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US State Nicknames and Mottos
The owners of mottos, nicknames, and slogans may not only be insightful people or clever businesses but also states.
In fact, all the states of America have each chosen a state motto. Some of them have been integrated into state flags and/or state seals. Yet again, some have been officially designated by act of state legislature, others figure unofficially as elements of a state’s seal.
A state motto is a brief symbolic description that tries to capture the 'soul', intention or character of a particular state and thereby also its inhabitants.
More or less the same intention applies for state nicknames and state slogans. Official state slogans are most often a state's attempt at attracting tourists to the nation. Unofficial funny state slogans are typically made by companies to sell on t shirts and other souvenir items.
Sometimes the state nicknames and state slogans appear on license plates.
The essence of a state's motto is often related to what is considered proud American virtues such as:
•Strength through National Union;
• Admiration of Labour;
• Justice, Freedom and Independence;
• The importance of belief and faith;
• Hope.
The official US motto is “In God We Trust”. Motto was born out of a wish to combine religious and national sentiments. It was first seen on a coin during the Civil War in 1864.
Alabama: the Alabama state motto: "We Dare Defend our Rights" is derived from a poem by 18th century author Sir William Jones. The state of Alabama is placed in the middle of what is referred to as the "Cotton Belt". That’s why its nickname is "The Cotton State".
Alaska: The Alaska state motto "North to the Future” signals optimism towards the future, a land of promise.
Arizona: "God enriches” was provided by the writer and journalist Richard McCormick who was appointed secretary of the Arizona Territory by President Lincoln. One of the Arizona state nicknames is the "The Grand Canyon State". In the northern part of the state, the mountain range known as The Grand Canyon is found in all its spectacular beauty. Most of the Grand Canyon mountain range may be found within the scopes of the Grand Canyon National Park - one of the first national parks in America.
Arkansas: The Arkansas state motto is "The People Rule". Historic sources have had a difficult time tracing the motto's origin so it is not known how it came about.
California: The California state motto "Eureka" is a Greek motto which may be translated as "I have found it". It is in fact the only U. S. state motto in Greek. The motto may refer to two things: 1) the state admission or 2) the discovery of gold in California. One of the most popular California state nicknames is "The Golden State". Gold, both as beautiful warm colour and symbolic meaning of high value, is emphasized in various ways across the state - in buildings: Golden Gate Bridge, as natural scenery: Golden poppies in springtime and golden sunsets at the beach. Yet another meaning of the "The Golden State" is the historical reference (like the California state motto "Eureka" ("I have found it")) to the successful digging of gold done in California.
Colorado: In the year of 1876 Colorado became a U. S. state, 100 years after its Declaration of Independence, that’s why the Colorado state nickname is "Centennial State".
Connecticut: "He Who Transplanted Continues to Sustain" is the state motto. The 80th Psalm could be a possible source of the motto. The origin of Connecticut nickname "The Nutmeg State" is unclear and several stories have made an attempt to explain its meaning: 1) One legend goes that some immoral people from Connecticut cheated buyers by selling them wooden nutmegs; 2) Another story that indirectly takes the people from Connecticut in defence, states that the buyers didn't know that the seed must be ground to make the spice.
Delaware: The underlying message inherent in the state motto "Liberty and Independence" refers to Delaware's prominent role in United State's great fight for independence and struggle for freedom. Delaware state nickname "The Blue Hen State" go back to an event during the Revolutionary War when cock fights were highly prized as popular events. The chickens used here had rare fighting abilities and were said to be descendents from a particular famous Blue Hen. Once in a particular memorable cockfight, a soldier was to have cried out: "We're sons of the Old Blue Hen and we're game to the end" - comparing the strength and fighter skills of the cock to that of the Delaware soldiers. Later the regiments from Kent County were called "Blue Hen's Chickens".
Florida: The Florida state motto "In God We Trust" is identical to the United States motto. A real hit motto "The Sunshine State" for the tourism industry - a message of lovely heat and nice weather (even though rough weather is not unusual).
Georgia: The nickname "The Peach State" calls attention to the value of peaches in the Georgian economy.
Hawaii: The words "The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness" were supposedly first uttered by Queen Ke'opuolani in the year of 1825 when she was baptized a Christian.
Idaho: The Idaho state motto “May You Last Forever” has its roots in a sentence made by Pietro Sarpi (1522-1623) a Venetian theologian and mathematician. The Idaho state nickname "The Gem State" refers to the finding of rich veins of various metals found in the Idaho mountains such as: gold, silver, copper, cobalt, lead, zinc along with rare mineral gems such as star garnets, opal, jasper, jade, zircon, topaz and tourmaline.
Illinois: The Illinois state motto "State Sovereignty, National Union" therefore intends to represent the, at the same time, independency of the state of Illinois and the strength it provides when being part of a greater union. In this way the Illinois motto may be perceived as a kind of paradox. "The Prairie State": About 20 million years ago the grass of the prairie began to take form. Today in some areas only 1% remains, so the state of the prairie is in high danger of being destroyed.
Indian: “The Crossroads of America” signifies the importance of waterways, railroads, highways and other transportation facilities in the state, viewed by many as some of the finest in the nation. The importance Indiana puts on paths of transportation has roots all the way back to the early 1800s when the major cross state Cumberland Road (today US Route 40) was built. Since the 1830's Indiana has gone under the nickname "The Hoosier State". The reason behind this nickname has been speculated much upon and therefore many interesting and humorous theories on the subject exist. A few of them are listed below: 1) "The Who's Here Story": The Indianans were noisy people and when they passed a house they supposedly shouted "Who's here?" Another variation goes to the people in the houses asking when hearing a knocking on the door: "Who's yere?". These exclamations in time became "Hoosier".
2) "The Who's Ear Story": James Whitcomb Riley in "The Hoosier Poet" makes the suggestion that the term "Hoosier" reflects the violent and rough nature of the Indianans. During fights in taverns, it would not be uncommon for someone to bite an ear off another person in pure rage. The next morning an early rising settler would spot an ear on the floor and say: "Who's ear?"
3) "Mr. Hoosier": A contractor named Hoosier hired Indianan men and they were subsequently called "Hoosier's men" or just "Hoosiers".
4) "The Indiana Historian": Jacob Piatt Dunn, an Indiana historian traced the word all the way back to England to the word "hoozer", which means "anything large" in Cumberland dialect. The Anglo-Saxon root "Hoo" means high or hill. "Hoosier" referred in Indiana to hill people or woodsmen.
Iowa: The Iowa state motto "Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We Will Maintain" indirectly reflects the challenges and difficulties Iowa faced when establishing statehood. The Iowa motto therefore mirrors how the Iowa people value their freedom and liberties which they are willing to fight for and defend, if necessary. The Iowa state nickname "The Hawkeye State" is made in memory of the leader of the Sauk Indians, chief Black Hawk.
Kansas: The motto "To the stars through difficulties" refers not only to the pioneering spirit of the early settlers, but also the difficult times Kansas went through before becoming a state. The anti-slavery forces and slavery proponents waged battles in the electoral process as well as on the battlefield. Kansas earned the nickname “Bloody Kansas” because of the war regarding slavery, much of which was fought on Kansas' soil.
Kentucky: The origin of the Kentucky motto "United we stand, divided we fall" is somewhat hazed but some sources have it that it was Kentucky's first governor, Isaac Shelby, who was also a Revolutionary War hero, that promoted it.
Louisiana: "The Pelican State": The Pelican is an often seen bird on the Louisianan coastline. The fascination with the Brown Pelican stems back to the days of the early settlers who noticed how protective and caring the pelicans acted towards their offspring. In spite of a rough pollution history with near extinction of the pelican in Louisiana in the 1960s, the pelican today has been successfully reintegrated into the Louisianan ecology.
Maine: "The Pine Tree State": The state of Maine has really been quite the land of pine forests. Historically Maine is particularly associated with the White Pine which is one of the tallest trees of the eastern northern states. Back in the days the White Pine was especially valued for its size that was ideal for ship's masts.
Maryland: “Manly deeds, womanly words”: The saying is the motto of the Calvert family (the Barons Baltimore) who first founded the Colony of Maryland. The Maryland state nickname "The Old Line State" has two different stories as possible origins: 1) According to the first version of legends, "The Ole Line State" is a proud reference to the brave Maryland soldiers at the Maryland Line. During the Civil War, Maryland was the only state to have regular troops "of the line" and General George Washington was to have referred to these soldiers as "The Old Line". 2) This story has absolutely nothing to do with the first one, and it emphasizes the Maryland nickname as a reference to the "dividing line" between the land grants given to William Penn and Lord Baltimore.
Massachusetts: The Massachusetts state motto "By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty" was written around the year of 1659 by Algernon Sidney, an English politician and soldier. This interesting mix of 'politician/soldier' may be seen reflected in the Massachusetts motto's message. The Massachusetts state nickname "The Bay State" is a reference to the early settlements of the Cape Cod Bay - the location where the English pilgrims debarked from their historic 65 days trip overseas.
Michigan: "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you," which is the official state motto, was adopted in 1835 and said to have been suggested by the tribute to architect Christopher Wren at Saint Paul's Cathedral in London, which "If you seek a monument, look around you". The origin of the Michigan state nickname "The Wolverine State" is somewhat blurred and in one case even self contradictory: 1) One legend goes that the great number of wolverines in the state are the reason for the Michigan nickname, however, the Michigan Historical Center claims that wolverines were very rare, if they even existed at all.
2) Another story dates back to 1835 to a conflict between Michigan and Ohio when they were both making claims to a boundary called the "Toledo Strip". The Ohians were supposed to have mentioned the Michiganians as being "...as vicious and bloodthirsty as wolverines."
3) A third theory says that in the 1830s Native Americans referred to the new settlers as greedy and ruthless wolverines as they visciously fought for land.
Minesota: The Minnesota state motto is "The Star of the North". The Minnesota state motto was chosen by Henry Sibley, the state's first governor. The Minnesota motto is also a cherished symbolic memory of the French missionaries, traders, and explores that centuries ago entered the territory of Minnesota - some to do business, others to settle down and make a living.
Mississippi: Interestingly, the Mississippi motto “By Valor and Arms” may have its roots and inspiration from another motto with a subtle, but somewhat different message. This motto created by Lord Gray De Wilton: "Virtute Non Armis Fido" (I trust in virtue not arms).
Missouri: The Missouri motto "The welfare of the people shall be the supreme law" has its origin in Roman philosopher and lawyer Marcus Tullius Cicero's work "De Legibus" (in English, "On Laws"). "The Show Me State": There are several legends that try to capture the elusive origin of this Missouri state nickname: 1) The most well-known and widespread story features Missouri’s United States Congressman, Willard Duncan Vandiver. Back in the year of 1899 with a sceptical tone of voice, he spoke to Philadelphia’s Five O’Clock Club saying the following: "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." The underlying meaning of his statement may be interpreted as: Missourians are not naïve - and if you wish us to believe you, convincing evidence has to be displayed.
2) This legend from 1897 features passenger trains and free passes. In those days many Missouri legislators were offered free train passes. "You’ve got to show me" was the conductor's statement, when he was informed that that a legislator was using his free pass.
3) A third tale focuses on an event from the Spanish-American War. In 1898 at Chickamauga Park in Tennessee, the gate guards from St. Louis, Missouri were instructed to order any soldier leaving the encampment to "show" the guards a pass.
4) Yet another fourth story exists. This time we go back to a Colorado miner’s strike when men from Missouri were taken in to replace the Colorado miners. Being unfamiliar with the particular mining methods, the pit bosses supposedly had to say: "That man is from Missouri. You'll have to show him."
Montana: The reason for choosing the Montana motto "Gold and Silver" is the great historical impact the findings of rich metals in the Montana Mountains has had on Montana. "The Treasure State": This popular Montana state nickname goes all the way back to 1895 and is a reference to Montana's rich mineral resources (just like the Montana state motto), particularly that of the greatly desired gold and silver. The findings of these treasured metals secured some lucky settlers' instant wealth in the mid 1800s. Besides these well sought metals, sapphires are also valuables that Montana's mountainous nature offers. This Montana nickname "Treasure State" was presented as a proud feature on the state's license plates from 1950-1966.
Nebraska: Some sources claim that the Nebraska nickname "The Cornhusker State" is created in honour of The University of Nebraska football team called the Cornhuskers - other sources say it's the other way around. This nickname obviously also refers to corn - a substantial source of sustenance to the great herds of beef cattle that are bred in the state of Nebraska.
Nevada: Unfortunately there is no documentation of the reasoning behind the choice of the Nevada state motto "All for Our Country". However, the Nevada motto was adopted during the Civil War at the same time as Nevada entered the Union as a state. To ad strength to the Union, the Union needed the support of one more state, so loyalty and patriotism were strong feelings of bonding in this time of crisis and these sentiments may in this way have contributed to the choice of the Nevada state motto. "The Silver State": Nevada has a long history of silver extraction and production (silver is also one of the state colours and is the state mineral). In 1864 when Nevada was adopted into the Union, silver was at the top of the list of minerals mined in the state. It is said, that in those days silver was so extensive in the ground that it could be extracted by a simple load of a shovel.
New Hampshire: The New Hampshire state motto "Live Free or Die" is originally a quote made by General John Stark, a much respected Revolutionary War hero. In 1809 General Stark was supposed to have attended a 32nd anniversary reunion with fellow soldiers from the 1777 Battle of Bennington but unfortunately he suffered from bad health and had to turn down the invitation. Instead he sent a toast containing the words (in the first half of the quote) of what is today's New Hampshire state motto: "Live Free or Die; Death is not the Worst of Evils". Granite is the state rock of New Hampshire and the New Hampshire state nickname "The Granite State" points to the extraction of granite in the hills and mountains of New Hampshire.
New Jersey: The message behind the New Jersey state motto "Liberty and Prosperity" reflects back to a crucial event in the history of New Jersey, which happened just one year before the adoption of the New Jersey Motto - the declaration of independence. In 1776 the New Jerseyans declared their independence to Britain and severed their connection to the King. New Jersey state nickname "The Garden State" has been associated with New Jersey truck farms that provide cities with floral and agricultural resources.
New Mexico: The New Mexico state motto was adopted in 1887 and is taken from "Book VI" of Latin poet Lucretius' epic scientific poem "De Rerum Natura" which means "On the Nature of Things". The meaning behind the New Mexico motto “It Grows as It Goes” may at first glance seem somewhat senseless but in the poem it refers to the increasing strength a thunderbolt gradually gains when going across the sky. New Mexico state nickname "The Land of Enchantment" first appeared as a title on a book from 1906 written by American journalist and author Lillian Whiting. This book title was apparently such a great source of inspiration that in 1935 New Mexican tourism channels started using it to promote the wonders of New Mexico in brochures and magazines.
New York: New York state nickname "The Empire State" refers to New York's national wealth and global impact. This state nickname was inscribed on New York license places for a little over a decade (from 1951 to mid-1960'ies) and then suddenly reappeared in 2001 and still going strong this very day. Also the nickname "The Empire State" is the source of inspiration behind the name of The Empire State Building in New York City. The Empire State Building was the world's tallest building from 1931 till 1972 when The World Trade Center took over the honour of being the tallest building. After the tragedy of 9/11 in 2001, The Empire State Building regained its previous title and is now the tallest building in the State of New York.
North Carolina: "The Tarheel State": When North Carolina was still a young state, tar (a sticky mixture of wood, coal, and peat) was one of the state's greatest industrial products. There are two different legends that lay claim to the origin of this North Carolina nickname - one common theme in the legends is the Civil War: 1) In John S. Farmer’s work "Americanisms – Old and New" (1889) he writes about a battle incident involving a brigade of North Carolina soldiers that didn’t manage to hold their position against the Mississippians. The Mississippians consequently mocked the North Carolinian saying that perhaps they forgot to tar their heals that morning: meaning, if they had done that they would have better ‘stuck’ with their position.
2) In one of Walter Clark's Histories there is a mention of a harsh battle in Virginia where North Carolina's supporting column was driven from the field but in spite of this they successfully fought it out alone. In the subsequent exchange of compliments the North Carolinians were greeted with this question from the passing Virginian derelict regiment: "Any more tar down in the Old North State, boys?" Quickly they replied: "No, not a bit; old Jeff's bought it all up." "Is that so; what is he going to do with it?" was the question back "he is going to put it on your heels to make you stick better in the next fight."
North Dakota: The original creator of the North Dakota motto was American politician, Senator Daniel Webster. The words "Liberty and Union Now and Forever, One and Inseparable" are a memorable excerpt from an impressive speech delivered in the famous Webster-Hayne debate in 1830. Webster's speech in this event was considered "the most eloquent speech ever delivered in Congress." He was talking about the ideal nature of U.S. government; that it ought to be "made for the people, made by the people, and answerable to the people". It was such a great inspiration that Abraham Lincoln later self tailored those words together in his famous quote "government of the people, by the people, for the people." "The Flickertail State": The cute little Richardson Ground Squirrel that flicks and jerks its tail when running is the inspiration for this North Dakota nickname.
Ohio: Ohio state motto is from 1959 and is the result of a contest sponsored by the Ohio legislature to select a state motto. Surprisingly, the winner of contest was 12 year old boy, James Mastronardo from Cincinnati, who presented the bible quotation from the book of Matthew: "With God All Things Are Possible". The story doesn't end here, however. The American Civil Liberties Union decided in 1997 that the Ohio state motto with God as main character was a direct attack on religious freedom and the case went all the way to court. The result of the ensuing lawsuits was that the Ohio motto was perceived not to violate the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The reasoning was that the Ohio state motto did not refer to a specific God of any particular religion - in other words the Ohio motto "With God All Things Are Possible" is open for interpretation. "The Buckeye State": The word buckeye is a translation from a Native American language. The nut was referred to as "hetuck" meaning buck eye, it simply resembles a deer's beautiful brown eye. There are many references as to the origin of this Ohio state nickname. 1) "The Buckeye State" may refer to the many buckeye trees that cover much of Ohio's soil...
2) ... but it is more probable that the nickname was born back in the 1840’ies when William Henry Harrison was running for presidency. The opposition's newspaper made a campaign against Harrison stating that he was "better suited to sit in a log cabin and drink hard cider". This statement was successfully turned around to Harrison’s advantage when calling Harrison “the log cabin candidate”. Harrison's emblem was subsequently designed as a log cabin of buckeye timbers and buckeyes decorating the walls. Buckeye canes were carried by Harrison's supporters. This clever defensive move turned into a great success and Harrison became president in 1840 and beat his opponent President Martin Van Buren's efforts for re-election.
Oklahoma: The inspiration for motto "Labour Conquers All Things" dates back 2000 years to Virgil, a Roman poet. Virgil was describing how to make agriculture grow in a "Back to the land" policy introduced by Augustus Caesar. The word "Sooner" in the Oklahoma state nickname "The Sooner State" has two meanings: a historical one with a rather negative connotation and a more present one endowed with positive associations: 1) The historical meaning of the word "Sooner" was designated a person who made claim to a piece of land before this piece of land was officially declared 'open' to settlers. The Indian Appropriations Act 1889 stated in what was known as the "sooner clause" that before the date put forward in the President's opening proclamation, nobody were permitted to neither enter nor occupy a particular piece of land. 2) In 1908 "Sooner" was attributed a more positive meaning, as it was associated with the University of Oklahoma's football team the "Sooners".
Oregon: Oregon state nickname "The Beaver State" was made official by legislature in 1969 (the beaver is also Oregon's state animal). The beaver's admirable ingenuity and ability to build impressive structures from on site natural material is the inspiration for this Oregon nickname.
Pennsylvania: "The Keystone State": This term is originally found in the language of architecture. It designates the middle stone of a stone arch - the central, important stone that keeps all the stones in place. In relation to Pennsylvania the meaning is symbolic: Pennsylvania is placed in the middle of 13 colonies thereby playing a central political, social and economical role.
Rhode Island: According to the historical writer, Howard M. Chapin, the biblical phrase "hope we have as an anchor of the soul" is considered the main inspiration and background for the Rhode Island motto "Hope". The Rhode Island nickname "Little Rhody" are all variations of the same theme; the state's small size.
South Carolina: The South Carolina motto "While I breathe, I hope" is thought to have been written by Marcus Tullius Cicero, one of the great Roman statesmen and philosophers. "The Palmetto State" refers to a tree, the sabal palmetto, which also happen to be the state tree, which again appears on the state flag. The historical significance of Palmetto goes back to the Palmetto log fort (built of palmetto logs), which under the leadership of Colonel William Moultrie, defended the Sullivan's Island against the British Fleet's firing canons.
South Dakota: "The Coyote State": Coyotes were so plentiful in state that it made ground for this nickname.
Tennessee: One of the most well-liked nicknames of the Tennessee is "The Volunteer State" and it refers to honour and courage. This Tennessee state nickname refers to the War of 1812 when thousands of brave Tennessean men volunteered to Governor Blount’s call for enlistment.
Texas: "Texas" or "Tejas" is a Spanish pronunciation of a name of a native Indian Caddo tribe and their land. The Caddo's (or Tejas') name for allies or friendship is "taysha". In this way the Texas state motto "Friendship" may be intended to symbolize a hopeful fertile fusion of Western and Native American culture. Texas nickname "The Lone Star State" can be found on the Texas state flag and on the Texas state seal. It directly refers to the white star on Texas’ state flag. The flag was adopted in 1845. In the 1830'ies a large white star was used by Texans in the battles between Texas and Mexico. Now the white star signifies Texas' hard fought independence from Mexico.
Utah: "Industry" reminds us about early settlers wilfully building up a society. In spite of conditions being rough and the land harsh, they built their society from scratch with very little resources other than each other and hard work, their "industry". Utah nickname "The Beehive State" is meant to honour the mentality of "Industry", hard labour, self-sufficiency and perseverance of the early pioneers when building their land and society.
Vermont: The Vermont state motto "Freedom and Unity" reflects the importance of managing two strong human drives; the striving for individual freedom and the need to be in a social community. "The Green Mountain State": In 1647 the French explorer Samuel de Champlain named the Vermont Mountains "Montagne Vertes". Later the English speaking migrates changed this to Vermont (vert = green) and (mont = mountain).
Virginia: The Virginia state motto “Thus always to Liberty” is officially in Latin “Sic Semper Tyrannis”. A common used mistranslation of the Virginia motto is "Death to Tyrants". It was used Caesar and Lincoln were assassinated. The Virginia state nickname "The Old Dominion" refers to the fact that Virginia was the oldest of King Charles' American settlements. King Charles named the Virginians "the best of his distant children", a status of which the inhabitants were proud to possess. 'Dominion' is an expression of ownership of a piece of land or territory.
Washington: The most popular and thereby 'official' nickname "The Evergreen State" was adopted by state Legislature in 1893. Evergreen trees are characterized by not being influenced by the usual falling of leaves during autumn. The many evergreen fir and pine trees in Washington make green a symbol of colour for Washington which is also represented by the dominant green colour in the state flag.
West Virginia: The West Virginia state motto "Mountaineers Are Always Free" was suggested by the artist Joseph H. DisDebar who was also the creative spirit behind the state seal. In this way the West Virginia motto represents patriotic values of freedom and independency. The beautiful Allegheny Mountains that go through the state are the inspiration for this West Virginia state nickname "The Mountain State".
Wisconsin: The state motto of Wisconsin emphasizes "Forward" that Wisconsin's motto symbolically reflects "Wisconsin's continuous drive to be a national leader". Back in the 1830s the Wisconsin lead miners who worked in mines in Illinois were called badgers. These miners lived in temporary caves cut into the mountain and these housings were called badger dens. The Wisconsin miners eventually brought the nickname "The Badger State" back with them.
Wyoming: The Wyoming motto "Equal Rights" is a proud statement of the high status Wyoming through history has attributed women. The motto refers to the year of 1869 when the Wyoming Constitution as the first 'modern' state granted women the right to vote and to hold public office.