List of States in America, Names Origins and Meaning

 #18     North Dakota  ND  (Peace Garden State)  •Admitted: Nov. 02, 1889  •Residents: North Dakotans
Name origin: Sioux; North + “ally”

 #19     North Carolina  NC  (Old North State)  •Admitted: Nov. 21, 1789  •Residents: North Carolinians
Name origin: Latin; North + “Charles”

 #20     New York  NY  (Empire State)  •Admitted: July 26, 1788  •Residents: New Yorkers
Name origin: English; New + name of an English duke

 #21     New Mexico  NM  (Land of Enchantment)  •Admitted: Jan. 06, 1912  •Residents: New Mexicans
Name origin: Aztec via Spanish; refers to the land north of the upper Rio Grande

 #22     New Jersey  NJ  (Garden State)  •Admitted: Dec. 18, 1787  •Residents: New Jerseyites; New Jerseyans
Name origin: English; New + name of an island

 #23     New Hampshire  NH  (Granite State)  •Admitted: June 21, 1788  •Residents: New Hampshirites; Granite Staters
Name origin: English; New + name of an English county

 #24     Nevada  NV  (Silver State)  •Admitted: Oct. 31, 1864  •Residents: Nevadans
Name origin: Spanish; “snow covered”

 #25     Nebraska  NE  (Cornhusker State)  •Admitted: Mar. 01, 1867  •Residents: Nebraskans; sometimes Cornhuskers
Name origin: Soiux; “flat waters”

 #26     Montana  MT  (Treasure State)  •Admitted: Nov. 08, 1889  •Residents: Montanan
Name origin: Spanish; “mountainous”

 #27     Missouri  MO  (Show Me State)  •Admitted: Aug. 10, 1821  •Residents: Missourians
Name origin: Algonquian; “dugout canoe”

 #28     Mississippi  MS  (Magnolia State)  •Admitted: Dec. 10, 1817  •Residents: Mississippians
Name origin: Ojibwe; “great river”

 #29     Minnesota  MN  (North Star State)  •Admitted: May 11, 1858  •Residents: Minnesotans
Name origin: Dakota; “cloudy water”

 #30     Michigan  MI  (Great Lakes State)  •Admitted: Jan. 26, 1837  •Residents: Michiganians or Michiganders
Name origin: Ottawa or Chippewa; “large body of water”

 #31     Massachusetts  MA  (Bay State)  •Admitted: Feb. 06, 1788  •Residents: Bay Staters or Massachusettsans
Name origin: Algonquian; “great hill place” or “by the little mount

 #32     Maryland  MD  (Old Line State)  •Admitted: Apr. 28, 1788  •Residents: Marylanders
Name origin: English; in honor of Queen “Mary”

 #33     Maine  ME  (Pine Tree State)  •Admitted: Mar. 15, 1820  •Residents: Mainers or Main Staters
Name origin: English or French; “the main land”

 #34     Louisiana  LA  (Pelican State)  •Admitted: Apr. 30, 1812  •Residents: Louisianians or Louisianans
Name origin: French; in honor of King “Louis”

 #35     Kentucky  KY  (Bluegrass State)  •Admitted: June 01, 1792  •Residents: Kentuckians
Name origin: Iroquoian; “prairie” or “field”

 #36     Kansas  KS  (Sunflower State)  •Admitted: Jan. 29, 1861  •Residents: Kansans or Jayhawkers
Name origin: Kaw; “south wind”

 #37     Iowa  IA  (Hawkeye State)  •Admitted: Dec. 28, 1846  •Residents: Iowans or Hawkeyes
Name origin: Dakota; “sleepy ones”

 #38     Indiana  IN  (Hoosier State)  •Admitted: Dec. 11, 1816  •Residents: Hoosiers or Indianians or Indianans
Name origin: English; “Land of the Indians.”

 #39     Illinois  IL  (Prairie State)  •Admitted: Dec. 03, 1818  •Residents: Illinoisan or Illinoians
Name origin: Algonquian; “warriors” or “superior men”

 #40     Idaho  ID  (Gem State)  •Admitted: July 03, 1890  •Residents: Idahoans
Name origin: English; invented word

 #41     Hawaii  HI  (Aloha State)  •Admitted: Aug. 21, 1959  •Residents: Hawaiians (natives) Islanders (non-natives)
Name origin: Hawaiian; “small or new homeland”

 #42     Georgia  GA  (Peach State)  •Admitted: Jan. 02, 1788  •Residents: Georgians
Name origin: Latin; “George”

 #43     Florida  FL  (Sunshine State)  •Admitted: Mar. 03, 1845  •Residents: Floridians
Name origin: Spanish; “flowers”

 #44     Delaware  DE  (First State)  •Admitted: Dec. 07, 1787  •Residents: Delawareans
Name origin: French via English; “of the war”

 #45     Connecticut  CT  (Constitution State)  •Admitted: Jan. 09, 1788  •Residents: Nutmeggers or Connecticuters
Name origin: Mohican / Algonquin; “at the long tidal river”

 #46     Colorado  CO  (Centennial State)  •Admitted: Aug. 01, 1876  •Residents: Coloradans
Name origin: Spanish; “red color”

 #47     California  CA  (Golden State)  •Admitted: Sep. 09, 1850  •Residents: Californians
Name origin: Spanish; where Queen Califia ruled

 #48     Arkansas  AR  (Natural State)  •Admitted: June 15, 1836  •Residents: Arkansans
Name origin: Quapaw; Soiux “south wind”

 #49     Arizona  AZ  (Grand Canyon State)  •Admitted: Feb. 14, 1912  •Residents: Arizonans
Name origin: Aztec, or Pima; “silver-bearing,” or “small spring”

 #50     Alaska  AK  (Last Frontier)  •Admitted: Jan. 03, 1959  •Residents: Alaskans
Name origin: Aleut; “mainland”

 #51     Alabama  AL  (Yellowhammer State)  •Admitted: Dec. 14, 1819  •Residents: Alabamans
Name origin: Choctaw; “plant-cutters”