Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
We see them all the time. State license plates with dopey mottoes and dumb nicknames. Did you ever find
yourself wondering, “Who picked such a stupid nickname for their state?” This listing explains the deriva-
tion of the names of the states and attempts to sort out some of the silliness behind those occasionally absurd
nicknames and state mottoes. The numbers following the names of the states refer either to their rank in age
and date of ratification of the Constitution, for the first thirteen states, or rank and date of entrance into the
Union for later states.
•
Alabama
(22nd state—1819) comes from a Choctaw Indian word meaning “thicket clearers” or
“vegetation gatherers.” Alabama is officially nicknamed the Yellowhammer State in honor of the
state bird, the yellowhammer, better known as a woodpecker. During the Civil War, Alabama's
soldiers also wore a yellow-tinged uniform, an odd color choice for a uniform.
•
Alaska
(49th state—1959) is a corruption of a native Aleut word meaning either “great land” or
“that which the sea breaks against,” and is now nicknamed the Last Frontier and Land of the Mid-
night Sun. U.S. secretary of state William Henry Seward arranged for the purchase of Alaska in
1867 from Russia for about two cents an acre. Alaska was first derided as “Seward's folly” or
“Seward's icebox,” but needless to say, the return on the investment has been substantial.
•
Arizona
(48th state—1912) derives from the Papago Indian word
arizonac
, meaning “little
spring.” An alternative suggestion is from the Spanish
arida zona
, for “dry land.” Its official nick-
name, the Grand Canyon State, is a clear improvement over such other fond appellations as the
State Where You Can Always Expect to Enjoy the Unexpected, the Valentine State (because it
joined the Union on February 14, 1912), or the Italy of America, presumably coined for the state's
scenic wonders. However, there are no Grand Canyons or Painted Deserts in Italy. Arizona is also
the only state to boast of official neckwear—the bolo tie.
•
Arkansas
(25th state—1836) probably gets its name from
akenzea
, a word of unknown meaning
borrowed from the Quapaw, a Sioux tribe. Unfortunately, it has taken the rather dull Land of
Opportunity as its official nickname instead of opting for more colorful alternatives such as the
Guinea Pig State (the U.S. Department of Agriculture uses the state for its testing programs), the
Place Where Plant Sites and Pine Forests Grow Side by Side, and the Toothpick State.
•
California
(31st state—1850) The origin of the Golden State's name is a bit obscure. The word
was first used by Hernán Cortés in 1535 and may be derived from the Spanish words
caliente
