Each of the states in the United States has a nickname. This is a description of the state that helps to characterize some aspect of the region beyond the name of the state. A state nickname is part of a tradition of defining an area through different references, such as a song or a flower. Not all state nicknames are official, however, and some of the unofficial nicknames were acquired because of dubious historical events. In general, a state nickname refers to some part of the state or its history that has helped to make it distinct from other states.
Every state has had some point in its history when it was commonly referred to by its nickname. This occurred most frequently during the period between when a state was established as a territory and before it was granted statehood with an official name. This was mainly because the names of some of the states were not fully decided on until the land was incorporated into the United States.
There are a variety of reasons for a state to garner a certain nickname. In some cases, the nickname refers to geographical features that are unique to the state, such as the Green Mountain State for Vermont or the Grand Canyon State for Arizona. Other times, the state nickname could refer to the physical location of the area such as the Keystone State for Pennsylvania or the Bay State for Massachusetts.
The state nickname for many states refers to an important historical event that either helped to establish the state or that is relevant to the history of the country. Examples include the First State for Delaware and the Old Line State for Maryland. Most often, though, the state nickname makes reference to some current aspect or resource that makes the state unique. This can be shown with the Sunshine State for Florida, the Granite State for New Hampshire and the Silver State for Nevada.
Most states have more than one nickname, and many have changed their official nicknames over the years. This is because nicknames can sometimes express a cultural reference that is no longer applicable or a resource or perception that has changed over time. Examples of nicknames that have fallen into disuse include the Baby State for Arizona after it first acquired statehood, the Buffalo Plains State in Colorado and the Corn-Cracker State for Kentucky.
Not every state nickname is official. It takes an act of the state legislature to make a nickname official, and the process is not always easy or fast. For this reason, there are states with well established unofficial nicknames that have never been made official.
