# What are the people in your state called? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 16, 2000, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-people-in-your-state-called/19673 "2000-05-16T16:22:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-people-in-your-state-called/19673/1 "2000-05-16T16:22:21Z")
Some state residents’ nominclatures are fairly well known, but others seem just plain awkward. The straightforward ones: Alaska - Alaskans American Samoa - American Samoans California - Californians Georgia - Georgians Hawaii - Hawaiians Iowa - Iowans New York - New Yorkers And so on. Some of the ones that don’t seem to have any appealing designation: **DC** - Districted Columbians? Columbia Districters? I know we usually say “Washingtonians”, but then how do we distinguish from those of the Great Rainy State? **Illinois** - Illinoisians? Illineese? Illinasians? Yuck. **Maine** - Mainers? Perhaps Maineiacs? **Montana** - Montanians? Montananeers? Feh. **New Mexico** - New Mexicans? I hope not. **Utah** - Utahmen? Utah-ers? Say it isn’t so. So what do you call people from _your_ state? * * * Manual sig line #51 ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-people-in-your-state-called/19673/2 "2000-05-16T16:28:10Z")
I live in North Carolina but I am not from here. I call North Carolina natives “cousin bangin’ rednecks.” I hope this helps. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-people-in-your-state-called/19673/3 "2000-05-16T16:32:03Z")
Or how about “Arkansas?” I would say “Arkansans,” with emphasis on the second syllable, but I heard some news guy pronounce it as “Arkansawans,” with emphasis on the third. ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-people-in-your-state-called/19673/4 "2000-05-16T16:32:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > So what do you call people from _your_ state? > \*\* I’m from Michigan. Most people call us “Michiganders”. I prefer to call us “Residents of Michigan”, but that just seems too easy. ---
**Author:** ![G.B.H.Hornswoggler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c67d28/32.png) [@G.B.H.Hornswoggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G.B.H.Hornswoggler)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-people-in-your-state-called/19673/5 "2000-05-16T16:48:57Z")
I believe folks from **Utah** are “Utahns.” I’m from **New Jersey** , myself, so I’m either a “New Jerseyan,” or, more frequently, just “from Joisey.” ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-people-in-your-state-called/19673/6 "2000-05-16T17:03:31Z")
> [@](#): > > I’m from Michigan. Most people call us “Michiganders” Uggh. I’m not a Michigander, I’m a Michiganian. ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-people-in-your-state-called/19673/7 "2000-05-16T17:04:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > I believe folks from **Utah** are “Utahns.” > > I’m from **New Jersey** , myself, so I’m either a “New Jerseyan,” or, more frequently, just “from Joisey.” > > \*\* Really? What exit? (Sorry. I couldn’t help myself!) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sledman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Sledman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sledman)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-people-in-your-state-called/19673/8 "2000-05-16T17:12:27Z")
In Wisconsin we are Wisconsonites. To the rest of the world CHEESEHEADS! 😃 Wouldn’t people from Utah be Ute’s? Otherwise what the hell is a Ute? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-people-in-your-state-called/19673/9 "2000-05-16T17:31:28Z")
I’m living in Montana now, and I think that makes me a Montanan. A Ute is a member of a particular native American tribe, not a general term for all residents of Utah. And add Ohio to the list of straightforward ones (Ohioans). ---
**Author:** ![beakerxf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc79bd/32.png) [@beakerxf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beakerxf)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-people-in-your-state-called/19673/10 "2000-05-16T17:34:22Z")
\*\* In Wisconsin we are Wisconsonites. To the rest of the world CHEESEHEADS! 😃 Wouldn’t people from Utah be Ute’s? Otherwise what the hell is a Ute? \*\* Utes are the indian group that lived in Utah during the Mormon settlement. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-people-in-your-state-called/19673/11 "2000-05-16T17:36:24Z")
One of Joe Pesci’s clients.😃 ---
**Author:** ![GLWasteful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f05b48/32.png) [@GLWasteful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GLWasteful)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-people-in-your-state-called/19673/12 "2000-05-16T17:37:37Z")
I live in Kansas. I refer to those who also live in Kansas as gibbering fools. Rest assured that I will leave Kansas as soon as is humanly possible. Waste Flick Lives! ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-people-in-your-state-called/19673/13 "2000-05-16T17:43:38Z")
People who live in Maine because of the beautiful summer weather are Mainers. People who stay for the winters too are Maineiacs. I am a Maineiac. Some people from away call us all Down Easters because they think we all live Down East. In fact, only the Down East part of Maine is Down East. I’ve been Down East, and the people down there say, “No, this isn’t Down East. Down East is Down East.” I hope that clears things up. ---
**Author:** ![Sledman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Sledman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sledman)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-people-in-your-state-called/19673/14 "2000-05-16T17:49:22Z")
I stand enlightened!! Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-people-in-your-state-called/19673/15 "2000-05-16T18:09:49Z")
There are several major varieties of Virginians, with “Rednecks” being the most prominent along with a sun-shy northern migratory group known as “geeks.” We also have “rabid Bible-thumping televangelists,” “scum-sucking politicians” and their parasites, “lobbyists,” as well as “squids,” who periodically come ashore to drink and entertain prostitutes. All can be described as “of The Old Dominion,” or very occasionally, “Dominionites.” ---
**Author:** ![Fanny\_May](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3be4f8/32.png) [@Fanny\_May](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fanny_May)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-people-in-your-state-called/19673/16 "2000-05-16T18:18:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > Or how about “Arkansas?” I would say “Arkansans,” with emphasis on the second syllable, but I heard some news guy pronounce it as “Arkansawans,” with emphasis on the third. > \*\* The two when I was growing up were **Arkansawyer** (rhymes with sawyer or lawyer) and **Arkie** , which was parallel to **Okie** the neighbor state of Oklahoma. That is, the words are parallel. The states are lateral. ---
**Author:** ![Yossarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/9de0a6/32.png) [@Yossarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yossarian)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-people-in-your-state-called/19673/17 "2000-05-16T18:23:25Z")
> [@](#): > > **New Mexico** - New Mexicans? I hope not. That’s what I’ve always called my neighbors to the north-northwest. Actually, “Nude Mexicans” has a nicer ring to it. And if this were the pit, “Those [expletive deleted] that suck the Rio Grande dry”. ---
**Author:** ![jayron\_32](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/41988e/32.png) [@jayron\_32](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayron_32)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-people-in-your-state-called/19673/18 "2000-05-16T18:28:20Z")
I grew up in New Hampshire, and so know most of the New England state resident nicknames (some are regional to a certain area): Maine: Maniac, Mainer, Down Easter New Hampshire: New Hampshirite, Granite Stater Massatwoshits(massachusetts): Masshole, Bay Stater Connecticut: Connecticuter Vermont: Vermonter, (special note: to Vermonters, all out-of-staters are “Flatlanders”) Rhode Island:Rhode Islanders Only really interesting one is perhaps Massachusetts, where the only quasi-official residents name is “Bay Stater” I always prefered “Masshole” anyways. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-people-in-your-state-called/19673/19 "2000-05-16T18:39:16Z")
People from Idaho called themselves Idahoans. states ending in “on” (Washington, Oregon) have, in my experience, the suffix “ian” added (Washingtonian, Oregonian.) ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2000, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-people-in-your-state-called/19673/20 "2000-05-16T18:42:56Z")
Connecticut residents are also called Nutmeggers. I’ve never been sure why, but my father speculated that the dishonest Yankee traders from Conn. were famous for selling wooden nutmegs to housewives. Males from Michigan are Michiganders; females from Michigan are, of course, Michigeese. New Mexico: New Mexicans, whether you like it or not Utah: Utahans Montana: Montanans Illinois: Illinoisans [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-people-in-your-state-called/19673.md?page=2)