Do You Know These State's Nicknames?

By: Jody Mabry
Estimated Completion Time
5 min
Do You Know These State's Nicknames?
Image: Shutterstock

About This Quiz

The state nicknames represent the history, vitality and common interest within states. But, when they received their nicknames may not be as long ago as you thought. For example, Delaware, one of the first states received its nickname on May 23, 2003, when the request was made by a first-grade class. As one of the original 13 colonies to ratify the constitution in 1787, the teacher and her class wanted to give the state a distinction befitting its history. Whereas Hawaii, the last state to join the Union received its nickname in 1959 as was nicknamed after a Hawaiian greeting so popular that it is used worldwide as a fun and happy way to say hello to someone. 

So, whether a state is named after vast flowing rows of sunflowers, the serenity of its land or a famous tourist destination or landmark, most state nicknames can be figured out if you know something about the state. But, how much do you really know? Are you a well-traveled road tripper? Or, do you like to pay attention to the license plates passing you by on the highway? You've taken the quizzes testing your knowledge of State histories, but now is the time to see how well you truly know the United States. Take this quiz to see how much you know about state nicknames!


Texas (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Grand Canyon State
The Lone Star State
Texas is the 2nd-largest state in the United States. It is home to about 27 million people and its capital city is Austin.
The Sunshine State
The Sunflower State
Maryland (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Old Line State
The capital of Maryland is Annapolis and its biggest city is Baltimore. Its abbreviation is MD and it became a state on April 28, 1788.
The Constitution State
The Bluegrass State
The Sunshine State
Idaho
Shutterstock
What is the nickname of this state?
The Natural State
The Bluegrass State
The Constitution State
The Gem State
The capital and largest city of Idaho is Boise. Idaho became a state in 1890 and is the 14th-largest state in the United States.

Advertisement

Georgia (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Constitution State
The Peach State
The capital of Georgia is Atlanta. Abbreviated GA, the state was founded on January 2, 1788.
Yellowhammer State
The Grand Canyon State
Maine
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Sunflower State
The Aloha State
The Pine Tree State
Maine is the northeast-most state in the United States. Its capital is Augusta and its largest city is Portland. It became the 23rd state on March 15, 1820.
The Old Line State
Louisiana (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Hawkeye State
The Pelican State
Louisiana is nicknamed the Pelican State. It was the 18th state to become part of the United States and its capital is Baton Rouge.
The Magnolia State
The Show Me State

Advertisement

North Dakota
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Treasure State
The Silver State
The Peace Garden State
North Dakota is inhabited by more than 642,000 people. Its capital city is Bismark while its largest city is Fargo.
The Granite State
Massachusetts
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Sunflower State
The Bay State
Nicknamed the Bay State, Massachusetts is located in the Northeast and borders the states of Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Vermont and New Hampshire! Its capital and largest city is Boston.
The Bluegrass State
The Pelican State
Nevada (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Silver State
Nevada's capital city is Carson City, while its largest city is Las Vegas. Originally part of Mexican territory, Nevada became part of the United States in 1861.
The Hawkeye State
The Tar Heel State
The Peace Garden State

Advertisement

West Virginia (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Garden State
The Land of Enchantment
The Garden State
The Mountain State
West Virginia is abbreviated WV. Though once part of Virginia, it became its own state in 1863. Its capital and largest city is Charleston.
New York (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Empire State
The state of New York is abbreviated as NY. Its capital is Albany and it officially became a state on July 26, 1788.
The Buckeye State
The Beaver State
The Sooner State
Wyoming (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Evergreen State
The Mountain State
The Equality or Cowboy State
Wyoming is the state with the fewest people in the U.S. with approximately 576,412 people. Its capital and biggest city is Cheyenne.
The Badger State

Advertisement

South Carolina (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
Yellowhammer State
The Grand Canyon State
The Palmetto State
The capital of South Carolina is Columbia, though back from 1670 - 1789 it was Charleston. It is home to about 4.2 million people.
The Golden State
Ohio (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Constitution State
The Buckeye State
The Buckeye State, Ohio became part of the United States on March 1, 1803. There have been seven American presidents from Ohio: Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford Hayes, James Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, William Howard Taft, Warren G. Harding.
The Sunshine State
The Aloha State
New Hampshire (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
Prairie State
The Granite State
New Hampshire's capital is Concord, while its largest city is Manchester. It is located in the New England region of the United States.
The Hawkeye State
The Bluegrass State

Advertisement

Colorado (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The North Star State
The Bay State
The Pine Tree State
The Centennial State
Colorado became a state in 1876. It is the first state in US history to have legalized the use and possession of marijuana.
Iowa (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Show Me State
The Granite State
The Hawkeye State
The Hawkeye State, Iowa is located in the Midwestern United States. Its capital and largest city is Des Moines.
The Cornhusker State
Delaware (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Land of Enchantment
The First State
Delaware is sometimes called the First State because it was the first colony to accept the new constitution in 1787. Its capital is Dover.
The Tar Heel State
The Buckeye State

Advertisement

Kentucky (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Beaver State
The Bluegrass State
The capital of Kentucky is Frankfort, and its largest city is Louisville. It is nicknamed the Bluegrass State because of a special kind of grass that grows there.
The Keystone State
The Palmetto State
Pennsylvania (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Keystone State
Pennsylvania is located in the northeastern part of the country. It has a border with Ohio on the west, West Virginia on the south and west, Maryland and Delaware on the south, New Jersey on the east and New York and Lake Erie on the north.
The Volunteer State
The Beehive State
The Old Dominion State
Connecticut (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Mountain State
The Equality or Cowboy State
The Badger State
The Constitution State
Connecticut is the 48th largest, or shall we say 3rd smallest US state. Its capital is Hartford and it became part of the US on January 9, 1788.

Advertisement

Montana (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Lone Star State
The Evergreen State
The Treasure State
Montana is located in the Northwest region of the United States. It is the 4th-largest state with its capital Helena. Montana shares a 545 mile border with Canada.
The Green Mountain State
Hawaii (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Ocean State
The Aloha State
Hawaii was the last state to join the United States. it officially became a state on August 21, 1959. The capital and largest city is Honolulu.
Mount Rushmore State
The Beaver State
Indiana (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Buckeye State
The Hoosier State
Indiana is located in the Midwestern and Great Lakes region of the United States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis.
The Tar Heel State
The Land of Enchantment

Advertisement

New Jersey (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Show Me State
The Granite State
The Cornhusker State
The Garden State
Nicknamed the Garden State, New Jersey is located along the East Coast of the United States. Its capital is Trenton while its largest city is Newark. It is the 4th-smallest state.
Mississippi (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Magnolia State
Mississippi's capital and largest city is Jackson. The state flower and tree are the magnolia.
The North Star State
The Bay State
The Pine Tree State
Alaska (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
Prairie State
The Hawkeye State
The Last Frontier
Alaska is the largest state in the United States, though it is the 4th least populated! Its capital is Juneau. "Juneau the capital of Alaska?"
The Bluegrass State

Advertisement

Michigan (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Constitution State
The Aloha State
The Great Lakes State
The capital of Michigan is Lansing, while the largest city is Detroit. The state is made up of two peninsulas which are connected by the Mackinac Bridge.
The Sunshine State
Nebraska (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Golden State
The Cornhusker State
Nebraska is a state in the center of the United States. Its capital is Lincoln and the largest city is Omaha. It is known for its agriculture, especially beef and corn.
The Grand Canyon State
Yellowhammer State
Arkansas (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Last Frontier
The Golden State
The First State
The Natural State
Arkansas was the 25th state to join the Union in 1836. Its capital and largest city is Little Rock.

Advertisement

Wisconsin (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Badger State
The capital of Wisconsin is Madison. It became a state on May 29, 1848 and its current governor is Scott Walker.
The Aloha State
The Hoosier State
The Bluegrass State
Alabama (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Old Line State
The North Star State
Yellowhammer State
Alabama became a state on December 14, 1819. Its capital is Montgomery and its largest city is Birmingham.
The Treasure State
Vermont (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Granite State
The Green Mountain State
Known as The Green Mountain State, Vermont became a state on March 4, 1791. It is home to only about 625,000 people.
The Empire State
The Buckeye State

Advertisement

Tennessee (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
Mount Rushmore State
The Keystone State
The Volunteer State
Tennessee is known as The Volunteer State. Its capital is Nashville, which is also the country music center of America.
The Beehive State
Oklahoma (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Evergreen State
The Sooner State
The Sooner State, Oklahoma, became part of the United States on November 16, 1907. Its population is around 3.7 million people.
The Equality or Cowboy State
The Badger State
Missouri (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Show Me State
Missouri officially became a state on August 10, 1821. Its capital is Jefferson City and it is inhabited by more than 5.5 million people.
The Old Dominion State
The Lone Star State
The Palmetto State

Advertisement

Washington (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Land of Enchantment
The Peace Garden State
The Beaver State
The Evergreen State
The state of Washington is located in the Northwest section of the country. It is north of Oregon, west of Idaho, east of the Pacific Ocean, and south of British Columbia, and has more than 6.7 million residents.
Arizona (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Silver State
The Grand Canyon State
Home of The Grand Canyon, Arizona is located in Southwestern United States. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix.
The Show Me State
The Great Lakes State
South Dakota (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Sunflower State
Mount Rushmore State
Home of Mount Rushmore, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. Its capital is Pierre and largest city is Sioux Falls.
The Pine Tree State
Prairie State

Advertisement

Rhode Island (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Constitution State
The Ocean State
Rhode Island is the smallest state in the country. Its capital and largest city is Providence and the state is home to about 1 million people.
The Peach State
The Natural State
North Carolina (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
Yellowhammer State
The Last Frontier
The Tar Heel State
North Carolina is abbreviated NC. It was one of the original 13 colonies. It became an official state on November 21, 1789.
The Grand Canyon State
Virginia (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Natural State
The Old Dominion State
The Commonwealth of Virginia became a state in 1788 following the American Revolution. Its capital city is Richmond and the state is home to about 7.5 million people.
The Golden State
The Centennial State

Advertisement

California (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Golden State
California is the 3rd-largest state in the country. It is the number 1 most populated state in the country! It became part of the United States on September 9, 1850.
The Sunshine State
The Aloha State
The Golden State
Minnesota (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Centennial State
The Old Line State
The Sunshine State
The North Star State
Minnesota is located in the Upper Midwest section of the United States. Its capital city is Saint Paul, while its largest city is Minneapolis, home of the Vikings, their NFL team.
Oregon (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Equality or Cowboy State
The Aloha State
The Beaver State
Oregon became the 33rd state to join the United States in 1859. Its capital is Salem, though often confused for its largest city, Portland.
The Mountain State

Advertisement

Utah (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Green Mountain State
The Beehive State
Utah became a state on January 4, 1896. Its capital and largest city is Salt Lake City. Utah is home to about 2.7 million residents.
Mount Rushmore State
The Green Mountain State
New Mexico (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Land of Enchantment
New Mexico is part of the Southwest region of the country. It is bordered by Texas to the east, Oklahoma to the northeast, Colorado to the north, and Arizona to the west. The northwest corner of the state also touches Utah.
The Beaver State
Mount Rushmore State
The Evergreen State
Illinois (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Sunflower State
The Bluegrass State
The Bay State
Prairie State
Illinois became part of the United States in 1818. It was the first state to ratify the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which helped abolish slavery in the United States.

Advertisement

Florida (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Granite State
The Treasure State
The Sunshine State
Nicknamed the Sunshine State, Florida's capital is Tallahassee. It became a state on March 3, 1845 and is now home to about 18.8 million people.
The North Star State
Kansas (right side up)
n/a
What is the nickname of this state?
The Granite State
The Sunflower State
Kansas is located in the middle of America. Its capital is Topeka and its largest city is Wichita. It was the 34th state to be admitted to the United States in 1861.
The Pine Tree State
The Empire State
You Got:
/50
Shutterstock