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Jim Wegryn presents
A  Full of Names
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State Names
(Read about the origin of State names at “God Bless Bjarnia”)
 his table gives the prevailing consensus on
the source and meaning of all the state names. By and large, the state names are distinct and handsome,
bound in tradition and beloved by the natives, excuse the expression. Even Texas, which looks so much
like Taxes, has a place in many hearts, as well as Missouri, which very nearly sounds like a state of gloom.
But did you ever wonder what states would be named if we had to start all over? When you look at the names we
give commercial products, businesses, streets, and communities nowadays, you realize we would not be limited to
just Indian words or the labels already owned by people and or other places. The state legislatures could use jazzy
expressions or pleasant but sterile phrases, or just invent words or misspell them. Based upon contemporary naming
practices, I wonder if the 50 states would not have names more like those given here under the
“If Renamed” column. (See the map.)
The table below can be sorted by the different items by clicking on the column heading. The image of any
state and its flag will appear by placing the cursor over the state name. Click on any underlined item in the lists for
the Wikipedia page for that item. Put mouse cursor on a governor name to show his/her party. Put cursor on area
or elevation to see the meteric equivalent.
NOTE: GSP is Gross State Product.
Population is according to the 2012 estimate.
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States of AmericaSorted by Captial In Ascending Order
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| | 02 | Utah UT Beehive State Salterra | Jan. 04, 1896 Utahns or Utahans 2,855,287 Gary Herbert | 84,899 sq.mi. 82,144 sq.mi. 2,755 sq.mi. 3.2%water | 34 pop./total 35 pop./land 1,036 pop./water | 13,528 feet Kings Peak 2,000 feet Beaver Dam Wash | California gull Sego lily Blue spruce Bonneville cutthroat trout | Salt Lake City ♥ Salt Lake City $85,974 million $30,110 | Western Apache “high” Europeans took the Apache word “Yuttahih” their name for the Navajo tribes living higher in the mountains to refer to the Utes. |
03 | Idaho ID Gem State Perpetua | July 03, 1890 Idahoans 1,595,728 Butch Otter | 83,570 sq.mi. 82,747 sq.mi. 823 sq.mi. 1.0%water | 19 pop./total 19 pop./land 1,939 pop./water | 12,668 feet Borah Peak 710 feet Snake River | Mountain bluebird Syringa, mock orange Western white pine Cutthroat trout | Boise ♥ Boise $48,897 million $30,642 | English invented word Mining lobbyist George M. Willing invented the name saying it was a Shoshone Indian word that meant “Gem of the Mountains.” |
04 | South Carolina SC Palmetto State Charlie | May 23, 1788 South Carolinians 4,723,723 Nikki Haley | 32,020 sq.mi. 30,109 sq.mi. 1,911 sq.mi. 6.0%water | 148 pop./total 157 pop./land 2,472 pop./water | 3,560 feet Sassafras Mountain 0 feet Atlantic Ocean | Carolina wren Yellow jessamine Sabal palm Striped bass | Columbia ♥ Columbia $145,043 million $30,705 | Latin South + “Charles” from the name Carolus, in honor of King Charles I of England. |
06 | Arkansas AR Natural State Ozark Park | June 15, 1836 Arkansans 2,949,131 Mike Beebe | 53,179 sq.mi. 52,068 sq.mi. 1,111 sq.mi. 2.1%water | 55 pop./total 57 pop./land 2,654 pop./water | 2,653 feet Magazine Mountain 55 feet Ouachita River | Mockingbird Apple blossom Pine none | Little Rock ♥ Little Rock $92,306 million $31,299 | Quapaw Soiux “south wind” Borrowed from an Illinois rendering of the tribal name kanze see Kansas, below, how the Miami and Illinois refer to the Quapaw. |
07 | West Virginia WV Mountain State Friendly Folks | June 20, 1863 West Virginians 1,855,413 Earl Ray Tomblin | 24,230 sq.mi. 24,078 sq.mi. 152 sq.mi. 0.6%water | 77 pop./total 77 pop./land 12,207 pop./water | 4,863 feet Spruce Knob 0 feet Potomac River | Northern cardinal Rhododendron Sugar maple Brook trout | Charleston ♥ Charleston $58,631 million $31,600 | Latin state west of Virginia In 1863, when the western counties of Virginia were about to be admitted to the Union, delegates chose the state name over Kanawha, Allegheny, and Augusta. |
08 | Arizona AZ Grand Canyon State SunGlo | Feb. 14, 1912 Arizonans 6,553,255 Jan Brewer | 113,998 sq.mi. 113,634 sq.mi. 364 sq.mi. 0.3%water | 57 pop./total 58 pop./land 18,003 pop./water | 12,637 feet Humphreys Peak 70 feet Colorado River | Cactus wren Saguaro cactus blossom Blue palo verde Arizona trout | Phoenix ♥ Phoenix $217,232 million $33,149 | Aztec, or Pima “silver-bearing,” or “small spring” Origin of the name is uncertain. |
09 | New Mexico NM Land of Enchantment I Can't Believe It's Not Mexico | Jan. 06, 1912 New Mexicans 2,085,538 Susana Martinez | 121,589 sq.mi. 121,355 sq.mi. 234 sq.mi. 0.2%water | 17 pop./total 17 pop./land 8,913 pop./water | 13,167 feet Wheeler Peak 2,842 feet Red Bluff Reservoir | Roadrunner Yucca flower Piņon Pine Rio Grande cutthroat trout | Albuquerque ♥ Santa Fe $66,303 million $31,792 | Aztec via Spanish refers to the land north of the upper Rio Grande Anglicized version of “Nuevo Mexico,” from Aztec meaning “place of the god Mexitli.” |
10 | Alabama AL Yellowhammer State Dixie World | Dec. 14, 1819 Alabamans 4,855,023 Robert Bentley | 52,419 sq.mi. 50,744 sq.mi. 1,675 sq.mi. 3.2%water | 93 pop./total 96 pop./land 2,899 pop./water | 2,413 feet Cheaha Mountain 0 feet Gulf of Mexico | Yellowhammer Camellia Longleaf pine Largemouth bass | Birmingham ♥ Montgomery $155,839 million $32,099 | Choctaw “plant-cutters” Two Choctaw words: “alba” meaning vegetation, herbs or plants; and “amo” meaning gatherer or picker. |
12 | Georgia GA Peach State Peaches N' More | Jan. 02, 1788 Georgians 9,919,945 Nathan Deal | 59,425 sq.mi. 57,906 sq.mi. 1,519 sq.mi. 2.6%water | 167 pop./total 171 pop./land 6,531 pop./water | 4,784 feet Brasstown Bald 0 feet Atlantic Ocean | Brown thrasher Cherokee rose Southern live oak Largemouth bass | Atlanta ♥ Atlanta $332,090 million $33,477 | Latin “George” The feminine Latin form of “George,” named after King George II of England |
13 | Montana MT Treasure State Skyview | Nov. 08, 1889 Montanan 1,005,141 Steve Bullock | 147,042 sq.mi. 145,552 sq.mi. 1,490 sq.mi. 1.0%water | 7 pop./total 7 pop./land 675 pop./water | 12,807 feet Granite Peak 1,800 feet Kootenai River | Western meadowlark Hawthorn Ponderosa pine Cutthroat trout | Billings ♥ Helena $33,154 million $32,984 | Spanish “mountainous” A derivation of the Latin word “montaanus.” |
16 | North Carolina NC Old North State Phatlantic | Nov. 21, 1789 North Carolinians 9,752,073 Pat McCrory | 53,819 sq.mi. 48,711 sq.mi. 5,108 sq.mi. 9.5%water | 181 pop./total 200 pop./land 1,909 pop./water | 6,684 feet Mount Mitchell 0 feet Atlantic Ocean | Northern cardinal Flowering dogwood Pine Channel Bass | Charlotte ♥ Raleigh $323,200 million $33,142 | Latin North + “Charles” From the name Carolus, in honor of King Charles I of England. |
17 | Oklahoma OK Sooner State Indiana | Nov. 16, 1907 Oklahomans 3,814,820 Mary Fallin | 69,898 sq.mi. 68,667 sq.mi. 1,231 sq.mi. 1.8%water | 55 pop./total 56 pop./land 3,099 pop./water | 4,973 feet Black Mesa 289 feet Little River | Scissor-tailed flycatcher Oklahoma rose Eastern redbud White bass | Oklahoma City ♥ Oklahoma City $130,035 million $34,087 | Choctaw “red people” Invented by native American missionary Allen Wright from two Choctaw words, “ukla” meaning people and “huma” meaning red. |
18 | Ohio OH Buckeye State South Lake Shores | Mar. 01, 1803 Ohioans; or Buckeyes 11,544,225 John Kasich | 44,825 sq.mi. 40,948 sq.mi. 3,877 sq.mi. 8.6%water | 258 pop./total 282 pop./land 2,978 pop./water | 1,550 feet Campbell Hill 455 feet Ohio River | Northern cardinal Scarlet carnation Ohio buckeye Walleye | Columbus ♥ Columbus $408,390 million $35,376 | Iroquois “large creek” After the name of both the Ohio River and Allegheny River. Often incorrectly given as “beautiful river” |
19 | Louisiana LA Pelican State Hot N' Humid | Apr. 30, 1812 Louisianians or Louisianans 4,601,893 Bobby Jindal | 51,840 sq.mi. 43,562 sq.mi. 8,278 sq.mi. 16.0%water | 89 pop./total 106 pop./land 556 pop./water | 535 feet Driskill Mountain -8 feet New Orleans | Brown pelican Magnolia Bald cypress White crappie | New Orleans ♥ Baton Rouge $159,500 million $34,660 | French in honor of King “Louis” French explorer Robert Cavelier Sieur de La Salle, first European to sail the Miss. River delta, named the area La Louisianne after Louis XIV of France. |
20 | Oregon OR Beaver State Ocean View | Feb. 14, 1859 Oregonians 3,899,353 John Kitzhaber | 98,381 sq.mi. 95,997 sq.mi. 2,384 sq.mi. 2.4%water | 40 pop./total 41 pop./land 1,636 pop./water | 11,249 feet Mount Hood 0 feet Pacific Ocean | Western meadowlark Oregon grape Douglas fir Chinook salmon | Portland ♥ Salem $136,450 million $34,993 | Uncertain “beautiful” First named by Major Robert Rogers in a petition to King George III. |
21 | Missouri MO Show Me State Riverview | Aug. 10, 1821 Missourians 6,021,988 Jay Nixon | 69,704 sq.mi. 68,886 sq.mi. 818 sq.mi. 1.2%water | 86 pop./total 87 pop./land 7,362 pop./water | 1,772 feet Taum Sauk Mountain 230 feet Saint Francis River | Eastern bluebird Hawthorn Flowering dogwood Channel catfish | Kansas City ♥ Jefferson City $213,613 million $35,472 | Algonquian “dugout canoe” From the Missouri River, after the Missouri tribe known for their dugout canoes. |
22 | Texas TX Lone Star State Superultramax | Dec. 29, 1845 Texans 25,059,203 Rick Perry | 268,581 sq.mi. 261,797 sq.mi. 6,784 sq.mi. 2.5%water | 93 pop./total 96 pop./land 3,694 pop./water | 8,751 feet Guadalupe Peak 0 feet Gulf of Mexico | Northern mockingbird Texas bluebonnet Pecan Guadalupe bass | Houston ♥ Austin $904,158 million $36,081 | Caddo “friend” “Tejas” referred to the Caddo tribes. The Spanish made it texas. |
23 | Maine ME Pine Tree State @lantia | Mar. 15, 1820 Mainers or Main Staters 1,329,192 Paul LePage | 35,385 sq.mi. 30,862 sq.mi. 4,523 sq.mi. 12.8%water | 38 pop./total 43 pop./land 294 pop./water | 5,368 feet Mount Katahdin 0 feet Atlantic Ocean | Black-capped chickadee White pine cone and tassel Eastern white pine Landlocked Atlantic salmon | Portland ♥ Augusta $48,441 million $36,444 | English or French “the main land” May refer to the mainland, as opposed to the coastal islands, or may be named after the French province of Maine. |
29 | Nebraska NE Cornhusker State Korn-O-copia | Mar. 01, 1867 Nebraskans; sometimes Cornhuskers 1,855,525 Dave Heineman | 77,354 sq.mi. 76,873 sq.mi. 481 sq.mi. 0.6%water | 24 pop./total 24 pop./land 3,858 pop./water | 5,424 feet Panorama Point 849 feet Missouri River | Western meadowlark Goldenrod Eastern cottonwood Channel catfish | Omaha ♥ Lincoln $68,417 million $36,872 | Soiux “flat waters” Referring to the Platte River, which means “flat river” in French. |
31 | Nevada NV Silver State Win-A-Lot | Oct. 31, 1864 Nevadans 2,758,931 Brian Sandoval | 110,561 sq.mi. 109,826 sq.mi. 735 sq.mi. 0.7%water | 25 pop./total 25 pop./land 3,754 pop./water | 13,147 feet Boundary Peak 479 feet Colorado River | Mountain bluebird Sagebrush Single-leaf Pinyon, Bristlecon Lahontan cutthroat trout | Las Vegas ♥ Carson City $101,965 million $36,958 | Spanish “snow covered” After the Sierra Nevada, or “snowy range.” |
33 | Pennsylvania PA Keystone State Gettysburg Estates | Dec. 12, 1787 Pennsylvanians 12,763,536 Tom Corbett | 46,055 sq.mi. 44,816 sq.mi. 1,239 sq.mi. 2.7%water | 277 pop./total 285 pop./land 10,301 pop./water | 3,213 feet Mount Davis 0 feet Delaware River | Ruffed grouse Mountain laurel Eastern hemlock Brook trout | Philadelphia ♥ Harrisburg $498,871 million $39,086 | Latin “Penn’s woods” After Admiral William Penn. |
35 | Rhode Island RI Ocean State MicroState | May 29, 1790 Rhode Islanders 1,050,292 Lincoln Chafee | 1,545 sq.mi. 1,045 sq.mi. 500 sq.mi. 32.4%water | 680 pop./total 1,005 pop./land 2,101 pop./water | 812 feet Jerimoth Hill 0 feet Atlantic Ocean | Rhode Island red chicken Violet Red maple Striped bass | Providence ♥ Providence $43,185 million $41,117 | Dutch “red island” Named “Roodt Eylandt” by Dutch explorer Adrian Block, it was anglicized when the region came under British rule. |
36 | Colorado CO Centennial State Healthy Heights | Aug. 01, 1876 Coloradans 5,187,582 John Hickenlooper | 104,094 sq.mi. 103,718 sq.mi. 376 sq.mi. 0.4%water | 50 pop./total 50 pop./land 13,797 pop./water | 14,440 feet Mount Elbert 3,317 feet Arikaree River | Lark bunting Rocky mountain columbine Colorado blue spruce Greenback cutthroat trout | Denver ♥ Denver $207,743 million $40,046 | Spanish “red color” Originally referring to the Colorado River. |
37 | Illinois IL Prairie State Chi+ | Dec. 03, 1818 Illinoisan or Illinoians 12,875,255 Pat Quinn | 57,914 sq.mi. 55,583 sq.mi. 2,331 sq.mi. 4.0%water | 222 pop./total 232 pop./land 5,523 pop./water | 1,235 feet Charles Mound 279 feet Mississippi River | Northern cardinal Violet White oak Bluegill | Chicago ♥ Springfield $534,633 million $41,524 | Algonquian “warriors” or “superior men” By French explorer Robert Cavelier Sieur de La Salle in 1679 after the Indians he found living along the banks. “Illini” was a confed. of Indian tribes. |
39 | Washington WA Evergreen State Kountry Korner | Nov. 11, 1889 Washingtonians 6,897,012 Jay Inslee | 71,300 sq.mi. 66,544 sq.mi. 4,756 sq.mi. 6.7%water | 97 pop./total 104 pop./land 1,450 pop./water | 14,410 feet Mount Rainier 0 feet Pacific Ocean | Willow goldfinch Coast rhododendron Western hemlock Steelhead trout | Seattle ♥ Olympia $278,237 million $40,342 | English English surname After the first U.S. president, George Washington. |
40 | Hawaii HI Aloha State Isle Be Seaing U | Aug. 21, 1959 Hawaiians=natives, Islanders=non-natives 1,392,313 Neil Abercrombie | 10,931 sq.mi. 6,423 sq.mi. 4,508 sq.mi. 41.2%water | 127 pop./total 217 pop./land 309 pop./water | 13,803 feet Mauna Kea 0 feet Pacific Ocean | Nēnē or Hawaiian Goo Hawaiian hibiscus Candlenut tree Reef triggerfish | Honolulu ♥ Honolulu $54,409 million $39,078 | Hawaiian “small or new homeland” May have been named for the traditional home of the Polynesians, called “Owhyhee.” |
41 | California CA Golden State Like | Sep. 09, 1850 Californians 38,041,430 Jerry Brown | 163,696 sq.mi. 155,960 sq.mi. 7,736 sq.mi. 4.7%water | 232 pop./total 244 pop./land 4,917 pop./water | 14,505 feet Mount Whitney -282 feet Badwater Basin | California quail California poppy Coast Redwood, Giant Sequoia Golden trout | Los Angeles ♥ Sacramento $1,564,402 million $41,124 | Spanish where Queen Califia ruled From “Califia” queen of a mythical Spanish island in a Spanish romance Las Sergas de Esplandian by Garcia Ordo?ez de Montalvo, 1510. |
43 | New Hampshire NH Granite State Hard Rock State | June 21, 1788 New Hampshirites; Granite Staters 1,320,718 Maggie Hassan | 9,350 sq.mi. 8,968 sq.mi. 382 sq.mi. 4.1%water | 141 pop./total 147 pop./land 3,457 pop./water | 6,288 feet Mount Washington 0 feet Atlantic Ocean | Purple finch Purple lilac American white birch Brook trout | Manchester ♥ Concord $56,733 million $42,956 | English New + name of an English county Named for county of Hampshire, England, by Captain John Mason. |
44 | Virginia VA Old Dominion State Washington | June 25, 1788 Virginians 8,185,867 Bob McDonnell | 42,774 sq.mi. 39,594 sq.mi. 3,180 sq.mi. 7.4%water | 191 pop./total 207 pop./land 2,574 pop./water | 5,729 feet Mount Rogers 0 feet Atlantic Ocean | Northern cardinal American dogwood Flowering dogwood Brook trout | Virginia Beach ♥ Richmond $345,841 million $42,249 | Latin “country of the Virgin” After Elizabeth I of England, who was known as the “Virgin Queen” because she never married. |
46 | New York NY Empire State DollarDaze | July 26, 1788 New Yorkers 19,570,261 Andrew Cuomo | 54,556 sq.mi. 47,214 sq.mi. 7,342 sq.mi. 13.5%water | 359 pop./total 415 pop./land 2,666 pop./water | 5,334 feet Mount Marcy 0 feet Atlantic Ocean | Eastern bluebird Rose Sugar maple Brook trout | New York City ♥ Albany $917,608 million $46,888 | English New + name of an English duke After York, England, to honor the then Duke of York later King James II of England. |
47 | Maryland MD Old Line State Heritage Home | Apr. 28, 1788 Marylanders 5,884,563 Martin O'Malley | 12,407 sq.mi. 9,774 sq.mi. 2,633 sq.mi. 21.2%water | 474 pop./total 602 pop./land 2,235 pop./water | 3,360 feet Hoye-Crest 0 feet Atlantic Ocean | Baltimore oriole Black-eyed susan White oak Rockfish | Baltimore ♥ Annapolis $275,199 million $46,766 | English in honor of Queen “Mary” After Queen Henrietta Maria of England, wife of King Charles I. |
48 | Massachusetts MA Bay State Bay Way | Feb. 06, 1788 Bay Staters or Massachusettsans 6,646,144 Deval Patrick | 10,555 sq.mi. 7,840 sq.mi. 2,715 sq.mi. 25.7%water | 630 pop./total 848 pop./land 2,448 pop./water | 3,492 feet Mount Greylock 0 feet Atlantic Ocean | Black-capped chickadee Mayflower American elm Cod | Boston ♥ Boston $328,855 million $49,481 | Algonquian “great hill place” or “by the little mount Named after the natives that lived in the region. |
49 | New Jersey NJ Garden State Consolidated Peoples | Dec. 18, 1787 New Jerseyites; New Jerseyans 8,864,590 Chris Christie | 8,721 sq.mi. 7,417 sq.mi. 1,304 sq.mi. 15.0%water | 1,016 pop./total 1,195 pop./land 6,798 pop./water | 1,803 feet High Point 0 feet Atlantic Ocean | Eastern goldfinch Violet Northern red oak Brook trout | Newark ♥ Trenton $438,112 million $49,423 | English New + name of an island Name after the island of Jersey in the English Channel by Sir John Berkley and Sir George Carteret. |
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