List of U.S. state and territory nicknames facts for kids

Map of the United States showing the state nicknames as hogs. Lithograph by Mackwitz, St. Louis, 1884.

The following is a table of U.S. state and territory nicknames, including officially adopted nicknames, and other traditional nicknames for the 50 U.S. states and territories (and the District of Columbia).

State and territory nicknames

Current official state and territory nicknames are highlighted in bold. A state nickname is not to be confused with an official state slogan.

State, federal district, or territory	Nickname(s)
Alabama	Cotton Plantation State Cotton State Heart of Dixie (used on license plates) Lizard State Yellowhammer State
Alaska	Land of the Midnight Sun Land of the Noonday Moon The Last Frontier (currently 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
American Samoa	Motu o Fiafiaga (a Samoan phrase; in English, it is "Islands of Paradise") (currently used on American Samoa license plates) Football Island[s]
Arizona	Apache State Aztec State Baby State (because Arizona is the newest contiguous state in the Union) Copper State Grand Canyon State (currently used on license plates) Italy of America Sand Hill State Sunset State Sweetheart State (See below) 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 Crystal State Toothpick State Wonder State
California	El Dorado State The Golden State (previously used on license plates) The Beach State
Colorado	Buffalo Plains State (no longer used) Centennial State (previously used on license plates. Colorado was admitted to the Union one hundred years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.) Colorful Colorado (previously used on license plates) Columbine State Highest State Lead State (no longer used) Mother of Rivers Rocky Mountain Empire (no longer used) Rocky Mountain State (no longer used) Silver State (no longer used; see Nevada) Ski Country USA Switzerland of America
Connecticut	Constitution State (official, currently used on license plates) Nutmeg State Provision State Blue Law State Freestone State Land of Steady Habits
Delaware	Chemical Capital of the World (due to one time being the corporate headquarters for several international chemical companies.) Corporate Capital (due to the state's business-friendly incorporation laws) Diamond State (Thomas Jefferson is supposed to have referred to Delaware as being like a diamond- small in size but great in value) 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) Peach State (no longer used; see Georgia) Small Wonder
District of Columbia	Nation's Capital DMV (nickname for the broader metropolitan area of Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia) Inside the Beltway
Florida	Alligator State Everglade State Flower State Gulf State Orange State Peninsula State or Peninsular State Plywood State Sunshine State (currently used on license plates)
Georgia	Peach State (currently 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 — Georgia is the largest Southern state in land area east of the Mississippi and was the leading industrial state of the Old South. Goober State — Refers to peanuts, the official state crop. State of Adventure (On highway welcome signs)
Guam	Tano y Chamorro (Land of the Chamorro) (currently used on Guam license plates) Hub of the Pacific Gateway to Micronesia
Hawaii	Aloha State (officially the "popular" name, currently used on license plates) Paradise of the Pacific Pineapple State Rainbow State Youngest State 808 State (colloquial, refers to the state's area code.)
Idaho	Gem State Gem of the Mountains Little Ida Spud State
Illinois	Land of Lincoln (currently used on license plates) Prairie State Corn State Garden of the West
Indiana	Hoosier State
Iowa	Hawkeye State
Kansas	America's Heartland (previously used on Licence Plates) Central State Dorothy's Home Free State Midway USA (previously used on Kansas Licence Plates) Sunflower State Wheat State (previously used on license plates)
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) Creole State Pelican State Sportsman's Paradise (currently used on license plates)
Maine	Vacationland (currently used on license plates) Pine Tree State (Co-official with Vacationland) Lumber State
Maryland	America in Miniature Chesapeake State Cockade State Free State Monumental State Old Line State Oyster State Queen State Terrapin State
Massachusetts	Baked Bean State Codfish State (formerly represented on license plates by a codfish) The Bay State Old Colony State Pilgrim State The Spirit of America (currently used on license plates) The People's Republic of Massachusetts (colloquial) Taxachusetts (colloquial)
Michigan	The Great Lakes State (previously used on license plates) Water Wonderland and Water-Winter Wonderland (previously used on license plates) The Wolverine State The Mitten State
Minnesota	Gopher State Land of 10,000 Lakes ("10,000 Lakes" currently used on license plates) New England of the West North Star State State of Hockey ”Minne(snow)ta” Bread and Butter State
Mississippi	Hospitality State (previously used on license plates) Magnolia State The Birthplace of America's Music (currently being used on license plates) The Bayou State
Missouri	Bullion State Show-Me State (currently used on license plates) The Gateway to the West
Montana	Big Sky Country (previously used on license plates) The Last Best Place Treasure State (currently used on license plates)
Nebraska	Antelope State Beef State (previously used on license plates) Cornhusker State (previously used on license plates) Bugeating State Blackwater State The Good Life (as seen on state border signs) Tree Planters State
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) Casino state
New Hampshire	Granite State The Live Free or Die State (official motto; "Live Free or Die" currently used on license plates) 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 Cornerstone State (used colloquially, especially with reference to Pennsylvania when it is called the Keystone State).
New Mexico	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 York	Empire State (currently used on license plates) Excelsior State
North Carolina	Old North State Tar Heel State Turpentine State Variety Vacationland First in Flight State (currently used on license plates) First in Freedom (currently used on license plates)
North Dakota	Flickertail State Peace Garden State (currently used on license plates) Rough Rider State Sioux State
Northern Mariana Islands	Håfa Adai (a Chamorro phrase; in English, it is "Hello") (currently used on Northern Mariana Islands license plates) America's Best Kept Secret
Ohio	Buckeye State Birthplace of Aviation (currently used on license plates) The Heart Of It All (formerly used on license plates)
Oklahoma	Native America (currently used on license plates) Sooner State
Oregon	Beaver State Pacific Wonderland (previously used on license plates and currently available on an extra cost plate) Webfoot State
Pennsylvania	Keystone State (previously used on license plates) Quaker State Coal State Railroad State
Puerto Rico	Isla del Encanto ("Island of Enchantment") (currently used on license plates) Borinquen (name given by indigenous people, the Tainos)
Rhode Island	Little Rhody Ocean State (currently used on license plates) Rogues Island The Licentious Republic Smallest State
South Carolina	Palmetto State Iodine Products State (no longer used) (previously used on license plates)
South Dakota	Artesian State Blizzard State Coyote State Land of Infinite Variety The Mount Rushmore State (officially adopted in 1980 in place of the former nickname of Coyote State) Sunshine State (no longer used; see Florida)
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	Lone Star State (currently used on license plates)
U.S. Virgin Islands	America's Caribbean (used on U.S. Virgin Islands license plates until 2015) American Paradise
Utah	Beehive State Mormon State Friendly State (formerly used on license plates)
Vermont	Green Mountain State (currently used on license plates)
Virginia	Mother of Presidents Mother of States Horse Country The Old Dominion
Washington	Evergreen State (currently used on license plates)
West Virginia	Mountain State (previously used on license plates) Panhandle State The Switzerland of America Almost Heaven
Wisconsin	Badger State America's Dairyland (also on license plates since a 1939 state law) The Mitten State The Copper State (historical) The Dairy State
Wyoming	Cowboy State Equality State Forever West (on highway welcome signs)