The U.S. states and territories got their nicknames for several reasons. Some are from historical events, some from their crops, some due to weather, some due to plants and animals, and some based on sports teams. The countries operate in much the same manner. They get their nicknames due to their terrain shape and type, mythical creatures, historical events, and cultural practices. Enjoy.
State/Territory | Nicknames |
Alabama | Cotton State, Yellowhammer State, Heart of Dixie |
Alaska | The Last Frontier, Land of the Midnight Sun |
Arizona | Grand Canyon State, Copper State |
Arkansas | Natural State, Land of Opportunity, Hot Springs State |
California | Golden State, Beach State |
Colorado | Centennial State |
Connecticut | Nutmeg State, Constitution State, Blue Law State |
Delaware | First State or Diamond State |
Florida | Sunshine State, Alligator State, Everglade State, Orange State |
Georgia | Peach State, Empire State of the South, Goober State |
Hawaii | Aloha State, Pineapple State, Youngest State |
Idaho | Gem State, Spud State |
Illinois | Prairie State, Land of Lincoln |
Indiana | Hoosier State |
Iowa | Hawkeye State |
Kansas | Sunflower State, Jayhawker State |
Kentucky | Bluegrass State, Hemp State, Tobacco State |
Louisiana | Pelican State, Creole State, Sugar State |
Maine | Pine Tree State, Lumber State |
Maryland | Chesapeake State, Free State, Old Line State, Oyster State |
Massachusetts | Bay State, Old Colony State, Pilgrim State, Baked Bean State |
Michigan | Wolverine State, Great Lakes State, The Mitten State |
Minnesota | North Star State, Gopher State, Land of 10,000 Lakes, Bread and Butter State |
Mississippi | Magnolia State, The Bayou State |
Missouri | Show Me State, Bullion State |
Montana | Treasure State, Big Sky Country, The Last Best Place |
Nebraska | Cornhusker State, Antelope State, Blackwater State |
Nevada | Silver State, Sagebrush State, Battle Born State, Casino State |
State/Territory | Nicknames |
New Hampshire | Granite State, White Mountain State |
New Jersey | Garden State |
New Mexico | Land of Enchantment, Land of Sunshine |
New York | Empire State, Excelsior State |
North Carolina | Tar Heel State, Old North State |
North Dakota | Flickertail State, Sioux State, Peace Garden State, Rough Rider State |
Ohio | Buckeye State |
Oklahoma | Sooner State, Native America |
Oregon | Beaver State, Webfoot State, Pacific Wonderland |
Pennsylvania | Keystone State, Quaker State, Coal State, Railroad State |
Rhode Island | Ocean State, Little Rhody, Smallest State |
South Carolina | Palmetto State |
South Dakota | The Mount Rushmore State, Land of Infinite Variety, Coyote State |
Tennessee | Volunteer State, Butternut State, Big Bend State |
Texas | Lone Star State |
Utah | Beehive State, Mormon State |
Vermont | Green Mountain State |
Virginia | The Old Dominion, Mother of Presidents, Horse Country |
Washington | Evergreen State, Chinook State |
West Virginia | Mountain State, Panhandle State |
Wisconsin | Badger State, America’s Dairyland, The Mitten State, The Dairy State |
Wyoming | Equality State, Cowboy State |
American Samoa | Motu o Fiafiaga (Islands of Paradise) |
District of Columbia | Nation’s Capital |
Guam | Tano y Chamorro (Land of the Chamorro), Hub of the Pacific |
Northern Mariana Islands | Håfa Adai (Hello), America’s Best Kept Secret |
Puerto Rico | Isla del Encanto (Island of Enchantment) |
U.S. Virgin Islands | America’s Caribbean, American Paradise |
Country | Nicknames |
Bhutan | Land of the Thunder Dragon |
China | The Red Dragon |
Indonesia | The Emerald of the Equator |
Japan | Land of the Rising Sun |
Mongolia | Land of the Blue Sky |
North Korea | The Hermit Kingdom |
Philippines | The Pearl of the Orient Seas |
South Korea | Land of the Morning Calm |
Sri Lanka | India’s Teardrop |
Thailand | Land of Smiles |
Singapore | The Lion City |
Myanmar | Land of the Golden Pagodas |
Hong Kong | Asia’s World City |
Macau | Vegas of the East |
Afghanistan | Graveyard of Empires |
Israel | The Holy Land |
Lebanon | Switzerland of the Middle East |
Iraq | Cradle of Ancient Civilization |
Burkina Faso | Land of the Upright Men |
Egypt | The Gift of the Nile |
Lesotho | The Kingdom in the Sky |
Madagascar | The Red Island |
Rwanda | Land of a Thousand Hills |
South Africa | Rainbow Nation |
New Zealand | Land of the Long White Cloud |
Australia | Land Down Under |
Venezuela | Land of Grace |
United States of America | The Land of the Free |
Paraguay | The Island Surrounded by Land |
Guyana | Land of Many Waters |
Chile | Land of Poets |
Canada | The Great White North |
Brazil | Land of the Palms (Pindorama) |
Peru | Land of the Incas |
Switzerland | Helvetia |
Slovenia | The Sunny Side of the Alps |
Italy | The Boot |
Ireland | The Emerald Isle |
Iceland | Land of Fire and Ice |
Switzerland | Helvetia |
England | Land of Hope and Glory |
Belarus | The White Russia |
Albania | Land of the Eagles |
Austria | Land of Beauty and Music |
Portugal | Lusitania |
Spain | The Bull Skin |
France | L’hexagone (The Hexagon) |
United Kingdom | Albion |
Norway | The Land of the Midnight Sun |
Sweden | The Elongated Country |
Finland | The Land of a Thousand Lakes |
Denmark | Danevang |
Netherlands | Holland |
Belgium | The Flat Country |
Luxembourg | The Grand Duchy |
Germany | The Land of Poets and Thinkers |
Austria | The Musical Centre of Europe |
Poland | The Land of Fields |
Czech Republic | Bohemia |
Malta | The Land of Honey |
Romania | The Land of Count Dracula |
Estonia | Mary’s Land |
Lithuania | The Land of Storks |
Latvia | The Land of Blue Lakes |
Ukraine | The Bread Basket of Europe |
Turkey | Anatolia |
Slovakia | The Heart of Europe |
Moldova | Bessarabia |
Hungary | The Land of Magyars |
Croatia | Our Beautiful |
Serbia | Rascia |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | The Heart Shaped Land |
Montenegro | The Black Mountain |
Kosovo | The Land of Freedom |
Albania | The Land of Eagles |
Bulgaria | The Land of Roses |
North Macedonia | The Land of the Sun |
Greece | Hellas |
Cyprus | The Island of Love |