# District of Columbia becomes a state--- what should it be called? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 22, 2021, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553 "2021-04-22T17:27:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2021, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/21 "2021-04-22T21:02:13Z")
Franklin. Because Old Ben deserves it. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2021, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/22 "2021-04-22T21:37:58Z")
The state of Keanu. Whoa! ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2021, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/23 "2021-04-22T21:53:41Z")
In this time of texting, tweeting, and Gram-ing, everything gets shortened. Call it DisCol. Better yet, Discord. That’s what dominates the news from DC, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2021, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/24 "2021-04-22T22:03:41Z")
North Virginia? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/25 "2021-04-23T00:38:57Z")
Then you’ll have Footbal Team Football Team. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/26 "2021-04-23T00:46:57Z")
Let’s use the full name: Grover Washington Jr. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/27 "2021-04-23T01:01:16Z")
Non-American here. Is this likely to happen? ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/28 "2021-04-23T01:02:03Z")
There was already a State named Franklin…it didn’t work out so well. > **[The True Story of the Short-Lived State of Franklin](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/true-story-short-lived-state-franklin-180964541/)** > > Several counties in what is today Tennessee tried to form their own independent state ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/29 "2021-04-23T01:05:54Z")
Not really. I can’t see how. It would need to be a unanimous vote by the Dems in the Senate, plus ten Republicans to avoid the filibuster. (Unless I’m missing something.) ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/30 "2021-04-23T01:46:50Z")
My friends, there is already a city named Columbia in Maryland, about 35 miles from DC. “Columbia” is taken. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/31 "2021-04-23T01:59:40Z")
Brian. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/32 "2021-04-23T02:53:06Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Statey McStateface. You win the thread. The postal abbreviation SM hasn’t been taken yet, so this is a shoo-in. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/33 "2021-04-23T03:15:08Z")
Obviously it should be **The Deep** state. Duh. I guess the Sate of **Bigly** could be a consideration. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/34 "2021-04-23T03:15:55Z")
My modest proposal: > The Big Sleazy ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/35 "2021-04-23T05:44:51Z")
> [@susan](#): > > My friends, there is already a city named Columbia in Maryland, about 35 miles from DC. “Columbia” is taken. And there are two Kansas Citys literally adjacent to one another. There are weirder situations. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/36 "2021-04-23T07:38:32Z")
Covfefe ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/37 "2021-04-23T07:59:32Z")
Nah, I don’t wanna see the individual who originated that term get any more enshrinement in history. I’d be OK with naming a sewer treatment plant “Covfefe Waste Dump” or whatever, though. On topic, I think anything “X Commonwealth” is too much of a mouthful. No other state gets such a tag appended to its name. It’d get shortened to just plain “Douglass” anyway … and that is ultimately what I guess I’d pick, though I appreciate the effort to include the full “DC” initials. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/38 "2021-04-23T08:18:50Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > > [@susan](#): > > > > My friends, there is already a city named Columbia in Maryland, about 35 miles from DC. “Columbia” is taken. > > And there are two Kansas Citys literally adjacent to one another. There are weirder situations. I know that they are technically two different cities, due to being in two different states. But I always thought they were conceptually and culturally a single city. Back when I crossed the line, the people I was with talked about “crossing to the Kansas side,” not acting like we were going to a different city. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/39 "2021-04-23T08:26:37Z")
Thanks. Does the population of DC want it? If the politicians want it to happen why don’t they angle to have a referendum in DC on it? That might make opposition more tricky. Edit: sorry this is a hijack. No worries if nobody answers. UNLESS, I suggest that they can ask the naming question in said referendum. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2021, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553/40 "2021-04-23T10:05:25Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > Does the population of DC want it? If the politicians want it to happen why don’t they angle to have a referendum in DC on it? That might make opposition more tricky. They’ve had one before: > **[2016 Washington, D.C., statehood referendum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Washington,_D.C._statehood_referendum)** > > A referendum on statehood for the District of Columbia was held on November 8, 2016. It was the first referendum on statehood to be held in the district. The District of Columbia was created following the passage of the Residence Act on July 9, 1790, which approved the creation of a national capital, the City of Washington on the Potomac River. > District of Columbia voters were asked to advise the Council to approve or reject a proposal, which included advising the council to petition Congress ... It had 86% approval at that time. If I understand correctly, the DC council then formally asked it to be considered by Congress, and the Democratically controlled House passed it back in 2018. McConnel refused to bring it up in the Senate, but now the Democratically controlled Senate has allowed it. I’m not sure how useful another referendum would be. I do suspect that support has only grown larger since 2016. But I’m not sure that such a referendum would put any more pressure on Republican Senators, and at least 10 need to agree. It’s not like the people of DC can do anything to punish those Senators if they don’t listen. Then again, I’m not a politician, nor do I live in DC. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/district-of-columbia-becomes-a-state-what-should-it-be-called/940553.md?page=3)