Nicknames are common for people and sports teams, but why would a U.S. state have a nickname? The 50 States in the U.S. all have special and different qualities that they like to brag about, some of which are used to attract people to the state, whether to relocate and live there, or just for a visit, while others are just rooted in long-standing history.
All these factors culminate into several interesting facts about Nevada, with one of the more notable ones being that there is a statewide law in Nevada that allows the sale of alcohol from bars, clubs, liquor stores, and restaurants 24 hours per day, 7 days a week!
Many states developed an initial nickname after they entered the union 150+ years ago, but not all state nicknames have stuck with each state over the years, and many have developed additional nicknames or primary nicknames that they identify with the most or that set them apart from other states. States take their nicknames from various sources so let’s take a look at Nevada’s nickname.
What is Nevada’s Nickname? It is the Silver State.
The Silver State is a completely land-locked state, situated in the pacific region of the United States, Nevada borders five different states. Oregon from the North-West, Idaho from the North-East, Utah from the East, California from the West and South-West, and finally Arizona from the South-East. Nevada boasts the seventh-largest area by land-mass out of all 50 states, with a total area of 110,561
square miles.
Nevada State Nickname
The Nevada state nickname originates from the mid-1800s, during the silver-rush days. A silver-rush is the silver-mining equivalent of a gold rush, where discovering silver ore becomes extremely common, resulting in mass gatherings of people flocking from all over to seek wealth within the new mining region.
The silver-rush came for Nevada in the mid-1800s, at this time silver was shoveled off the ground in Nevada, where heavy grey encrustations of silver had formed on the surface of the desert over millions of years. After a few decades had passed, Nevada, as well as surrounding states, had been rinsed dry of silver and other minerals due to over-mining.
Similar to many other states, Nevada’s nickname has adopted many variations over the years, not just one. Although the Nevada state nickname is “The Silver State”, there are other nicknames that are used when referencing Nevada. If you are interested in seeing the Nicknames for states in the US (all 50 of them), including the date each state was entered into the Union, then head over to our page that lists them in alphabetical order.
How Did Nevada Get its Nicknames
- The Battle Born State – this nickname is the official slogan of Nevada, it pays homage to when Nevada was first admitted to the union in 1864, becoming the 36th state to form the United States. During the famous civil war, which would result in the formation of Nevada as well as many other states, the nickname “Battle Born State” became a common phrase associated with Nevada.
- The Mining State – this nickname, as well as the official Nevada state nickname, is referencing one of the most historically important industries in Nevada, mining!
- The Sagebrush State – if you didn’t know, Nevada is home to an abundance of sagebrush, sagebrush is the state flower for Nevada and can also be found on the Nevada state flag.
Now that you know Nevada’s nickname and the non-official nicknames it makes sense to take a look at Nevada’s motto. All states have a unique state motto/slogan, usually derived from an event linked with the state’s historical past, mottos tend to be given to the state as a representation of the people past and present.
Nevada’s motto, “All For Our Country” highlights that Nevada, after the civil war was decidedly Pro-Union with its outlook and politics. This motto was adopted in 1866 and can be found on the official state seal, it was meant to be perceived as a strong message to the rest of the United States on Nevada’s political standpoint going forward.
If you are interested in learning about the Nevada State abbreviation, take a look at our page dedicated to this. The Nevada postal abbreviation is often confused with other states that have similar letters in them, primarily those beginning with “Ne” in their name – knowing and memorizing these state abbreviations is highly recommended for a variety of reasons.
