Why Is Ohio Called the Buckeye State? Plus 8 Other State Nicknames Explained

Every U.S. state has a nickname, whether or not the state legislature has made it official. Many need no explanation at all, with names inspired by a state’s abundant wildlife or most abundant exports. Louisiana’s Pelican State moniker, for example, refers to the big birds that catch fish along the state’s meandering coastline, while Georgia is called the Peach State for its famous bounty of sweet summer fruit. As for Massachusetts and Rhode Island, no one wonders why they’re referred to as the Bay State and the Ocean State, respectively. Other state nicknames are a little more curious, however. Here are some explanations and inspirations behind some of our country’s more unusual state nicknames… read more >