# If Washington DC became a state, what would it be called? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 23, 2020, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-washington-dc-became-a-state-what-would-it-be-called/850100 "2020-03-23T16:10:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-washington-dc-became-a-state-what-would-it-be-called/850100/1 "2020-03-23T16:10:59Z")
The District of Columbia is shamefully undemocratically governed, having no representation in the U.S. Congress. It really should be a state, but what would it be called? “District of Columbia” seems unwieldly. Would it then be the “State of the District of Columbia”? That’s stupid. If it is styled as “The District of Columbia” despite being a state - which is fine, as four states are styled “Commonwealth of…” then its short name would be Columbia. “Columbia” is overused, though, and the city is, technically, Washington. But if it was called the State of Washington… uhh, that’s taken. Should the name change entirely? ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-washington-dc-became-a-state-what-would-it-be-called/850100/2 "2020-03-23T16:18:27Z")
“Columbia” may be overused, but changing the name to something else entirely would be even more confusing. There’s no reason to keep the “District” part - other states having Commonwealth in their names is just a bit of historical detritus. No need to repeat that. So I vote plain old “Columbia.” ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-washington-dc-became-a-state-what-would-it-be-called/850100/3 "2020-03-23T16:26:26Z")
Yeah, I know that was the proposed name on at least one of the 1990s resolutions from the District Council. Gotta be named something, after all. As you say, Washington is taken. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-washington-dc-became-a-state-what-would-it-be-called/850100/4 "2020-03-23T16:28:12Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > The District of Columbia is shamefully undemocratically governed, having no representation in the U.S. Congress. It really should be a state, but what would it be called? But why should it be a state? I just look a look at Population by [State/Territory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_states_and_territories_of_the_United_States_by_population) and DC has fewer people than every state but Vermont and Wyoming and 20% of Puerto Rico. Why don’t they just [retroceed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/District_of_Columbia_retrocession) the rest of DC to Maryland just keep the Capitol/White House as DC? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-washington-dc-became-a-state-what-would-it-be-called/850100/5 "2020-03-23T16:29:16Z")
Let’s just call it “George.” It’s the 21st century; we should be on a first-name basis with our country’s capital. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-washington-dc-became-a-state-what-would-it-be-called/850100/6 "2020-03-23T16:48:41Z")
We already have Virginia and West Virginia. I say we continue the trend and call it North Virginia. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-washington-dc-became-a-state-what-would-it-be-called/850100/7 "2020-03-23T17:01:47Z")
> [@FinsToTheLeft](#): > > But why should it be a state? I just look a look at Population by [State/Territory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_states_and_territories_of_the_United_States_by_population) and DC has fewer people than every state but Vermont and Wyoming and 20% of Puerto Rico. Why don’t they just [retroceed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/District_of_Columbia_retrocession) the rest of DC to Maryland just keep the Capitol/White House as DC? Because DC hasn’t been part of Maryland for two hundred years. People always propose these weird hoops to keep Washingtonians from having representation and I always wonder why. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-washington-dc-became-a-state-what-would-it-be-called/850100/8 "2020-03-23T17:04:24Z")
East Washington ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-washington-dc-became-a-state-what-would-it-be-called/850100/9 "2020-03-23T17:07:32Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Because DC hasn’t been part of Maryland for two hundred years. People always propose these weird hoops to keep Washingtonians from having representation and I always wonder why. Well, they would have representation, as citizens of Maryland. (Although I support DC statehood) ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-washington-dc-became-a-state-what-would-it-be-called/850100/10 "2020-03-23T17:29:55Z")
If this is necessary, it should just be annexed by Virginia. No need for another state. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-washington-dc-became-a-state-what-would-it-be-called/850100/11 "2020-03-23T18:10:16Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Well, they would have representation, as citizens of Maryland. (Although I support DC statehood) Yeah, but why? By the same logic, West Virginia should rejoin Virginia as it was part of the state more recently. I know you’re not making the case, but it’s always been an odd suggestion. Ken Starr, yeah that guy, is surprisingly supportive of DC voting rights: > [@](#): > > But Starr says despite that silence, Congress has the authority to adapt to the fact that a full-fledged city grew up here; the Constitution expressly says that “The Congress shall have power … to > exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever” over the District of Columbia. > > The longstanding argument against D.C. representation is based on the idea that the Constitution reserves that right for “states,” and the District is not a state. But Starr notes that Congress routinely regulates the flow of commerce between the District and the states, and that power is also expressly reserved in the Constitution for Congress to act on commerce “among the several states.” That means Congress can also decide that the best way to govern the District is for Washingtonians to have the same voting rights as other taxpaying Americans. > **[The Washington Post - Breaking news and latest headlines, U.S. news, world...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/)** > > Breaking news, live coverage, investigations, analysis, video, photos and opinions from The Washington Post. Subscribe for the latest on U.S. and international news, politics, business, technology, climate change, health and wellness, sports,... But this thread is about to call the State, I think some version of Washington DC is fine, but there’s obviously a lot of work to get there. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-washington-dc-became-a-state-what-would-it-be-called/850100/12 "2020-03-23T18:12:47Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > If this is necessary, it should just be annexed by Virginia. No need for another state. Maryland would make more sense, but neither Maryland or Virginia want DC, and most residents, myself included, would prefer our own statehood. More people live here than in Wyoming. ETA: I don’t really care what it would be called. Since acronyms with meanings removed are the rage now–think BP or KFC–I’d like DC. But anything’s fine. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-washington-dc-became-a-state-what-would-it-be-called/850100/13 "2020-03-23T18:38:34Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Let’s just call it “George.” It’s the 21st century; we should be on a first-name basis with our country’s capital. Don’t let people vote for the name on the Internet because then everyone will choose “Captially McCaptialface.” ---
**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:** [March 23, 2020, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-washington-dc-became-a-state-what-would-it-be-called/850100/14 "2020-03-23T18:40:56Z")
I would just go with DC. Why complicate things? It’s already there on a bunch of forms and a recognized postal state abbreviation and well known as that. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-washington-dc-became-a-state-what-would-it-be-called/850100/15 "2020-03-23T18:48:20Z")
I recently read it is to be called Douglass Commonwealth, after Frederick Douglass. It can retain its DC abbreviation for postal purposes. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-washington-dc-became-a-state-what-would-it-be-called/850100/16 "2020-03-23T18:52:58Z")
I’d propose the Republic of Trump if it would get the job done. Then in Trumpian style, we would change our minds immediately after getting what we want. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-washington-dc-became-a-state-what-would-it-be-called/850100/17 "2020-03-23T21:04:10Z")
Since the SW part was returned to Virginia in 1846, I don’t see why _most_ of the rest can’t be returned to MD. Key areas around the Mall and whatnot could be kept as the DC. No real houses except for the White one. So no voters. The Feds run those areas as they do now. MD gets a few more House seats … And that’s where it falls apart. These would likely be Democratic seats and getting 2/3 of everybody to agree to do that isn’t going to happen. So much for rationally doing things. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-washington-dc-became-a-state-what-would-it-be-called/850100/18 "2020-03-23T21:39:01Z")
If we were being semi-rational (and so this post goes down in flames) the logical thing to do is to take everything inside the beltway (got to stop somewhere) and make it a new state. Large geographic parts of Virginia would be happy to lose all those northern liberals. Maryland would be consoled with 2 more democratic senators, governance of the Metro would become somewhat easier. It all could make some sense. ---
**Author:** ![Wilson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@Wilson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wilson)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-washington-dc-became-a-state-what-would-it-be-called/850100/19 "2020-03-23T21:52:12Z")
It should be annexed by Delaware. Because I like weird geographical quirks. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2020, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-washington-dc-became-a-state-what-would-it-be-called/850100/20 "2020-03-23T22:01:04Z")
> [@Wilson](#): > > It should be annexed by Delaware. > > Because I like weird geographical quirks. Then let’s just have it annexed by the state of Washington and clear up the redundancy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-washington-dc-became-a-state-what-would-it-be-called/850100.md?page=2)