A demonym is a word used to describe the residents or natives of a particular place. For U.S. states, these terms can be official, traditional, or colloquial, and some states have multiple accepted forms.
While most state demonyms follow predictable patterns (adding suffixes like "-an" or "-ian"), some states have unique or unexpected terms for their residents, such as "Hoosier" for Indiana or "Nutmegger" for Connecticut.
| State | Primary Demonym | Alternative Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabamian | Alabaman |
| Alaska | Alaskan | — |
| Arizona | Arizonan | Arizonian |
| Arkansas | Arkansan | Arkansawyer |
| California | Californian | — |
| Colorado | Coloradan | Coloradoan |
| Connecticut | Connecticuter | Nutmegger |
| Delaware | Delawarean | — |
| Florida | Floridian | — |
| Georgia | Georgian | — |
| Hawaii | Hawaiian | Hawaii resident |
| Idaho | Idahoan | — |
| Illinois | Illinoisan | Illinoian |
| Indiana | Hoosier | Indianan |
| Iowa | Iowan | — |
| Kansas | Kansan | Jayhawker |
| Kentucky | Kentuckian | — |
| Louisiana | Louisianan | Louisianian |
| Maine | Mainer | Mainiac |
| Maryland | Marylander | — |
| Massachusetts | Bay Stater | Massachusettsan |
| Michigan | Michigander | Michiganian |
| Minnesota | Minnesotan | — |
| Mississippi | Mississippian | — |
| Missouri | Missourian | — |
| Montana | Montanan | — |
| Nebraska | Nebraskan | Cornhusker |
| Nevada | Nevadan | — |
| New Hampshire | New Hampshirite | Granite Stater |
| New Jersey | New Jerseyan | New Jerseyite |
| New Mexico | New Mexican | — |
| New York | New Yorker | — |
| North Carolina | North Carolinian | Tar Heel |
| North Dakota | North Dakotan | — |
| Ohio | Ohioan | Buckeye |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoman | Sooner |
| Oregon | Oregonian | — |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvanian | — |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Islander | — |
| South Carolina | South Carolinian | — |
| South Dakota | South Dakotan | — |
| Tennessee | Tennessean | Volunteer |
| Texas | Texan | Lone Star |
| Utah | Utahn | — |
| Vermont | Vermonter | — |
| Virginia | Virginian | — |
| Washington | Washingtonian | — |
| West Virginia | West Virginian | — |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsinite | Cheesehead |
| Wyoming | Wyomingite | — |
Some states have distinctive demonyms that don't follow typical patterns, like "Hoosier" for Indiana residents.
Several states have multiple accepted forms, such as "Michigander" and "Michiganian" for Michigan residents.
Many states have informal or humorous terms, like "Cheesehead" for Wisconsin residents.
Some demonyms have fascinating historical origins, such as "Sooner" for Oklahoma residents.