Nebraska State Names

Nebraska Nicknames and Resident's Name

Great Plains

Nebraska has had two official state names: the Tree Planters' State and the Cornhusker State.

• Cornhusker State

• Tree Planters' State

• Antelope State

• Bug-eating State

• Beef State

Cornhusker State

The 1945 Legislature changed the official state name to the Cornhusker State, thus repealing the 1895 act. The name is derived from the nickname for the University of Nebraska athletic teams, the Cornhuskers. The term "cornhusker" comes from the method of harvesting or "husking" corn by hand, which was common before the invention of husking machinery.

Tree Planters' State

Nebraska was designated the Tree Planters' State by legislative action in 1895. Nebraskaís claim to tree-planting fame includes the founding of Arbor Day in 1872 by J. Sterling Morton of Nebraska City, the Timber Culture Act of US Sen. Phineas W. Hitchcock in 1873, and the millions of trees planted by early settlers as windbreaks, woodlots and orchards.

Antelope State

For pronghorns.

Bug-eating State

For insect-eating "bull bats."

Origin of Montana State Name

From an Oto Indian word meaning "flat water"

The state of Nebraska is actually named after the Platte River from the French meaning "broad river." The Omaha Indians called the river "ibôápka" also meaning "broad river."
 
In 1842, John Charles Frémont used the word Nebraska in referencing the Platte River and this was the name that was given to the territory when it was created in 1854. 

Nebraska has had two official state names: the "Tree Planters'State" and the "Cornhusker State."

Nebraska was designated the "Tree Planters'State" by legislative action in 1895. Nebraskaís claim to tree-planting fame includes the founding of Arbor Day in 1872 by J. Sterling Morton of Nebraska City, the Timber Culture Act of US Sen. Phineas W. Hitchcock in 1873, and the millions of trees planted by early settlers as windbreaks, woodlots and orchards.

The 1945 Legislature changed the official state name to the "Cornhusker State," thus repealing the 1895 act. The name is derived from the nickname for the University of Nebraska athletic teams, the Cornhuskers. The term "cornhusker" comes from the method of harvesting or "husking" corn by hand, which was common before the invention of husking machinery.

Nebraska Postal Code

NE

Nebraska Resident's Name

Nebraskan