Florida State Names

Florida Name Etymology and State Nicknames

South

• Sunshine State

• Orange State

• The Citrus State

• Everglades State

• Alligator State (No other state is nicknamed for a reptile.)

• The Peninsula State

• The Flower State

Origin of Florida State Name

Named for the day on which it was discovered (April 2, 1513) by Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon, who called it La Florida in honor of Pascua Florida, the Spanish Feast of the Flowers (Easter.)

Nicknames

"Sunshine State" was adopted as the State Nickname by the 1970 Legislature.

Sunshine State

"Sunshine State" was adopted as the State Nickname by the 1970 Legislature. Previously, official sanction for this nickname could be inferred from the law requiring use of Sunshine State on motor vehicle licenses. Florida is the Sunshine State because of the vast amount of sunshine it receives.

Source: Florida Handbook, 1997-1998, by Allen Morris.
For many years, Florida appears as The Sunshine State on its license plates, but this name was only given official status in 1970 when it was officially adopted by the legislature. The nickname is also unofficially claimed by New Mexico and (until 1980) South Dakota.

The Peninsula State

At one time, back in the 1860s, Florida was known as The Peninsula State, for obvious reasons

The Everglades State.

Later in the 19th century, it also became known as The Everglades State.

The Orange State and The Citrus State

Florida is a large producer of oranges which led the state to be known as The Orange State (and in one reference, The Citrus State)

The Flower State

The meaning of the state's name ("flowery") led to The Flower State.

The Gulf State

Its location on the east of the Gulf of Mexico led to The Gulf State

Slogans

Visit Florida

Florida Postal Code

FL

Florida Resident's Name

Floridian, Floridan, also sometimes referred to as a Gator or Cracker