# Do other states call themselves by their initials? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 23, 2005, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-states-call-themselves-by-their-initials/318217 "2005-08-23T02:11:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-states-call-themselves-by-their-initials/318217/41 "2005-08-26T17:13:19Z")
On occasion, New Mexicans will refer to our state as “NM”. More frequently, though, it is “No, you idiot! I said\* **NEW** \* Mexico! I’m a U.S. citizen, just like you, you moron!” The state university is called N.M.S.U., frequently pronounced “enema-zoo” when you are mad at the administration. ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-states-call-themselves-by-their-initials/318217/42 "2005-08-26T18:02:46Z")
> [@rocking chair](#): > > the capital of the u.s. is dc. washington is the state on the other side of the country… i am bugged by people who call it washington state. there is dc and there is washington. I know I’ve never lived there, but when did this change occur, eh? Did the citizens of DC decide that Washington sucked and gave the city the boot. Do you address your mail: 4 Main Street DC Are you jealous of the state of Washington and upset that the city has to share a name? I know in slang and common speech, it’s referred to simply as DC, but the name of the city is Washington, located in the District of Columbia, rather than a state. It’s kind of like Berlin - it’s a city, but it’s also its own state, though in Washington’s case, it’s a federal district rather than a state. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-states-call-themselves-by-their-initials/318217/43 "2005-08-26T18:40:30Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > Call me out on this if I’m wrong, but doesn’t California’s constitution identify itself as a Republic? California is a “Republic” nowhere except on its flag. The four “Commonwealths” are commonwealths in name only. Under the constitution, they are all states. The word “commonwealth” has no specific meaning under the constitution. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-states-call-themselves-by-their-initials/318217/44 "2005-08-26T18:41:28Z")
> [@rocking chair](#): > > the capital of the u.s. is dc. washington is the state on the other side of the country… i am bugged by people who call it washington state. there is dc and there is washington. I wish it were that simple, but I have to say Washington State or people here (New England) will assume I mean DC. I definitely say “Penna” and “Mass” but when I lived in NYC I would say The Bronx, Manhattan, etc., not usually New York or New York City. And “St. Louis, **MO** ” flies. ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-states-call-themselves-by-their-initials/318217/45 "2005-08-26T19:04:25Z")
> [@rocking chair](#): > > the capital of the u.s. is dc. washington is the state on the other side of the country… i am bugged by people who call it washington state. there is dc and there is washington. As someone who lives near DC, I can assure you that “Washington”, without qualifiers or some other established context, will be instantly taken to mean the capital city — because _that’s its name_. You need to say “Washington state” to refer to the state, if the referent isn’t otherwise obvious. I think that’s not only true around here, but for just about all of the U.S. east of the Mississippi. Whether this is fair or sensible I cannot say, but it’s still the convention around these parts. Sorry if it bugs you. ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Whistle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Big\_Whistle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Whistle)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-states-call-themselves-by-their-initials/318217/46 "2005-08-26T19:47:03Z")
Not in Ohio. Here, people are just as likely to mean the state as the city, and often prefer to refer to the city as DC. ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-states-call-themselves-by-their-initials/318217/47 "2005-08-26T19:56:54Z")
> [@Big Whistle](#): > > Not in Ohio. Here, people are just as likely to mean the state as the city, and often prefer to refer to the city as DC. All right, let me retreat a little and say, “most of the east coast” instead. I’ll admit though that I don’t have any kind of survey to back that up. I’m just going by the experience of my own personal travels. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-states-call-themselves-by-their-initials/318217/48 "2005-08-26T20:10:42Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Generally, no. Pennsylvania is fairly unique in that regard. I am from Louisiana but LA is already taken. I live in Massachusetts now. People often call the state “Mass” which is a variant of the idea. Yes, and that used to be the postal abbreviation for MA, or at least the way most people wrote it. I still have to force myself to write MA and CT instead of Mass. and Conn. Kids these days just have no respect for tradition. 🙂 I don’t generally call the state itself Mass, though, unless it’s associated with something else-- the Mass Pike, Boston Mass, Mass Ave, etc… ---
**Author:** ![Thrillhouse15](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ad7895/32.png) [@Thrillhouse15](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thrillhouse15)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-states-call-themselves-by-their-initials/318217/49 "2005-08-26T20:10:56Z")
1980s pro wrestling tag team and proported rock band The Freebirds had a line in their entrance music that went something like: Bad Street, Atlanta G-A Baddest street in the whole U.S.A. I don’t think I’ve ever heard Georgia referred to as “G A” outside of that song, though. ---
**Author:** ![Tamryne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3e96dc/32.png) [@Tamryne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamryne)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-states-call-themselves-by-their-initials/318217/50 "2005-08-26T21:53:33Z")
Texas is simply referred to as texas. Our initals are two consonants anyways, its easier to just say the name alltogether. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-states-call-themselves-by-their-initials/318217/51 "2005-08-26T22:55:08Z")
> [@Thrillhouse15](#): > > 1980s pro wrestling tag team and proported rock band The Freebirds had a line in their entrance music that went something like: > Bad Street, Atlanta G-A > Baddest street in the whole U.S.A. > > I don’t think I’ve ever heard Georgia referred to as “G A” outside of that song, though. _They call her Hard Hearted Hannah The vamp of Savannah The vamp of Savannah G. A._ –“Hard Hearted Hannah”, hit song by Yellen & Ager, 1924 ---
**Author:** ![Amaranta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Amaranta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amaranta)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2005, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-states-call-themselves-by-their-initials/318217/52 "2005-08-27T01:16:49Z")
> [@Fuji Kitakyusho](#): > > Here in BC, we call it… um… BC. Nobody says “British Columbia” unless they are forced to explain the acronym by foreigners. Mmm-hmm. I didn’t even know the province I lived in was named anything other than just “BC” until I was 8 or so. That’s all anyone ever calls it. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2005, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-states-call-themselves-by-their-initials/318217/53 "2005-08-28T14:58:42Z")
And at the other coast, the Province of Prince Edward Island is often referred to as “PEI.” ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2005, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-states-call-themselves-by-their-initials/318217/54 "2005-08-28T21:54:01Z")
Residents of Northern Virginia do not call Northern Virginia NoVa, we call Northern Virginia Community College NoVa/NOVA. ---
**Author:** ![dqa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dqa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dqa)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-states-call-themselves-by-their-initials/318217/55 "2005-08-29T03:36:26Z")
Besides DC, I’m curious whether other territories go by their initials. It wouldn’t surprise me if PR, VI, AS, or CZ were used. That last, not so much anymore. There are also FM, GU, MH, PW, and someone please tell me how we got MP. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Kitchen\_Wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f08c70/32.png) [@Kitchen\_Wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kitchen_Wench)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-states-call-themselves-by-their-initials/318217/56 "2005-08-29T10:54:36Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > And “St. Louis, **MO** ” flies. Yep, Missouri gets chopped down to “Moe” a lot. Example: Person A- “You work in KC?” (Kansas City) Person B- “Yeah KC MO, not KCK.” (Kansas City, Kansas) FYI, it’s irritating when people not from this region assume Kansas City is in Kansas. Especially to folks on the Missouri side. Though I understand the assumption (OKC and others). In conversation, I always refer to Washington D.C. simply as “D.C.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-states-call-themselves-by-their-initials/318217.md?page=2)