# The New Student's Reference Work/United States Names and Meanings

See also the disclaimer.
​ United States Names and Meanings.
NameOrigin and MeaningPopular Name :
| Alabama | Indian name of a river meaning Here We Rest | Cotton State. |
| Arkansas | Indian name of a tribe meaning They Who Went down the River | Bear State. |
| California | Spanish for Hot Furnace | Golden State. |
| Colorado | Spanish for colored or red | Centennial State. |
| Connecticut | Indian name meaning The Long River | Nutmeg State. |
| Delaware | English name of a nobleman | Diamond State (or Little Blue Hen). |
| Florida | Spanish word meaning Flowery | Everglade State. |
| Georgia | Latin form meaning Land of (King) George | Empire State of the South or Goober State. |
| Idaho | Indian name meaning Mountain-Gem | Gem of the Mountains. |
| Illinois | Indian name of a tribe, meaning The Men | Prairie State. |
| Indiana | Latin form, meaning Land of Indians | Hoosier State. |
| Iowa | Indian name of a tribe and a river | Hawkeye State. (There was an Indian chief named Hawkeye). ​ |
| Kansas | Indian; from kanza, meaning Swift and Wind. It also is said to mean Smoky Water | Sunflower State. |
| Kentucky | Indian word meaning The Barrens and Prairie | Bluegrass State. |
| Louisiana | Latin form meaning Land of (King) Louis | Creole, Pelican or Canebrake State. |
| Maine | French name of a province; or English “main,” to distinguish the mainland from the islands | Pinetree State. |
| Maryland | English name for the queen of Charles I of England | Old-Line State. |
| Massachusetts | Indian name meaning Place of Great Hills | Bay State. |
| Michigan | Indian name meaning the Great Lake | Peninsular or Wolverine State. |
| Minnesota | Indian name meaning Sky-colored Water | Bread and Butter, or Gopher, or North Star State. |
| Mississippi | Indian name meaning Father of Waters or Great River | Bayou State. |
| Missouri | Indian name meaning The Big Muddy | Bullion State. |
| Montana | Spanish for mountain | Mountain or Treasure State. |
| Nebraska | Indian name meaning Shallow Water or Water Valley | Tree-Planter State. |
| Nevada | Spanish for snow-covered | Sage-Brush or Sage-Hen State |
| New Hampshire | English name for a county in England | Granite State. |
| New Jersey | English name of an island in the English Channel | Garden State. |
| New York | English name of a city in England and of a duchy | Empire State. |
| North Carolina | Latin form meaning Country of (King) Charles | Old North, or Tarheel, or Turpentine State. |
| North Dakota | Indian name of tribes meaning Allies | Flickertail State. |
| Ohio | Indian name meaning The Beautiful River | Buckeye State. |
| Oklahoma | Indian name meaning Land of the Fair God | |
| Oregon | | Beaver or Sunset State. |
| Pennsylvania | Latin form meaning Penn's Woodland | Keystone State. |
| Rhode Island | Dutch name meaning Red Island | Little Rhody. |
| South Carolina | See North Carolina | Palmetto State. |
| South Dakota | See North Dakota | Coyote or Sunshine State. |
| Tennessee | Indian name meaning The River of the Big Bend | Big Bend or Volunteer State. |
| Texas | Indian name of tribes meaning Confederates | Lone Star State. |
| Utah | Indian name of a tribe | Salt Lake State. |
| Vermont | French name meaning Green Mountains | Green Mountain State. |
| Virginia | Latin form meaning Virgin's Land, for Queen Elizabeth | Old Dominion State. |
| Washington | English and American name of a family | Corner or Evergreen State. |
| West Virginia | See Virginia | Panhandle State. |
| Wisconsin | Indian name meaning The Wild, Rushing River | Badger State. |
| Wyoming | Indian name meaning Great Plains | Equality State. |
Alaska is an Inuit word meaning The Great Land; Arizona an Indian name that signifies The Place of Small Springs; Hawaii a Polynesian title; Mexico, as in New Mexico, is from the Aztec name of Mexitl, the Mexican war-god; Panama is an Indian or Spanish name; Philippines is a Latinized Spanish form meaning Land of (King) Philip (of Spain), Filipino meaning an inhabitant of the Philippines; and Porto Rico is a Spanish term meaning Rich Port.