# "Massachusettsers?" "Indianians" Coneccticutters?" What do you guys call yourselves? (Hawaii? Etc... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 2, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusettsers-indianians-coneccticutters-what-do-you-guys-call-yourselves-hawaii-etc/758932 "2016-07-02T17:56:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusettsers-indianians-coneccticutters-what-do-you-guys-call-yourselves-hawaii-etc/758932/1 "2016-07-02T17:56:31Z")
Spinoff of other thread, where I, a New Yorker, needed to be reassured that people from Maine call themselves Mainers. So if I ran into the governor of Massachusetts–he would say he is a …? I guess there are certain phonological trends in English leading to one suffix or another, but to my ear “Washingtonian” sounds “better” than “Washingtoner” only by force of habit. Then I realized I don’t know how a lot of Americans say it of themselves. FTR, it took 10 minutes of Google hopping before I found “demonym,” previously known as “gentilic,” apparently, to find a word for this issue. SD works its magic again. > **[Demonym](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demonym)** > > A demonym (/ˈdɛmənɪm/; from Ancient Greek δῆμος (dêmos) 'people, tribe', and ὄνυμα (ónuma) 'name') or gentilic (from Latin gentilis 'of a clan, or gens') is a word that identifies a group of people (inhabitants, residents, natives) in relation to a particular place. Demonyms are usually derived from the name of the place (hamlet, village, town, city, region, province, state, country, continent, planet, and beyond). Demonyms are used to designate all people (the general population) of As a sub... ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusettsers-indianians-coneccticutters-what-do-you-guys-call-yourselves-hawaii-etc/758932/2 "2016-07-02T18:08:22Z")
Cx: "Hawaian I know, but I think there’s a different one being kicked around for political reasons. It’s just that “Massachusettsers” sounds so _bad_ I think it must be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusettsers-indianians-coneccticutters-what-do-you-guys-call-yourselves-hawaii-etc/758932/3 "2016-07-02T18:25:16Z")
1. Massachusettsian is correct, but sounds weird. IME most people just say they’re “from Massachusetts.” Bay-Stater is also acceptable. Massholes works if you need to drive there. 2. Indianans (no third _i_). But most people say Hoosiers. 3. Connecticuter is what I have most commonly heard. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusettsers-indianians-coneccticutters-what-do-you-guys-call-yourselves-hawaii-etc/758932/4 "2016-07-02T19:10:15Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > 1. Massachusettsian is correct, but sounds weird. IME most people just say they’re “from Massachusetts.” Bay-Stater is also acceptable. Massholes works if you need to drive there. > > 2. Indianans (no third _i_). But most people say Hoosiers. > > 3. Connecticuter is what I have most commonly heard. People who feel “from Connecticut” as an identity, rather than just a description, may say “Nutmegger.” ---
**Author:** ![davida03801](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@davida03801](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davida03801)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusettsers-indianians-coneccticutters-what-do-you-guys-call-yourselves-hawaii-etc/758932/5 "2016-07-02T19:46:20Z")
In Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont they are known as MassHoles ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusettsers-indianians-coneccticutters-what-do-you-guys-call-yourselves-hawaii-etc/758932/6 "2016-07-02T20:20:25Z")
[List of U.S. State Denonyms](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_demonyms_for_U.S._states) ---
**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:** [July 2, 2016, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusettsers-indianians-coneccticutters-what-do-you-guys-call-yourselves-hawaii-etc/758932/7 "2016-07-02T20:26:44Z")
Row Dilanders. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusettsers-indianians-coneccticutters-what-do-you-guys-call-yourselves-hawaii-etc/758932/8 "2016-07-02T20:29:08Z")
When I lived outside Boston and worked in Maine, crossing a piece of New Hampshire on the way, I was a Masshole (a more specific form of being “from away”) who commuted through The Shire (home of New Hampsters) to work with Mainiacs. Bay Staters or Massachusetts residents. There is also Massachusettensians, borrowed from the state seal - a bastardized English suffix on a Latin word taken from Algonquin. Indianans. Nutmeggers or Connecticut residents. ---
**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:** [July 2, 2016, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusettsers-indianians-coneccticutters-what-do-you-guys-call-yourselves-hawaii-etc/758932/9 "2016-07-02T20:39:15Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > There is also Massachusettensians, borrowed from the state seal - a bastardized English suffix on a Latin word taken from Algonquin. I lived many years in MA, and can’t recall ever hearing anyone use that term. Have you ever heard it? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusettsers-indianians-coneccticutters-what-do-you-guys-call-yourselves-hawaii-etc/758932/10 "2016-07-02T20:41:07Z")
I’m a black American Southerner, a Memphian, and a Tennesseean. But not an African-American. Too many damn syllables. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusettsers-indianians-coneccticutters-what-do-you-guys-call-yourselves-hawaii-etc/758932/11 "2016-07-02T20:45:20Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I’m a black American Southerner, a Memphian, and a Tennesseean. > > But not an African-American. Too many damn syllables. Yes, ‘black American Southerner’ has far fewer. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusettsers-indianians-coneccticutters-what-do-you-guys-call-yourselves-hawaii-etc/758932/12 "2016-07-02T20:49:02Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Yes, ‘black American Southerner’ has far fewer. 🙂 Don’t make me do the thing with the gizmo. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusettsers-indianians-coneccticutters-what-do-you-guys-call-yourselves-hawaii-etc/758932/13 "2016-07-02T21:01:57Z")
I live in Massachusetts but I am not from here. The most common terms are indeed “Masshole” or “Bay Stater” if you want to be more formal. Even Bay Staters use the term Masshole. It means anyone that is currently driving worse than you are (often an impressive feat in its own right) or is outdoing you in dickmanship. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusettsers-indianians-coneccticutters-what-do-you-guys-call-yourselves-hawaii-etc/758932/14 "2016-07-02T21:42:55Z")
In Texas, I was a Texan. In New Mexico, I was a New Mexican. But I would never have called myself a Hawaiian when I lived in Honolulu, that’s just too ethnically based. If you are not an ethnic native Hawaiian, there are lots of terms. Anyone who lives there is a Resident. I was a Haole, which basically means “white man,” the Hawaiian equivalent of _farang_ over here. But many people are Hapa, or of mixed heritage, and if white is in the mix then you’re Hapa Haole. A person who grew up there is a Local, while a newcomer is a Malahini. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusettsers-indianians-coneccticutters-what-do-you-guys-call-yourselves-hawaii-etc/758932/15 "2016-07-02T21:46:51Z")
Since all of the answers may have some degree of opinion, let’s more this to IMHO rather than General Questions. **samclem** , moderator ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusettsers-indianians-coneccticutters-what-do-you-guys-call-yourselves-hawaii-etc/758932/16 "2016-07-02T21:54:55Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > In Texas, I was a Texan. In New Mexico, I was a New Mexican. But I would never have called myself a Hawaiian when I lived in Honolulu, that’s just too ethnically based. > > If you are not an ethnic native Hawaiian, there are lots of terms. Anyone who lives there is a Resident. I was a Haole, which basically means “white man,” the Hawaiian equivalent of _farang_ over here. But many people are Hapa, or of mixed heritage, and if white is in the mix then you’re Hapa Haole. A person who grew up there is a Local, while a newcomer is a Malahini. Oh, and I forgot Kama’aina. It literally means “Child of the Land” and describes Hawaii residents born on the land regardless of racial background. However, businesses often give some pretty deep Kama’aina discounts to anyone holding a Hawaii driver’s license regardless of where they were born or even nationality. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusettsers-indianians-coneccticutters-what-do-you-guys-call-yourselves-hawaii-etc/758932/17 "2016-07-02T22:17:41Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I lived many years in MA, and can’t recall ever hearing anyone use that term. Have you ever heard it? No, but it exists, however tenuously. > [@](#): > > … Mr. Jefferson desired me to take them to my Lodgings and make the Draught. This I declined and gave several reasons for declining. 1. That he was a Virginian and I a **Massachusettensian**. 2. that he was a southern Man and I a northern one. 3. That I had been so obnoxious for my early and constant Zeal in promoting the Measure, that any draught of mine, would undergo a more severe Scrutiny and Criticism in Congress, than one of his composition. 4thly and lastly and that would be reason enough if there were no other, I had a great Opinion of the Elegance of his pen and none at all of my own. from [John Adams’ autobiography.](http://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/archive/doc?id=A1_24) ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusettsers-indianians-coneccticutters-what-do-you-guys-call-yourselves-hawaii-etc/758932/18 "2016-07-02T22:39:55Z")
Surely a Caucasian governer of Hawaii would not _not_ say “I am a Hawaiian.” (Umm…right?) I mean, political trumps ethnic, ideally. It is not beyond imagination or actual practice for an Arab (Christian or Moslem) or Kurd in Israel to say I am an Israeli, for example, particularly if he is representing himself in a political context as a member of the government. All the more so, I hope, in the USA. Neither of which is post-Saddam Iraq, for example, where political ID never strays from ethnic or familial. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusettsers-indianians-coneccticutters-what-do-you-guys-call-yourselves-hawaii-etc/758932/19 "2016-07-02T22:42:25Z")
I am a Californian, but nobody in California ever uses the word as anything other than a demonym. If I ever hear somebody use it as an adjective, then I know they’re not from here. 🙂 In fact, they tend to be from the UK, in my experience. “A Californian wine”, for example. We would just say “A California wine”. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusettsers-indianians-coneccticutters-what-do-you-guys-call-yourselves-hawaii-etc/758932/20 "2016-07-02T22:57:46Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > 1. Indianans (no third _i_). But most people say Hoosiers. The only people who use a term other than “Hoosiers” are those that have never lived here. I know it doesn’t make sense, but “Hoosier” is the demonym of Indiana and has been since the 1840’s. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massachusettsers-indianians-coneccticutters-what-do-you-guys-call-yourselves-hawaii-etc/758932.md?page=2)