What Is a Demonym? Discover Your Own!
The odds are high that you’ve heard of a Californian or Texan, but what about a Flatlander? These are all examples of demonyms—names used to describe the residents of specific places.
Simple and Complex Demonyms
Some demonyms are straightforward, like “Californian,” while others, like “Goober Grabber,” might leave you scratching your head. This intriguing term hails from Georgia, known as The Peach State. According to Southern Living, the nickname dates back to the Civil War. Georgia is famous for its peanut production, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture noting that it led the nation in peanut output in 2022. During the Civil War, recruits from Georgia earned the moniker “goober grabbers” due to their fondness for peanuts.
Discover Your State’s Demonym
Here’s a list of demonyms for each state:
- Alabama – Alabamian, Barners
- Alaska – Alaskan
- Arizona – Arizonian, Arizonan, Sonorian
- Arkansas – Arkansan, Arkansawyer, Arkie
- California – Californian
- Colorado – Coloradan
- Connecticut – Connecticuter, Nutmegger
- Delaware – Delawarean, Blue Hen, Chicken
- Florida – Floridian
- Georgia – Georgian, Goober Grabber
- Hawaii – Kamaʻāina, Hawaiian (Indigenous descent)
- Idaho – Idahoan
- Illinois – Illinoisan, Sandhiller
- Indiana – Hoosier, Indianan
- Iowa – Iowan, Hawkeye
- Kansas – Kansan, Jayhawker
- Kentucky – Kentuckian, Corn Cracker
- Louisiana – Louisianians
- Maine – Mainer, Down Easter, Yankee
- Maryland – Marylander
- Massachusetts – Massachusettsan, Bay Stater
- Michigan – Michigander, Michiganian
- Minnesota – Minnesotan
- Mississippi – Mississippian, Mississipper
- Missouri – Missourian, Missouran
- Montana – Montanan
- Nebraska – Nebraskan, Cornhusker
- Nevada – Nevadan
- New Hampshire – New Hampshirite, Granite Stater
- New Jersey – New Jerseyite, New Jerseyan
- New Mexico – New Mexican
- New York – New Yorker, Knickerbocker
- North Carolina – North Carolinian, Tar Heel
- North Dakota – North Dakotan
- Ohio – Ohioan, Buckeye
- Oklahoma – Oklahoman, Sooner, Okie
- Oregon – Oregonian (Locals pronounce the final syllable like “gin,” with a hard g)
- Pennsylvania – Pennsylvanian, Penn, Quaker
- Rhode Island – Rhode Islanders, Swamp Yankee
- South Carolina – South Carolinian, Sandlapper
- South Dakota – South Dakotan
- Tennessee – Tennessean, Volunteer, Butternut
- Texas – Texan, Texian, Tejano
- Utah – Utahns
- Vermont – Vermonter, Woodchuck (Those who move to Vermont from elsewhere are dubbed “Flatlanders.”)
- Virginia – Virginian
- Washington – Washingtonian
- West Virginia – Virginian, Mountaineer
- Wisconsin – Wisconsinites, Cheeseheads, Badger
- Wyoming – Wyomingite, Wyomese
Demonyms in U.S. Territories
- Washington D.C. – Washingtonian
- American Samoa – Samoan American
- Guam – Guamanians
- Northern Mariana Islands – Mariana Islanders
- Puerto Rico – Puerto Rican, Boricua
- U.S. Virgin Islands – Virgin Islanders
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