I was recently looking up what to call someone from Minnesota (Minnesotan) and I stumbled on a list of what different states call their residents. I was a little hesitant with a list I found on Moving.com, because it says people from Washington state are called Washingtonians (right-o) or ‘Toners. In all the years my family has lived there, I have never heard anyone call themself a ‘Toner. (It sure sounds like “stoner.” I suspect it may be an attempt to categorize Washingtonians as tree-hugging, dope-smoking hippies.)
And now that I am down here in California, I have yet to hear anyone call themselves a Californiac; I imagine that’s an insult to “crazy” Californians from people who live elsewhere.
I found another list at State Symbols USA, which seems a bit more accurate, but I am including the ones from Moving.com to find out from actual residents what all y’all call yourselves.
| State | Resident Name | Alternatives (from Moving.com) |
| Alabama | Alabamian; Alabaman | |
| Alaska | Alaskan | |
| Arizona | Arizonan; Arizonian | KC – I heard people in CA use Zonies as an insult. |
| Arkansas | Arkansan | Arkansawyers |
| California | Californian | Californiacs |
| Colorado | Coloradan; Coloradoan | |
| Connecticut | Connecticuter; Nutmegger | |
| Delaware | Delawarean | |
| Florida | Floridian; Floridan | |
| Georgia | Georgian | |
| Hawaii | Hawaiian; kamaaina (native-born, nonethnic Hawaiian); malihini (newcomer) | |
| Idaho | Idahoan | Idahoers |
| Illinois | Illinoisan | Illinoians and Illinoisians |
| Indiana | Hoosier; Indianan; Indianian | Indianers |
| Iowa | Iowan | Hawkeyes |
| Kansas | Kansan | Jayhawkers |
| Kentucky | Kentuckian | Kentuckers and Kentuckeyites |
| Louisiana | Louisianan; Louisianian | |
| Maine | Mainer | Down Easters |
| Maryland | Marylander | Marylandians |
| Massachusetts | Bay Stater | Massachusettsans |
| Michigan | Michiganian, Michigander; Michiganite | |
| Minnesota | Minnesotan | |
| Mississippi | Mississippian | Mississippers |
| Missouri | Missourian | |
| Montana | Montanan | |
| Nebraska | Nebraskan | Cornhuskers |
| Nevada | Nevadan; Nevadian | |
| New Hampshire | New Hampshirite, Granite Stater | |
| New Jersey | New Jerseyite; New Jerseyan | |
| New Mexico | New Mexican | |
| New York | New Yorker | Empire Staters |
| North Carolina | North Carolinian | |
| North Dakota | North Dakotan | |
| Ohio | Ohioan, Buckeye | |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoman | Sooners [KC – It also listed Okies, but my understanding is that that term is derogatory.] |
| Oregon | Oregonian | |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvanian | Pennamites [KC – And never have any of my Pennsylvanian relatives used this term.] |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Islander | Rhodians |
| South Carolina | South Carolinian | |
| South Dakota | South Dakotan | |
| Tennessee | Tennessean; Tennesseean | |
| Texas | Texan | Texians [KC – Um, anyone?] |
| Utah | Utahan, Utahn | |
| Vermont | Vermonter | |
| Virginia | Virginian | |
| Washington | Washingtonian | ‘Toners [KC – No. Never heard it.] |
| West Virginia | West Virginian | |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsinite | Cheeseheads |
| Wyoming | Wyomingite |
Kara Church
Pronouns: she/her/hers
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