Random Best State Nicknames (50 items)

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  (#1) Alaska

  • 1959-01-03

  Not to be confused with the final frontier, Alaska is known as The Last Frontier due to the vast areas of land within the state that have yet to be mapped, charted, or explored. It is also referred as The Last Frontier because people looked at it as the best place in America to start life anew.
  
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  (#2) Texas

  • 1845-12-29

  Texas was a former independent republic and struggled for independence from Mexico. The Lone Star State nickname is a reminder of that individualistic spirit. And you'll never believe what the Texan flag has on it - one star! Go figure!
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  (#3) Hawaii

  • 1959-08-21

  The same year Hawaii was adopted as a state by the US, Hawaiians adopted the moniker The Aloha State for the land. Wanting to be seen as a friendly and hospitable place to go, they chose the term "aloha" because it means "hello" in Hawaiian. It totally worked and Hawaii is the fifth most visited state in the nation.
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  (#4) Florida

  • 1845-03-03

  Florida gained the official nickname The Sunshine State due to its weather and climate. The state officially took the name in 1970 because it helped lure in "snowbird" tourists who needed to escape the cold weather of other regions of the US.
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  (#5) New York

  • 1788-07-26

  Way before Jay-Z sang a song about it, New York was nicknamed The Empire State due to its wealth and variety of resources. According to lore, George Washington looked at a map of New York, observed the natural geographic advantages, and referred to it as the "Seat of an Empire."
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  (#6) Kentucky

  • 1792-06-01

  What's this all about? Well, the state is full of bluegrass! Though it actually looks green to the naked eye, it is the bloom, not the grass that is blue. Bluegrass was in popular demand by settlers early on, and the term became so popular it was even given to a new genre of music based on the Appalachian musicians in the region.
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  (#7) Arizona

  • 1912-02-14

  If you're wondering why Arizona is called The Grand Canyon State, then you probably need to go back to elementary school. The 227 mile canyon, which was carved by the Colorado River is located entirely within the state itself. Weird fact: an average of 10 people a year die from falling in.
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  (#8) Michigan

  • 1837-01-26

  The shores of Michigan touch all four of the Great Lakes, earning it the nickname The Great Lakes State. Almost half of the entire state of Michigan is covered in water, and if you're in Michigan you're always within 85 miles of a Great Lake.
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  (#9) California

  • 1850-09-09

  In 1968, California adopted the nickname The Golden State, which refers to the infamous California Gold Rush, as well as the golden poppies and golden sunsets that are synonymous with California. Anther name up for consideration was The Grape State, but that just doesn't sounds as cool, does it?
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  (#10) Georgia

  • 1788-01-02

  Named for its reputation for producing the highest quality peaches in the country, Georgia is known as The Peach State. In 1995, the state made the peach the official state fruit as well. In 2012, blueberries became the most valuable crop in the state, but they have yet to amend the state nickname.
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  (#11) Minnesota

  • 1817-12-10

  Most Minnesota state emblems contain the words "L'Etoile du Nord," which translates as "The North Star." This makes it the only state to have a motto in French. The state's unofficial nickname is The Land of 10,000 Lakes, though if you want to be exact, there are officially 11,842 lakes in the state.
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  (#12) Delaware

  • 1787-12-07

  If you need an explanation for this one, then you probably shouldn't be reading this list in the first place. Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787 thus gaining it the nickname The First State. Pennsylvania was the second to ratify and now you have a fun piece of US history trivia with which to impress your friends!
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  (#13) New Mexico

  • 1912-01-06

  This state nickname was adopted in the '90s either because of the scenic beauty and rich history of New Mexico or because Lillian Whiting wrote a book called The Land of Enchantment, which was a great promotion for tourism. It's all about that cash money, folks.
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  (#14) Washington

  • 1889-11-11

  Pioneer Seattle realtor C.T. Conover nicknamed Washington The Evergreen State due to the abundance of evergreen and fir forests found throughout the state. Unlike deciduous trees, whose leaves turn brown and fall during the autumn months, he leaves of these trees stay green through the year... hence the term evergreen. Simplicity trumps all in Washington, apparently.
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  (#15) Vermont

  • 1791-03-04

  Named by Samuel de Champlain in 1647, the Green Mountains are the luscious (and obviously green) mountains in the state of Vermont. The state eventually made it the official nickname, which you can see on its license plates as of 1997. Prior to that, the license plates just read "See Vermont" or "Green Mountains." The addition of the nickname really spiced things up.
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  (#16) Alabama

  • 1819-12-14

  Alabama doesn't have an official state nickname, but the state is commonly referred to as The Heart of Dixie. No, it's not named after that Rachel Bilson show on The CW, it's called The Heart of Dixie because the chamber of commerce was tired with the old nickname, The Cotton State, thinking it was too boring.
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  (#17) Pennsylvania

  • 1787-12-12

  A keystone is a wedge-shaped piece at the crown of an arch that locks other pieces in place. In other words, it is the stone that other stones rely on for support and apparently, that's what the state of Pennsylvania is with regards to the entire country. Not only did it help hold the states together as a Union, but it visually looks like a keystone on a map within the original 13 colonies.
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  (#18) Connecticut

  • 1788-01-09

  John Fiske, a popular historian from Connecticut, claimed that The Fundamental Orders of 1638-1639 (the first constitution in history) were written in this state. Connecticut is also unofficially known as The Land of Steady Habits. Now that's an edgy name, isn't it?
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  (#19) Mississippi

  • 1817-12-10

  Guess what? Mississippi has a lot of magnolia flowers. So many, in fact, that they named it The Magnolia State. It's better than being known as the poorest state in the nation, which, unfortunately for Mississippians, is also true.
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  (#20) Nevada

  • 1864-10-31

  Nevada is named The Silver State not because of the amount of coins that are lost in Las Vegas, but because of the large amount of silver mines it boasts. Though chances are, most of the silver found in these mines eventually made its way through a slot machine or two over the years.
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  (#21) Kansas

  • 1861-01-29

  In 1903, Kansas became known as The Sunflower State for its abundance of wild sunflowers (ironically, 10 years earlier, lawmakers tried to eradicate the flower which they thought was a "noxious weed").  From then on, whenever Kansas folk would leave town, they'd make sure to wear a sunflower on their body to alert people of their Kansan pride.
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  (#22) West Virginia

  • 1863-06-20

  The Allegheny Mountains run through West Virginia, accounting for more than 10% of the state's land area. It has also been called The Switzerland of America and The Panhandle State, because of its shape, not the fact that it has one of the lowest average annual incomes in the country.
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  (#23) Colorado

  • 1876-08-01

  Colorado is known as The Centennial State because it actually became a state in 1876, one hundred years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  Did you know Colorado is the highest state in the nation?  Not because it was the first state to make marijuana legal, but because of all the US states it has the most mountains that boast elevations of over 14,000 feet.
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  (#24) Iowa

  • 1846-12-28

  The Hawkeye State nickname was given in honor of Chief Black Hawk, leader of the Sauk Indians who populated the Iowa area. The unofficial nickname of the state is The Corn State because 90% of its land is dedicated to the production of corn.
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  (#25) Virginia

  • 1788-06-25

  Charles II of England quartered the arms of Virginia on his shield in 1663, thus adding Virginia to his dominions of France, Ireland and Scotland. When Virginia became the first state to be colonized, they used the term The Old Dominion to nickname the state for that reason. (Dominion refers to complete ownership of a piece of land or territory.)
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  (#26) Tennessee

  • 1796-06-01

  The nickname The Volunteer State dates back to the War of 1812 when volunteer soldiers from Tennessee serving under Andrew Jackson displayed marked valor in the Battle of New Orleans. The most famous of the volunteers was a man named Davy Crockett, who had his own nickname: The King of the Wild Frontier.
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  (#27) Wisconsin

  • 1848-05-29

  Ironically, this name was not given to the state because of the animal known as the badger. Back in the 1830s, Wisconsin miners lived in caves cut into hillsides which were referred to as badger dens and the miners who lived in them were called badgers. Eventually the term came to represent all Wisconsinites. The more popular nickname, however, is The Cheese State because of the state's awesome cheese.
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  (#28) Nebraska

  • 1867-03-01

  Before husking machinery was developed, Nebraskans were known for husking and harvesting their corn by hand. In 1900, the term was first used as the University of Nebraska's mascot and the state adopted it as the official nickname in 1945. It may not be the best nickname, but it's certainly corny (like that joke).
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  (#29) Oregon

  • 1859-02-14

  Get your mind out of the gutter. The origin of The Beaver State nickname came in the early 19th century when beaver hats were in fashion and beaver pelts were all the rage in Oregon.
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  (#30) Maine

  • 1820-03-15

  It's no surprise Maine went with this nickname when you learn that there is an abundance of pine tree forests in the state and that it's actually 90% forest land. It's rumored that the entire state smells like a car that just went through a car wash.
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  (#31) New Jersey

  • 1787-12-18

  Also the name of that Zach Braff movie, The Garden State is said to be in reference to the importance of agriculture in the state. Though there are many areas of New Jersey not known for their gardens (ahem, Trenton), the name has stuck since 1954. The Armpit of the World State just doesn't have the same ring to it.
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  (#32) Louisiana

  • 1812-04-30

  There's nothing more terrifying than a pelican, right? The pelican became the state bird in 1966 which happened to be the same year that pelicans started dying from pesticides, leading to their endangered status. Today, the pelican population is back to normal with its greatest enemy being the alligator (whose isn't?).
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  (#33) South Carolina

  • 1788-04-23

  The state tree of South Carolina is the sabal palmetto which inspired the state's nickname. Sabal palm wood was used during the Revolutionary War to build forts that could withstand the impact of cannonballs. The tree itself eventually came to represent the triumphant defenders against the British Fleet during the Revolutionary War.
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  (#34) Montana

  • 1889-11-08

  Rich mineral sources (of gold and silver specifically) were the basis of Montana's state nickname The Treasure State. Its official state quarter also refers to it as Big Sky Country in reference to the wide, open spaces throughout the state.
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  (#35) Ohio

  • 1803-03-01

  What the heck is a buckeye you may ask? It's a tree that can be found throughout Ohio. The buckeye tree drops buckeye nuts which parents have keep children from eating off the ground, as they can lead to vomiting and upset stomach.
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  (#36) Maryland

  • 1788-04-25

  The Maryland soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War were known as the Maryland Line and it is said that General George Washington referred to these soldiers as "The Old Line." Maryland is also called The Cockade State after the badge-like ornaments soldiers wore. But "cockade" would just be too funny to say out loud in elementary schools, right?
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  (#37) Indiana

  • 1816-12-11

  Which came first - the state name or the movie? Everybody loves the sports flick Hoosiers, about the Indiana basketball team, however the term Hoosier was in use way before the film was released. The term came about in the 1800s defining the pioneers of Indiana and the qualities they possessed: self-reliance and bravery.
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  (#38) Massachusetts

  • 1788-02-06

  The exact reason why Massachusetts is called The Bay State is unclear. Some people believe it's because the state's founders settled at Cape Cod Bay. Others believe it's named after the Massachusetts Bay Company, the company that was granted a British royal charter in 1629 to populate the new world. Others believe it is because Michael Bay likes to shoot movies there. Probably only two of these theories have any legs.
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  (#39) Oklahoma

  • 1907-11-16

  This one requires a little backstory. When the state of Oklahoma was established, thousands of people lined up at the border to race in and claim their land. But some dastardly folk went in early and they became known as the "Sooners." At the time, Sooners were known as lawless thieves, but the term has since taken on a more positive connotation.
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  (#40) New Hampshire

  • 1788-06-21

  Granite is the official state rock of New Hampshire, and the state is nicknamed for the many granite quarries found throughout the state. Talk about a sexy nickname! Who doesn't want roll around in a field of granite and think fondly about New Hampshire!?
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  (#41) South Dakota

  • 1889-11-02

  Mount Rushmore was commissioned in 1927 and sculptor Gutzon Borglum, with 400 helpful people, sculpted the faces of presidents Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt ,and Lincoln, right onto the side of the mountain. More than twp million people a year visit the monument, which is reason enough to call South Dakota The Mount Rushmore State.
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  (#42) Idaho

  • 1890-07-03

  A mining lobbyist pitched this nickname (you don't say!?) because it was believed that "Idaho" meant "Gem of the Mountain" in the Shoshone Indian culture, so the state adopted the term. However, they were wrong. The name stuck anyway and fits due to the 240 types of minerals that the state produces.
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  (#43) Illinois

  • 1818-08-26

  Due to the abundance of prairie grass found in the state, Illinois is called The Prairie State and even celebrates its prairie lands with a week-long celebration in September. Unofficially, it's also known as The Land of Lincoln as it was the home state of president Abraham Lincoln.
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  (#44) Missouri

  • 1821-08-10

  Apparently, a group of Missouri miners went to Colorado to replace miners who were striking. They had to teach the new miners the procedures used in Colorado, and other miners said they had to "show them" how to do everything. At least The Show-Me State is better than The We're Idiots State?
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  (#45) Rhode Island

  • 1790-05-29

  The state of Rhode Island has over 400 miles of coastline giving it the largest ratio of coastline to overall square mileage of any state in the country. It used to be called The Plantation State, but that word doesn't have the best place in history anymore.
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  (#46) Wyoming

  • 1890-06-10

  Wyoming is known as The Equality State because of the rights women were traditionally given there, as opposed to in other places. It was the first state where women could vote, serve on juries, and hold positions in public office. Ironically, it took until late 2014 for the state to recognize the gay marriage.
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  (#47) Utah

  • 1896-01-04

  Bees are symbolic of industry, perseverance, thrift, stability, and self reliance, which all happen to also be the attributes of a Utahan, thus the nickname The Beehive State. This dates back to the days of Joseph Smith and the Mormon establishment in the state. However, the population of the honey bee in Utah (and elsewhere) has been on the decline for the last decade.
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  (#48) Arkansas

  • 1836-06-15

  Though it used to be called The Land of Opportunity, Arkansas changed its nickname to The Natural State in 1995 to help promote tourism. Did it work? Well, when you think
  vacation destination" is your next though ever "Arkansas"? The tourism outlook for the state isn't as bad as North Dakota, however; it is considered the LEAST visited state in the nation.
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  (#49) North Dakota

  • 1889-11-02

  North Dakota gets its nickname from The International Peace Garden, a park established on the international border between Canada in the United States  The park was created as a symbol of the peaceful relationship between Canada and the US.
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  (#50) North Carolina

  • 1789-11-21

  When the Carolina colony was divided in 1710, the northern state of North Carolina became known as The Old North State (for obvious reasons). It is also referred to as The Tar Heel State due to the tar, pitch, and turpentine from the vast pine forests of North Carolina.

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