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What is a demonym and what is yours?

(File: Getty)

(WNTZ) – The odds say you’ve more than likely heard of a Californian or Texan, but what about a Flatlander? These are all examples of demonyms: names used for residents of any particular place.

Some are pretty straightforward, like “Californian,” while others, like “Goober Grabber,” may have you scratching your head.


That’s right, Georgia is well known for being The Peach State, but it has another nickname that dates back to the Civil War, according to Southern Living. Peanuts are also called goobers, and Georgia is famous for its peanut production – according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 2022 it led all others combined. During the Civil War, recruits from Georgia were reportedly dubbed “goober grabbers” for their love of the snack.

Read the list below to learn your state’s demonym.

States:

  1. Alabama – Alabamian, Barners
  2. Alaska – Alaskan
  3. Arizona – Arizonian, Arizonan, Sonorian
  4. Arkansas- Arkansan, Arkansawyer, Arkie
  5. California – Californian
  6. Colorado – Coloradan
  7. Connecticut – Connecticuter, Nutmegger
  8. Delaware – Delawarean, Blue Hen, Chicken
  9. Florida – Floridian
  10. Georgia – Georgian, Goober Grabber
  11. Hawaii – Kamaʻāina, Hawaiian (Indigenous descent)  
  12. Idaho – Idahoan
  13. Illinois – Illinoisan, Sandhiller
  14. Indiana – Hoosiers, Indianan
  15. Iowa – Iowans, Hawkeye
  16. Kansas – Kansan, Jayhawkers
  17. Kentucky – Kentuckian, Corn Cracker
  18. Louisiana – Louisianians 
  19. Maine – Mainers, Down Easter, Yankee
  20. Maryland – Marylander
  21. Massachusetts – Massachusettsans, Bay Stater
  22. Michigan – Michiganders, Michiganian
  23. Minnesota – Minnesotan, Minne
  24. Mississippi – Mississippian, Mississippers
  25. Missouri – Missourian, Missouran
  26. Montana – Montanans
  27. Nebraska – Nebraskan, Cornhusker
  28. Nevada – Nevadan
  29. New Hampshire – New Hampshirite, Granite Stater
  30. New Jersey – New Jerseyite, New Jerseyan
  31. New Mexico – New Mexican
  32. New York – New Yorkian, Knickerbocker
  33. North Carolina – North Carolinian, Tar Heel
  34. North Dakota – North Dakotan
  35. Ohio – Ohioan – Buckeye 
  36. Oklahoma – Oklahoman, Sooner and Okie
  37. Oregon – Oregonian (Locals pronounce the final syllable like “gin,” with a hard g)
  38. Pennsylvania – Pennsylvanians, Penn and Quaker
  39. Rhode Island – Rhode Islanders, Swamp Yankee
  40. South Carolina – South Carolinian, Sandlapper
  41. South Dakota – North Dakotan
  42. Tennessee – Tennesseans, Volunteers, Butternuts
  43. Texas – Texan, Texians, Tejano
  44. Utah – Utahns
  45. Vermont – Vermonters, Woodchuck, (Those who move to Vermont from elsewhere are dubbed “Flatlanders.”)
  46. Virginia – Virginian
  47. Washington – Washingtonian
  48. West Virginia – Virginian, Mountaineer
  49. Wisconsin – Wisconsinites, Cheese Heads, Badgers
  50. Wyoming – Wyomingite, Wyomese

Territories:

  1. Washington D.C. – Washingtonian
  2. American Samoa – Samoan Americans
  3. Guam – Guamanians
  4. Northern Mariana Islands – Mariana Islanders
  5. Puerto Rico – Puerto Rican, Boricua
  6. U.S. Virgin Islands – Virgin Islanders