Random Mode Keyboard shortcut: Command/Ctrl + Shift + R
thumbnail

U.S. State Nicknames Quiz

Try to guess the official nicknames of the U.S. states, according to Wikipedia.
Quiz by Quizmaster
Rate:
Last updated: March 24, 2021
You have not attempted this quiz yet.
First submittedSeptember 3, 2012
Times taken36,703
Average score36.0%
Rating4.37
6:00
Enter nickname here:
0
 / 50 guessed
The quiz is paused. You have remaining.
Scoring
You scored / = %
This beats or equals % of test takers also scored 100%
The average score is
Your high score is
Your fastest time is
Keep scrolling down for answers and more stats ...
State
Nickname
Alabama
The Heart of Dixie
Alaska
Last Frontier
Arizona
Grand Canyon State
Arkansas
Natural State
California
Golden State
Colorado
Centennial State
Connecticut
Constitution State
Delaware
First State
Florida
Sunshine State
Georgia
Peach State
Hawaii
Aloha State
Idaho
Gem State
Illinois
Prairie State
Indiana
Hoosier State
Iowa
Hawkeye State
Kansas
Sunflower State
Kentucky
Bluegrass State
Louisiana
Pelican State
Maine
Pine Tree State /
Vacationland
Maryland
Old Line State
Massachusetts
Bay State
Michigan
Great Lakes State /
Wolverine State
Minnesota
North Star State
Mississippi
Magnolia State
Missouri
Show-Me State
State
Nickname
Montana
Treasure State
Nebraska
Cornhusker State
Nevada
Silver State
New Hampshire
Granite State
New Jersey
Garden State
New Mexico
Land of Enchantment
New York
Empire State
North Carolina
Tar Heel State
North Dakota
Peace Garden State
Ohio
Buckeye State
Oklahoma
Sooner State
Oregon
Beaver State
Pennsylvania
Keystone State
Rhode Island
Ocean State
South Carolina
Palmetto State
South Dakota
Mount Rushmore State
Tennessee
Volunteer State
Texas
Lone Star State
Utah
Beehive State
Vermont
Green Mountain State
Virginia
Old Dominion
Washington
Evergreen State
West Virginia
Mountain State
Wisconsin
Badger State
Wyoming
Equality State
+1
Level 93
Mar 28, 2015
"Land of Enchantment" is not accepted for some reason.
+1
Level 93
Mar 29, 2015
Try ‘enchantmaent’.
+1
Level ∞
Mar 29, 2015
Fixed!
+3
Level 67
Jun 4, 2015
I think "Cowboy State" and "Equality State" are both officially recognized as Wyoming's nicknames. I know Alabama is called the "Yellow Hammer" state. Is that not official?
+2
Level 92
Jun 4, 2015
It's also the Cotton and Lizard state, but sadly (especially for the latter) it doesn't have an official nickname. Wisconsin's nickname is also unofficial, so it shouldn't be included in the quiz.
+4
Level 73
Jun 25, 2018
I always thought WI was "America's Dairyland" and I lived next door in MN for a couple of years - learn something nearly every time on Jetpunk.
+4
Level 35
Jun 4, 2015
when you drive through Wyoming, visit Jackson, they really hammer home that they were so quick to give women the vote. Equality is something very important to them now to balance the fact that they are known as Dick Cheney's home.
+5
Level 84
Oct 26, 2016
And why would you say that niels? Doesn't sound like you've ever been there.
+5
Level 82
Jun 4, 2015
American and only got 16 of these including a few I got by guessing and by accident. I missed "Mount Rushmore State" even though I typed in "Rushmore"... feel a bit robbed on that one... but also embarrassed to missed the Golden State and Empire State, the former of which I even lived in for a while. Definitely should have known Bluegrass, Hoosier, and Sooner, as well. And I had heard "Land of Enchantment" but that seems more like a license plate slogan than official nickname... similar to "Virginia is for Lover's," or North Carolina's "First in Flight" or Indiana's "If You're Here You Are Probably Driving Somewhere Else."
+1
Level ∞
Jun 4, 2015
Simply Rushmore will work now.
+5
Level 67
Oct 26, 2016
On the subject of license plate slogans, a folklorist friend of mine tells me that when Indiana held a public competition for a new one, someone submitted "Indiana: Bring Something To Do." Should have won.
+4
Level 72
Feb 23, 2021
Yeah, and New Hampshire's plates always said "Live Free or Die," and the competition to redo the Wisconsin one produced "Eat Cheese or Die", but for some reason they didn't go with that.
+4
Level 89
Mar 24, 2021
Eat cheese and die would be better.
+4
Level 59
Jun 4, 2015
Only 21% know Michigan is the Great Lakes State? That's sad. You guys should visit our lakes soon - they're unsalted and shark-free! :)
+3
Level 28
Jun 6, 2015
Going up to Mackinac Island in 2 weeks!
+6
Level 84
Oct 26, 2016
There's a difference between knowing that Michigan is surrounded by awesome lakes and knowing that "Great Lakes" is the state motto.
+1
Level 84
Oct 29, 2016
I totally forgot that one, despite my mother being from there, and a number of trips myself. Tried "wolverine" several times, alas.
+11
Level 63
Jun 30, 2017
I tried the "Urban Decay," "Don't get shot in Detroit," "Automobile," "Car," and "Don't drink the water in Flint" state. Really surprised none of them worked for Michigan.
+7
Level 84
Jun 29, 2018
How negative and closed-minded of you. Thanks for sharing.
+4
Level 37
Mar 17, 2019
Because 1 city defines an entire state? Your world must be small.
+2
Level 89
Mar 24, 2021
Cleveland has a catchy slogan.

https://youtu.be/oZzgAjjuqZM

+1
Level 75
Apr 21, 2021
lol that's one of the 8 that I got by randomly guessing stuff to do with the USA. Pleased to be among the elite :) (although it's up to 37% now)
+2
Level 74
Jun 4, 2015
Maine is the Pine Tree State, not the Pine State.
+1
Level 70
Jun 4, 2015
Can't believe I missed my own state!
+1
Level 56
Jun 6, 2015
If I had just gone with my gut and guessed more college mascot names I would've done much better!!
+1
Level 42
Jun 8, 2015
I live in North Carolina and have never heard of that nickname... no wonder it's the least guessed.
+1
Level 56
Jun 21, 2015
I'm pretty sure that the official nickname of North Carolina is the Tar Heel State.
+1
Level 74
Jun 1, 2016
Even Wikipedia says NC's primary nickname is Tar Heel state. Everyone knows it's the Tar Heel state. Why is it not accepted? You can't establish rules for the quiz and then not follow those rules.
+1
Level ∞
Jun 3, 2016
Wikipedia changed, so I changed the quiz!
+1
Level 78
Jun 7, 2016
Maryland is also known as the Free State. Never heard the Old Line State before...
+2
Level 84
Oct 29, 2016
According to maryland.gov, both are acceptable nicknames. (No prizes for guessing which one I prefer!)
+1
Level 64
May 3, 2020
Old Line State is on the Maryland state quarter, so there's that.
+1
Level 76
Oct 14, 2016
You should accept Empire State of the South for Georgia.
+1
Level 37
Mar 17, 2019
Seeing how that's not the official name, why should it be accepted?
+1
Level 66
Oct 26, 2016
Remembered "Garden State" as I clicked give up...
+1
Level 38
Oct 26, 2016
only 17% know Colorado's? shame!
+1
Level 62
Oct 26, 2016
I thought Wisconsin had officially adopted "Badger State"?
+1
Level 75
Oct 26, 2016
or,...Dairy State
+1
Level 87
Mar 24, 2021
Actually it's "America's Dairyland".
+2
Level 65
Oct 26, 2016
It certainly helps to know the mascots of their state colleges: Buckeyes, Hoosiers, Sooners, Beavers, etc.
+1
Level 84
Mar 25, 2021
Pro teams' nicknames & state quarters helped as well.
+1
Level 60
Oct 15, 2023
There's a beaver on the back of the Oregon state flag, but your point remains valid.
+2
Level 29
Oct 26, 2016
Jesus this was so hard
+1
Level 28
Oct 26, 2016
Wisconsin is the badger state. might want to fix that. The cheeseheads wont be happy if you dont
+1
Level 41
Oct 26, 2016
My whole childhood growing up in New Orleans I never heard "Pelican State". Our license plates said "The Sportsman's Paradise".
+1
Level 84
Mar 24, 2021
I always thought that was the case. Did they change it at some point?
+1
Level 48
Oct 27, 2016
As soon as the quiz ended I recognized 6 of the 20 I missed. Some of those I would forget even if I retook the quiz right away.
+1
Level 68
Sep 21, 2018
College mascots will only get you so far, but license plates help out quite a bit.
+3
Level 64
May 3, 2020
I knew *of* Illinois as the Prairie State, but I thought they had adopted Land of Lincoln as an official nickname. Guess not.
+1
Level 69
Oct 22, 2020
Idk if these are official, but Wisconsin's nickname is the badger state, and Alabama's is the yellowhammer state (or the cotton state, according to google)
+1
Level 84
Mar 24, 2021
Why do I keep thinking of Maine as "The Lobster State"?
+7
Level 89
Mar 25, 2021
No "Big Sky" for Montana?
+1
Level 84
Mar 25, 2021
Right? I thought that one was a slam dunk. Confidently typed it in, and then...D'oh!
+2
Level 92
Mar 25, 2021
That is always listed as an alternative...should be included.
+4
Level 89
Mar 25, 2021
State nicknames are confusing, but this quiz needs cleaning. Using https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._state_and_territory_nicknames as a source and using the official names:

1. Yellowhammer shouldn't be accepted for Alabama

2. Minnesota should be Land of 10,000 Lakes

3. Wisconsin shouldn't have any nickname

4. New Jersey should also include Cornerstone State

5. Maryland should also include Free State

6. Pine State should be Pine Tree State for Maine

and there's probably more that I missed

+1
Level ∞
Mar 25, 2021
The Wikipedia article is kind of a mess. I'm happy with the way our list is now.
+7
Level 66
Mar 29, 2021
Land of 10,000 Lakes is a must accept. It's the primary nickname. Gopher State and North Star State can be accepted, too, no problem with that. But "Star of the North" is technically the Motto, and "North Star State" is not near as common as "Land of 10,000 Lakes" as a nickname, and this is a nickname quiz.
+1
Level 67
Apr 19, 2021
The *official* state nickname is the North Star State. I live in Illinois, which is definitely most famous as "the Land of Lincoln," but our official nickname is the Prairie State, so that's the answer...however lame that name may be. There are several instances here (Montana and Wisconsin for sure) where the colloquial nickname is more common than the official one.
+2
Level 69
Apr 19, 2021
Yeah, I've lived in Illinois for over 20 years and always thought our state nick-name was "Land of Lincoln" until taking this quiz just now. I never once heard anyone refer to us as the Prairie State. (I should have tried it as a guess for someone else.)

Likewise Land of 10,000 Lakes.

A new way to win 20 bucks at the bar!

+1
Level 79
Aug 17, 2023
If there's good reason to include both Great Lakes and Wolverine for Michigan, I see no reason not to include Land of 10,000 Lakes for Minnesota (the Wikipedia article now has it in bold, meaning it's "official"). Especially given the messiness of sources. Seems like state quarters and license plates should generally be accepted because whatever it means to be "official" isn't clear to me. So no reason not to include Land of Lincoln for Illinois either.
+1
Level 84
Mar 26, 2021
This is the first I've heard of New Jersey being referred to as the Cornerstone State, and I've lived in NJ for more than 50 years. But that gives me an idea...(goes to Wikipedia and adds "Armpit of the Nation" entry for New Jersey)
+3
Level 84
Mar 26, 2021
Armpit of the Nation should also be accepted for New Jersey.
+2
Level 67
Apr 19, 2021
I grew up in the shadows of New York City and I just love the bizarre pride people have in New Jersey. I met a guy once who had the state's outline tattooed into his armpit as a strange tribute to "the armpit of America." Weird. And kudos to you for making it through an entire comment about New Jersey without mentioning Springsteen.
+1
Level 58
Apr 19, 2021
Man, I laughed way too hard.
+1
Level 74
Mar 25, 2021
Maine is the Pine Tree State, not the Pine State.
+1
Level ∞
Mar 25, 2021
Fixed, thank you.
+1
Level 30
Apr 19, 2021
i thought alaska was the final frontier smh
+1
Level 76
Nov 12, 2023
No, space is the final frontier.
+1
Level 82
Apr 19, 2021
Request to add "Big Sky Country" for Montana. It is the first listed in Wikipedia, and the first many of us learn about.
+1
Level 24
Apr 19, 2021
5:26 left Fun Quiz
+1
Level 65
Apr 19, 2021
Those of us who watch college football (and basketball) have a huge advantage on this one.
+1
Level 66
Apr 19, 2021
If you follow college sports, a decent chunk of these should be self-explanatory.

Hoosiers

Hawkeyes

Cornhuskers

Wolverines

Buckeyes

Sooners

Tar Heels

Beavers

etc...

+1
Level 56
Apr 19, 2021
I thought that Montana was the 'Blue Sky State' because it says so on their license plates...
+1
Level 79
Aug 17, 2023
Big Sky?
+1
Level 26
Apr 20, 2021
I only knew Peace Garden state since it sounded a lot like Garden State, or my former bordering state, New Jersey
+1
Level 65
Jun 14, 2021
Flickertail State to ND?
+1
Level 67
Oct 13, 2023
Alaska may be the Last Frontier, but Space is the Final Frontier
+1
Level 19
Oct 15, 2023
except dixie for The Heart of Dixie
+1
Level 80
Oct 18, 2023
Say please
+1
Level 64
Nov 29, 2023
I took "Prairie State" as a wild guess and was wondering where it would be accepted. Would have never expected Illinois. But it certainly explains, why "Land of Lincoln" was not accepted...