakota	The Mount Rushmore State
Tennessee	Volunteer State
Texas	Lone Star State
Utah	Beehive State
Vermont	Green Mountain State
Virginia	The Old Dominion, Mother of Presidents
Washington	Evergreen State, Chinook State
West Virginia	Mountain State
Wisconsin	Badger State, America’s Dairyland
Wyoming	Equality State

Samuel Shipley The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica