# Why is RHODE an ISLAND? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 1, 2004, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-rhode-an-island/248018 "2004-06-01T04:11:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2004, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-rhode-an-island/248018/21 "2004-06-04T04:44:53Z")
> [@KCB615](#): > > It never did. One great thing about being a Rohdylandah is that you never call anything by its real name. Right. Like “South County,” which you won’t find on any [map](http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/maps/rhode_island_map.html). (It’s actually a popular name for the southern part of the state, and mostly coincides with what is officially Washington County.) The name “South County” is used everythere, though, for businesses, a hospital, and even a [tourism council](http://www.southcountyri.com/). ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2004, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-rhode-an-island/248018/22 "2004-06-04T07:10:24Z")
It’s not an island, it’s just the place Greek letters go to shuffle off this mortal coil; you know, Rho Die Land… You can probably guess about the origin of Long Guy Land … ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2004, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-rhode-an-island/248018/23 "2004-06-04T07:25:09Z")
The [official state seal](http://www.netstate.com/states/symb/seals/ri_seal.htm) uses the full name. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-rhode-an-island/248018.md?page=1)