Guide Rankings Geography Updated April 22, 2026

What People From Each State Are Called

Map of the United States showing resident names and demonyms for all 50 states

What People From Each State Are Called

Ranking - Geography

Quick Answer

What People From Each State Are Called

  1. 1

    People from U.S. states are called demonyms, or resident names. Some are straightforward, such as Texan, Californian, and New Yorker, while others are better known by distinctive names such as Hoosier, Buckeye, and Nutmegger.

  2. 2

    Some states also use more than one accepted demonym. Hawaii stands out because 'Hawaiian' can carry a more specific cultural meaning than a simple state resident label.

Map

U.S. State Resident Names (Demonyms) Map

A state-by-state map of U.S. resident names, including standard demonyms and well-known nicknames.
U.S. State Resident Names (Demonyms) Map
State Value
Alabama Alabamian / Alabaman
Alaska Alaskan
Arizona Arizonan / Arizonian
Arkansas Arkansan
California Californian
Colorado Coloradan / Coloradoan
Connecticut Connecticuter
Delaware Delawarean
Florida Floridian / Floridan
Georgia Georgian
Hawaii Hawaii resident
Idaho Idahoan
Illinois Illinoisan
Indiana Indianan / Indianian
Iowa Iowan
Kansas Kansan
Kentucky Kentuckian
Louisiana Louisianian / Louisianan
Maine Mainer
Maryland Marylander
Massachusetts Massachusettsan
Michigan Michiganian / Michigander
Minnesota Minnesotan
Mississippi Mississippian
Missouri Missourian
Montana Montanan
Nebraska Nebraskan
Nevada Nevadan
New Hampshire New Hampshirite
New Jersey New Jerseyan / New Jerseyite
New Mexico New Mexican
New York New Yorker
North Carolina North Carolinian
North Dakota North Dakotan
Ohio Ohioan
Oklahoma Oklahoman
Oregon Oregonian
Pennsylvania Pennsylvanian
Rhode Island Rhode Islander
South Carolina South Carolinian
South Dakota South Dakotan
Tennessee Tennessean
Texas Texan
Utah Utahn / Utahan
Vermont Vermonter
Virginia Virginian
Washington Washingtonian
West Virginia West Virginian
Wisconsin Wisconsinite
Wyoming Wyomingite

A state-by-state map of U.S. resident names, including standard demonyms and well-known nicknames.

What People From Each State Are Called Table

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Print-ready table — What People From Each State Are Called

Unusual State Resident Names

A handful of states use names that bear no obvious relation to the state name. Indiana residents are Hoosiers. Ohio residents are Buckeyes. Connecticut residents are Nutmeggers — a reference to the state's colonial trading reputation. Oklahoma residents are Sooners, named for settlers who crossed the land run starting lines early.

Other notable departures: Bay Stater for Massachusetts, Granite Stater for New Hampshire, Tar Heel for North Carolina, Cornhusker for Nebraska, Volunteer for Tennessee. These are not informal slang — they are part of state identity, and in many cases older and better-known than the technical demonym.

States With More Than One Accepted Demonym

Some states have more than one accepted resident name rather than a single clear form. Alabama appears as Alabamian and Alabaman. Arizona can be Arizonan or Arizonian. Colorado appears as Coloradan or Coloradoan. Arkansas and Utah also have alternate forms in use.

Michigan is the standout case. Abraham Lincoln used 'Michigander' as a political jab in 1848, which helped it survive. Both Michiganian and Michigander are widely recognized today, and neither is wrong.

Why 'Hawaiian' and 'Hawaii Resident' Are Not Always the Same

Hawaii is one of the few states where the resident-name question needs extra context. In common usage, 'Hawaiian' often refers specifically to Native Hawaiians, meaning the Indigenous people of Hawaii.

Because of that distinction, 'Hawaii resident' is the broader, more neutral term for anyone living in the state. The difference matters in cultural and political contexts, not just style guides.

Official Demonyms vs. Popular Nicknames

For many states, the official demonym is the form people already expect, such as Floridian, Oregonian, Rhode Islander, or Wisconsinite. In other cases, a popular nickname is just as recognizable, or even more familiar, than the formal resident name.

Names like Hoosier, Tar Heel, and Volunteer are rooted in specific history — military service, agricultural identity, colonial trade. They carry meaning the technical demonym does not. The <a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-STYLEMANUAL-2016/pdf/GPO-STYLEMANUAL-2016.pdf">U.S. Government Publishing Office Style Manual</a> documents the standard forms, but the nicknames are where state identity actually lives.

Quick Answers

What do you call people from each U.S. state?
People from U.S. states are called demonyms, or resident names. Examples include Texan, Californian, New Yorker, Hoosier, and Buckeye.
Which states have unusual resident names?
Some of the best-known unusual resident names include Hoosier for Indiana, Buckeye for Ohio, Nutmegger for Connecticut, Sooner for Oklahoma, Tar Heel for North Carolina, and Cornhusker for Nebraska.
Do any states have more than one demonym?
Yes. Several states have more than one accepted form, including Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Arkansas, Michigan, and Utah.
Is 'Hawaiian' the same as 'Hawaii resident'?
Not always. 'Hawaiian' is often used in a cultural or ethnic sense for Native Hawaiians, while 'Hawaii resident' is often used more broadly for anyone living in the state.
What is the difference between an official demonym and a state nickname?
An official demonym is the standard resident name, such as Texan or Floridian. A nickname is a more informal or identity-based term, such as Hoosier, Buckeye, or Bay Stater.

Methodology

This page lists the resident name for all 50 U.S. states, with official demonyms and widely recognized alternates where they matter.

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