Which US state has a one-syllable name?
Quick answer
Maine is the only US state with a one-syllable name. All the other 49 state names have two or more syllables. Maine, in the far northeast of the country, became the 23rd state in 1820.
Where does “Maine” come from?
No one is completely sure. Popular theories include:
- It was named after the French province of Maine.
- Sailors used “the main” or “mainland” to tell the coast apart from the many offshore islands.
In 2001, Maine’s legislature officially recognized the French province theory, but historians still debate it.
State names by syllables
| Syllables | Examples |
|---|---|
| 1 | Maine |
| 2 | Texas, Utah, Iowa, Kansas, Georgia, Vermont |
| 3 | Florida, Kentucky, Nevada, Colorado |
| 4 | Alabama, Arizona, Mississippi, Minnesota |
| 5 | California, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma |
| 6 | South Carolina |
More fun facts about state names
- Q is the only letter that doesn’t appear in any state name. (J appears only in New Jersey; Z only in Arizona.)
- Alabama, Alaska, Arizona and Arkansas are the four states that begin and end with the letter A.
- Ohio, Utah and Iowa are the shortest state names, each with four letters.
- Massachusetts, North Carolina and South Carolina are among the longest, with 13 letters.
- About half of state names come from Native American words, such as Massachusetts, Connecticut and Mississippi.
Maine at a glance
- Capital: Augusta
- Nickname: The Pine Tree State
- Famous for: lobster, lighthouses, blueberries and Acadia National Park
- It’s the only state that borders just one other state, New Hampshire.
For other state “firsts” and “lasts,” see the last state to join the US. Maine is also a leading producer of maple syrup, though Vermont produces the most.
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