Latest news with #Spokeo
Miami Herald
13 hours ago
- Miami Herald
As demand for US passports grows, here are the states with the most aspiring world travelers
More Americans than ever before are gaining access to international travel with a U.S. passport. According to the Department of State, in 1990, only 5% of U.S. citizens had a passport. As of mid-2024, 48% of Americans have a passport. Pew Research from 2023 says half of Americans have visited between one and four countries in their lifetime, and about a quarter of Americans have visited five or more countries. Although airlines have adjusted their 2025 forecasts to account for lower demand for flying due to uncertainty in the economy, with the May 2025 deadline for a Real ID needed in order to travel domestically, the need for a passport, an alternative form of accepted identification, may continue to increase demand. In the next two years, the Department of State plans to open six new passport offices across the country to meet the need for urgent passport requests. For those with nonurgent requests, a new online renewal application process allows current passport holders to renew their passports in less than two weeks in some instances. In the future, you may not need a physical passport at all to travel-the department is considering digital passports in the next decade, much like the digital driver's licenses Arizona, California, and Georgia have already issued. Such international travel documents would be a world of difference compared to the beginnings of passports. In ancient Persia, before the common era, travel documents were simply papers signed by a king or dignitary to ensure someone's safe journey into foreign lands. The modern-day passport used in the U.S. didn't exist until after World War I, when the country began to try to curb the number of immigrants coming to its borders. Today, whether traveling for business or pleasure, very few places are accessible without this important traveling document. Spokeo used data from the Department of State to see where the rate of passports grew the most. The number of U.S. passports in circulation has skyrocketed over the last 30 years, from around 15,000 U.S.-issued passports per 100,000 people in the early 1990s to more than 45,000 today. By 2007, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection began to implement new programs, including the Trusted Traveler Program, to help make it easier for U.S. citizens to reenter the country after international travel. Programs such as Global Entry allow U.S. travelers enrolled in the program to "fast-track" through Immigration and Customs lines upon arrival in the United States. The Mobile Passport program allows travelers to get through Customs faster via a digital document while they're on their return flight or cruise before reentering the U.S. These programs facilitate faster, easier international travel for U.S. passport holders. District of Columbia residents are more ready for international travel than U.S. residents in any other part of the country. Washington D.C. far outpaces the rest of the country, with more than 35,000 residents out of every 100,000 in D.C. having valid passports. A few factors may be behind its ranking, including the area's higher-than-average median income and its place as an international hub of major government, nonprofit, and research organizations with global reach. D.C. passport holders also have greater access to foreign embassies, making it easier for them to apply for visas in person. Following behind D.C. are coastal states such as New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, California, and Hawai'i. Many of these states are among those with the most foreign-born citizens, who may be more likely to continue traveling internationally. Residents may also be more likely to travel abroad given their access to international airports, such as John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Boston Logan International Airport in Massachusetts, and Los Angeles International and San Francisco International airports in California. These airports are more likely to offer cheaper or direct flights to international travel hubs such as London's Heathrow Airport and Singapore's Changi Airport. Story editing by Carren Jao. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. This story was produced by Spokeo and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker. © Stacker Media, LLC.
Miami Herald
5 days ago
- Miami Herald
Is this call coming from a scammer? 6 ways to know
There's no way around it, Americans are inundated every day with nuisance and scam calls: about 50 billion of them per year, according to call-blocking app YouMail (the Federal Communications Commission says 4 billion/month, which is right in the same ballpark). Even that's not the whole picture, because it only counts automated robocalls, and not the ones made by actual humans. Now, not all of those calls (and texts) are scams, Spokeo says. Some are legitimate, and some are just a bit shady. But enough of them are scams that some kind of scammer phone number lookup would be really, really useful. The good news is that there are several ways to tell if a call or text comes from a scammer, including-yes-ways to look up the phone number. Scam Calls and Texts Are a Big Problem You'll see slightly different numbers, depending on the source you look at, but YouMail estimates the number of scam calls at about 30 billion a year, or 60% of all robocalls. In 2022 the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reported that call center fraud accounted for about $1 billion of the year's $10 billion total losses to fraud. The FCC's Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book for 2022 doesn't break out telephone-based fraud specifically, but imposter scams-scammers pretending to be the police, or Amazon, or the IRS, or your bank-were the most common form of fraud and were second only to identity theft in the total number of complaints. Those scams usually (but not invariably) take place by telephone, so it's another strong indication of just how big the problem is. There are a couple of complications that make this even more damaging. One is that scammers can pretty easily spoof your caller ID, making it look like the call comes from a legitimate number. Another is that scammers have embraced text-based scams because we're much more likely to open a text than an email, and because we aren't as likely to be suspicious of texts. The news isn't all gloom and doom. Most of the same sources point out that robocalls have actually declined somewhat over the past few years, since the Pallone-Thune TRACED Act (aka "that new robocall law") gave regulators and law enforcement a whole new set of tools to work with. Even so, it's mostly up to individuals to protect themselves. Is This Number a Scammer? How to Check The good news is that however the call or text arrives, or whatever it says, there are plenty of ways to identify scammer phone numbers. Let's take a look at some of them. Check the Real Organization's Website A good starting point, if you receive a phone message or text that seems dubious, is to check that company's or agency's website. Companies like Apple and Amazon, and government agencies like the IRS, all have excellent pages to help you recognize scam calls and texts when you see them (because they're among the most-impersonated by scammers). Know What the Real Organization Will and Won't Do Similarly, those websites will usually explain to you-on the same page, or one that's linked from it-some tell-tale signs that you've been contacted by a scammer. The IRS, for example, will never call you about your tax status without sending you a letter first. Your bank will never ask you to verify your account number and PIN over the phone. The police will never call and threaten to arrest you, because why warn you in advance? Most importantly, legitimate organizations won't harass you, berate you or threaten you with penalties or jail time. Some of the sketchier collection agencies might walk that fine line (there are laws limiting what they can say or do), but you won't get that kind of treatment from government agencies or companies you deal with. Learn the Characteristics Most Scam Calls/Texts Share Almost all scam calls and texts share a handful of common characteristics, and once you know the combination it's hard to be fooled. These include: Huge pressure to act quickly. It may come in the form of a "carrot" (a limited time offer, an increase in your Social Security Benefits, a lottery win) or a "stick" (threat of account closure, collections action, even jail time or deportation), but there's always a plausible reason for you to act right now. Admittedly legitimate companies often run time-limited offers, from a special burger at McDonald's to the weekend sale at your supermarket, but not typically in the form of a high-pressure text or phone call. There'll be a callback number on your voicemail, or a link in a text. Often the whole point of the initial call is just to con you into calling back at a given number, or to click on an included link. The phone number inevitably rings to a call center run by the scammers, and links will typically take you to a bogus site (or bogus app download). You may think you're fixing your Netflix account or doing some routine shopping, but you're really providing scammers with your payment information or private data. Pro tip: Some recent scams now use those square QR codes, rather than links, but the end result is the same. Insistence on a specific form of payment. What do gift cards, wire transfers, Venmo, and cryptocurrency transactions have in common? They're all hard to trace, hard or impossible to reverse, and hugely popular with scammers. Legitimate businesses (and especially government agencies) won't specify one of these payment methods, so that's a "smoking gun" that you've got a scammer on your hands. Those are just a few of the things you can expect from a scam phone call or text. For specific examples you can turn to sources like the Federal Trade Commission's Phone Scams page, the FBI's Scams and Safety page, the AARP, or the BBB's Scam Tracker page. At the time of writing, for example, one of the hot scams is imposters pretending to be family members in trouble and in need of money (for bail, or after an accident). It mostly targets seniors, but anyone can be a victim. Look At the Incoming Call's Area Code This may seem like an odd one, but some area codes get used by a lot of scammers (Spokeo compiled a list of those in a previous article). It doesn't mean that every call coming from those area codes is automatically a scam, but unless you live there or have family there you can probably ignore those calls or texts. Google the Number Yup, sometimes it's just that easy. If you search that incoming number on Google (or the alternative search engine of your choice), you may find search results complaining about fraudulent or harassing calls from that number. It's especially helpful if you include the word "fraud" or "scam" after the 10-digit phone number itself. What to Do When You Receive Scam Calls or Texts If you receive calls or texts that are likely to be scams, you have some options. In the case of calls, your best option is simply to hang up and not engage (it's tempting to mess with them, but probably not in your best interest). In the case of texts, just ignore and delete them. In either case, you can then block the number so future calls or messages won't come through. It's even better to just not answer those dubious calls in the first place, but it can be hard to do if you're looking up the number manually. If you want to screen scammer phone numbers in real time, there are apps available that let you explore call-screening and -blocking options available from your phone carrier. A few other things for your to-do list: Add your number to the Do Not Call registry. Scammers and "shady but sorta legitimate" callers will ignore that, but you don't want to talk to them anyway, so it weeds out most of the potentially troublesome calls (there are also some classes of legitimate callers who are exempt from the DNC rules, so this isn't foolproof). Report or forward the number (or text) from a potential scam. You can report itto the FTC via the DoNotCall website if you haven't fallen for the scam, or the ReportFraud site if you have lost money. Other avenues for reporting scam callers are the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), and the customer care or fraud prevention teams at major companies like Apple, Amazon, or Microsoft. Contact your bank, the credit reporting agencies, and local law enforcement if you've lost money to scammers; or think you may have given up private information to them (leaving you vulnerable to identity theft). Spokeo has previously written about identity theft recovery in general, rebuilding your credit in the aftermath, and-if you're really lucky-pressing charges against the identity thief. It's outside the scope of this article, but useful information if you need it. The key to not being victimized is a healthy degree of skepticism. Don't take the caller's word for things. Don't click on links or scan QR codes. Don't let panic (or greed) cloud critical thinking skills. Remember, Americans literally receive billions of scam phone calls every month. It's not paranoia when they really are out to get you. This story was produced by Spokeo and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. © Stacker Media, LLC.
WIRED
12-05-2025
- Business
- WIRED
Deepfakes, Scams, and the Age of Paranoia
May 12, 2025 6:00 AM As AI-driven fraud becomes increasingly common, more people feel the need to verify every interaction they have online. Photo-Illustration:These days, when Nicole Yelland receives a meeting request from someone she doesn't already know, she conducts a multi-step background check before deciding whether to accept. Yelland, who works in public relations for a Detroit-based non-profit, says she'll run the person's information through Spokeo, a personal data aggregator that she pays a monthly subscription fee to use. If the contact claims to speak Spanish, Yelland says, she will casually test their ability to understand and translate trickier phrases. If something doesn't quite seem right, she'll ask the person to join a Microsoft Teams call—with their camera on. If Yelland sounds paranoid, that's because she is. In January, before she started her current non-profit role, Yelland says she got roped into an elaborate scam targeting job seekers. 'Now, I do the whole verification rigamarole any time someone reaches out to me,' she tells WIRED. Digital imposter scams aren't new; messaging platforms, social media sites, and dating apps have long been rife with fakery. In a time when remote work and distributed teams have become commonplace, professional communications channels are no longer safe, either. The same artificial intelligence tools that tech companies promise will boost worker productivity are also making it easier for criminals and fraudsters to construct fake personas in seconds. On LinkedIn, it can be hard to distinguish a slightly touched-up headshot of a real person from a too-polished, AI-generated facsimile. Deepfake videos are getting so good that longtime email scammers are pivoting to impersonating people on live video calls. According to the US Federal Trade Commission, reports of job and employment related scams nearly tripled from 2020 to 2024, and actual losses from those scams have increased from $90 million to $500 million. Yelland says the scammers that approached her back in January were impersonating a real company, one with a legitimate product. The 'hiring manager' she corresponded with over email also seemed legit, even sharing a slide deck outlining the responsibilities of the role they were advertising. But during the first video interview, Yelland says, the scammers refused to turn their cameras on during a Microsoft Teams meeting and made unusual requests for detailed personal information, including her driver's license number. Realizing she'd been duped, Yelland slammed her laptop shut. These kinds of schemes have become so widespread that AI startups have emerged promising to detect other AI-enabled deepfakes, including GetReal Labs, and Reality Defender. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman also runs an identity-verification startup called Tools for Humanity, which makes eye-scanning devices that capture a person's biometric data, create a unique identifier for their identity, and store that information on the blockchain. The whole idea behind it is proving 'personhood,' or that someone is a real human. (Lots of people working on blockchain technology say that blockchain is the solution for identity verification.) But some corporate professionals are turning instead to old-fashioned social engineering techniques to verify every fishy-seeming interaction they have. Welcome to the Age of Paranoia, when someone might ask you to send them an email while you're mid-conversation on the phone, slide into your Instagram DMs to ensure the LinkedIn message you sent was really from you, or request you text a selfie with a timestamp, proving you are who you claim to be. Some colleagues say they even share code words with each other, so they have a way to ensure they're not being misled if an encounter feels off. 'What's funny is, the low-fi approach works,' says Daniel Goldman, a blockchain software engineer and former startup founder. Goldman says he began changing his own behavior after he heard a prominent figure in the crypto world had been convincingly deepfaked on a video call. 'It put the fear of god in me,' he says. Afterwards, he warned his family and friends that even if they hear what they believe is his voice or see him on a video call asking for something concrete—like money or an internet password—they should hang up and email him first before doing anything. Ken Schumacher, founder of the recruitment verification service Ropes, says he's worked with hiring managers who ask job candidates rapid-fire questions about the city where they claim to live on their resume, such as their favorite coffee shops and places to hang out. If the applicant is actually based in that geographic region, Schumacher says, they should be able to respond quickly with accurate details. Another verification tactic some people use, Schumacher says, is what he calls the 'phone camera trick.' If someone suspects the person they're talking to over video chat is being deceitful, they can ask them to hold up their phone camera to their laptop. The idea is to verify whether the individual may be running deepfake technology on their computer, obscuring their true identity or surroundings. But it's safe to say this approach can also be off-putting: Honest job candidates may be hesitant to show off the inside of their homes or offices, or worry a hiring manager is trying to learn details about their personal lives. 'Everyone is on edge and wary of each other now,' Schumacher says. While turning yourself into a human captcha may be a fairly effective approach to operational security, even the most paranoid admit these checks create an atmosphere of distrust before two parties have even had the chance to really connect. They can also be a huge time suck. 'I feel like something's gotta give,' Yelland says. 'I'm wasting so much time at work just trying to figure out if people are real.' Jessica Eise, an assistant professor studying climate change and social behavior at Indiana University-Bloomington, says that her research team has been forced to essentially become digital forensics experts, due to the amount of fraudsters who respond to ads for paid virtual surveys. (Scammers aren't as interested in the unpaid surveys, unsurprisingly.) If the research project is federally funded, all of the online participants have to be over the age of 18 and living in the US. 'My team would check time stamps for when participants answered emails, and if the timing was suspicious, we could guess they might be in a different time zone,' Eise says. 'Then we'd look for other clues we came to recognize, like certain formats of email address or incoherent demographic data.' Eise says the amount of time her team spent screening people was 'exorbitant,' and that they've now shrunk the size of the cohort for each study and have turned to 'snowball sampling' or having recruiting people they know personally to join their studies. The researchers are also handing out more physical flyers to solicit participants in person. 'We care a lot about making sure that our data has integrity, that we're studying who we say we're trying to study,' she says. 'I don't think there's an easy solution to this.' Barring any widespread technical solution, a little common sense can go a long way in spotting bad actors. Yelland shared with me the slide deck that she received as part of the fake job pitch. At first glance, it seemed like legit pitch, but when she looked at it again, a few details stood out. The job promised to pay substantially more than the average salary for a similar role in her location, and offered unlimited vacation time, generous paid parental leave, and fully-covered health care benefits. In today's job environment, that might have been the biggest tipoff of all that it was a scam.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What are your kids saying on the internet: Your guide to current internet slang
Language is constantly evolving, but when you get to be of a—let's say parental—age, it sure feels like it starts evolving a lot faster than it used to. Add in the instantaneous speed and informational overload of online culture, and it becomes a whole lot to keep up with. It might even start to feel like you need a translator to be able to engage with your kid. And that's exactly why Spokeo created a guide to current online and offline slang. That's not to say you should try to deploy this slang too much if you're over a certain age, but a little fluency definitely helps if you want to be part of the conversation—especially if you're a parent. Some slang is a whole lot more online, and some of it is a whole lot more cutting-edge, but before diving into the deep end of current teenage slang phrases, let's start with some of the more general slang you might hear from Gen Z nowadays. This is the part where we're supposed to make a cute joke using Gen Z slang, but we'll spare you and get to it. Here goes: Bae: from "baby," significant other Basic: vanilla or boring, garden variety Bet: a form of "yes," or a confirmation Cap: A lie, e.g. "no cap," meaning "no lie" CEO: technically, this still means "Chief Executive Officer," but in a teenage slang phrase like "[person] is the CEO of [thing]," it means that person is the boss or the master of something Cheugy: dated or uncool, especially in regard to millennial culture. e.g. "This article is cheugy" Cringe: weird or off-putting behavior, often refers to trying too hard Cook: the verb "to cook" means that someone is preparing something good. See also: "let them cook," which translates to "hold on, let's see what they're going to do" Dead: a state of being used to exaggerate or emphasize a reaction, usually to something funny. e.g. "I'm dead", simply "dead," or some variation of 💀. See also: "I'm weak" Delulu: shortened form of "delusional" Drag: to make fun of or roast someone Drip: swagger, especially of the fashionable sort Extra: over-the-top Fam: short for "family," used in the same way as the archaic "dude" or "bro" Fire: very cool or on-point (think "hot," like … fire). See also: lit Fit: short for "outfit" Flex: to show off. e.g., "That new car is a flex" Function: usually "the function" or the "func," a gathering or party Glow up: basically, a makeover—including an image makeover—that makes something a lot more attractive or cool Gucci: implies that something is good, cool, or going well Hits: a verb. When something "hits," it lands well with or affects someone. Alternatively, if something "hits different," it affects them in a way outside the norm or expectation Low-key: a modifier that downplays something. e.g., "low-key, I like it." See also: high-key, low-key's antonym Rizz: short for charisma Salty: bitter or angry, especially implying jealousy Slay: a verb or adjective meaning to be stylish or exhibit lots of swagger. Also used as an imperative in the same vein as "go off," e.g., "Slay, queen!" or "Go off, king!" Serve: the act of looking good, e.g., "she's serving" Shade: negative talk. See also: to "throw shade" or talk negatively about someone Ship: from "relationship," the act of willing people (often fictional characters) into romance Shook: to be shaken up or shocked by something Simp: to crush on someone to an embarrassing or degrading level. One can simp as a verb, or they can be a simp as a noun Sleep on: to ignore or underrate something. The passive "slept on" means something has been ignored or underrated Snatched: looks good or is fashionable Stan: as a verb, to stan something means that you support or stand for something. e.g., "We stan Spokeo People Search." As a noun, one can also be a stan for something Sus: from "suspicious," meaning shady or sketchy Tea: a noun meaning gossip or news, the latest. e.g., "Spill the tea on your date" Thirsty: desperate for attention, or horny Yassify: to make something over. Online, this is used ironically in reference to pictures that have way too many obvious filters applied; it can also mean that someone's face looks filtered IRL Yeet: to throw something Yikes: see cringe A lot of contemporary slang is a result of, to use a teenage slang phrase, being chronically online—which means very closely engaged (maybe even obsessively so) with internet culture. Especially in 2024, it's a two-way street; real-world slang finds its way onto the internet, and online slang just as quickly finds its way into IRL speech. In this era of culture wars, you'll hear a lot of ironic and unironic use of canceled and woke. The act of being or getting canceled gained popularity during the "Me Too" movement; when bad actors were outed by victims of sexual assault or misogyny, they were "canceled," which essentially means to de-platform or stop supporting someone, especially a public figure. Someone can get canceled, for instance, for making a racist or sexist comment. As a teenage slang phrase, it's often used ironically to support something inconsequential, like "I got canceled because I don't like pizza crust." Similarly, while woke was originally slang for being politically or culturally aware, it has been appropriated by far-right movements to degenerate progressive culture, especially cultures of inclusion and diversity. In response to the right's adoption of the phrase, many people now use it ironically (e.g. "I don't like paper straws, saving the planet is too woke"). Also in the terminally online category, to ratio someone means to gain more support with an opposing stance (it refers to Twitter culture, when a response to a tweet gets more likes—usually opposing or making fun of it—than the original tweet). Next, you have e-girl or e-boy, which is a person who builds a flirtatious presence on the internet. The millennial pause references the short delay before a (usually older) person starts recording themselves in a selfie video. Fittingly so, brain rot means that someone is a little too online, or a little too into something to the point of mindlessness. The lines are a little blurry and the language is still developing quickly, but if you're a parent of a child born from roughly 2010 to 2024, your kid is considered part of Generation Alpha (Gen Z is generally considered 1996 to 2010-ish). Broadly speaking, Gen Alpha slang leans even more heavily into absurdism, which may or may not be a coping mechanism for life in the 2020s. So far, these (pre-)teenage slang phrases have come to define the Gen Alpha parlance—expect the list to grow quickly as they age into the most marketable and marketed-to age group. Sorry, Gen Z, it happens to everyone eventually. Aura: an updated version of "vibe," but often more personal. Someone or something having an "aura" might mean they have charisma, but they can also have a negative aura Fanum tax: stealing food from a friend, named after the food streamer, Fanum Gyatt: an exclamation, the shortened version of "God damn!" as in "gyatt damn!" Usually used to compliment one's butt Looksmaxxing: to put an extreme focus on maximizing one's looks, such as through exercise, diet, or wardrobe makeovers. Maxxing can also be used as a suffix, meaning to maximize something Mog: related to looksmaxxing, to look dominatingly more physically attractive Ohio: a synonym for cringe or cringey Rizzler: someone who has rizz Sigma: a play on Gen Z's Alpha, which refers to an "Alpha" male or dominant figure. A Sigma is more of a loner Skibidi: a nonsense word from the surreal YouTube short series, "Skibidi Toilet." It's inspired by the nonsense sounds of the show's theme song and can be used pretty much however the speaker wants, often as a malleable adjective, interjection, or exclamation Because so many Gen Z and Gen Alpha teenage slang phrases come from online culture, a ton of them are abbreviations, like you might see in a text, DM (direct message), chat, or tweet. So many, in fact, that they warrant their own category (so you don't have to go Googling "ngl meaning"). While these citations are in uppercase because that's the AP style rule for acronyms, remember that most young people use lowercase for these. AF: As F**k. To emphasize something, e.g. "Spokeo's cool AF" LFG: Let's F**king Go! GOAT: Greatest of All Time, usually as "The Goat" IRL: In Real Life. As in, the offline, non-virtual, real-world space IYKYK: If You Know, You Know L: stands for a Loss, e.g. "to take the L" NGL: Not Gonna Lie ONG: "On God," as in, "I swear." Not a typo for OMG. TBH: To Be Honest TFW: That Feeling When, e.g., "TFW you get a good hit on Spokeo People Search" W: as in "a W," also a "dub," meaning a win YOLO: You Only Live Once, mostly used ironically On a more serious note, especially as a parent, some slang can indicate that your child isn't in the best place, emotionally or mental-health wise, or might be getting into spaces that are a bit too adult for their age. As a parent, you don't want to find yourself asking "what does KYS mean?" or Googling "asl meaning slang" unprepared for a potentially deep conversation, so keep these in your back pocket. 53X: sex ASL: an abbreviation for "age, sex, location," usually used when trading info for romantic or sexual purposes. Alternatively, this is sometimes used as a short-hand way to say "As Hell," e.g. "That video was cool asl." For this one, context is key Body count: the number of people someone has slept with CU46: an abbreviation for "see you for sex" KMS or KYS: "kill myself" or "kill yourself." Often used darkly ironically, but can also indicate bullying or being bullied, or legitimate depression. It never hurts to check LMIRL: "let's meet in real life" Plug: a drug dealer or drug hookup WTTP: an abbreviation for "want to trade photos?" While it's true that a whole lot of teenage slang phrases in 2024 are deployed in a funny or darkly ironic way, here's another, more meaningful truth: it never hurts to check in. This story was produced by Spokeo and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Every state's nickname and where it comes from
The United States has a rich history spanning nearly 250 years. The national motto "In God We Trust" dates back to the Civil War—although Congress didn't make it official until 1956. Each state's nickname, however, has its own unique origin story. Have you wondered who came up with the tagline or why a particular phrase represents your region? State nicknames are unique monikers that provide a peek into the essence of each state, capturing the pride of the area's past while also shaping its identity for the future. Some are obvious choices, like those that highlight the most well-known physical attributes of a state—the lush landscapes, warm weather, or famous geographical features. Other nicknames refer to animals and foods that are indigenous to the land or products and industries that once flourished in that area. Other state nicknames require additional context or detailed knowledge of historical events to help explain their symbolism or meaning. However, it's fun to imagine what residents of Mississippi did once upon a time to earn their reputation as the Hospitality State. How exactly did Wyoming beat other ranching states to rope in the moniker the Cowboy State? Spokeo analyzed state government information and other historical sources to compile this list of stories behind every state's nickname. Where states had multiple nicknames throughout history, the one most popularly used or depicted on license plates was selected. Keep reading to learn fun facts about the origin of each tagline or nickname. Beginning in the late 1940s, the Alabama Chamber of Commerce launched a public relations strategy to shift away from the racist implications of its Cotton State slogan in favor of a new catchphrase: Heart of Dixie. The name stuck and was added to state license plates beginning in 1955. Although the nickname remains commonplace well into the 21st century—influencing pop culture, like the 2010s TV series about a young Alabama doctor, "Hart of Dixie"—the term "dixie" still harkens back to the days of slavery in the antebellum South. The vast amount of unexplored and uninhabited Alaskan wilderness lends itself to the nickname of the largest of the 50 states. According to the Census, the population of The Last Frontier was just 1.3 people per square mile in 2020. For 11 seasons beginning in 2011, the Discovery network show "Alaska: The Last Frontier" followed the family of Grammy-nominated singer Jewel Kilcher, who have lived off the land for over 80 years. Arizona's premier natural feature is the perfect pick for the state's straightforward nickname. The Grand Canyon's formation began 2 billion years ago with a base of igneous and metamorphic rock that was then topped by layers of sedimentary rock. The Earth's plates shifted between 70 and 30 million years ago. The Colorado River began eroding the rock 5 to 6 million years ago, resulting in the creation of this great tourist destination that over 4.7 million people visited in 2023. After the Arkansas state park system successfully coined the Natural State in its 1980s effort to increase tourism, legislation made Arkansas' nickname official in 1995. Although it may not be the first state that comes to mind for outdoor activities, Arkansas boasts 600,000 acres of lakes, 87,000 miles of rivers and streams, and thousands of miles of trails that draw in visitors who love to camp, fish, hike, bike, and more. This state nickname dates back to the California Gold Rush, which began in January 1848 with the discovery of the precious metal at Sutter's Mill. The term Golden State is apt, given the significant impact of the gold rush on the state: The population increased by over 286,000 in just half a decade, and this explosive growth led California to join the union in 1850. The nickname, which wasn't official until 1968, continues to be incorporated across the state, including the name of San Francisco's popular NBA team, the Golden State Warriors. Also known as Colorful Colorado for its rich landscapes ranging from mountains to plains, Colorado's official nickname is the Centennial State. Named a territory by Congress in 1861, Colorado didn't become a state until six years later, on the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Although it was the fifth of the 13 original colonies to join the Union in January 1788, some historians have argued that Connecticut was the first to have a written constitution. While others dispute this claim, the Fundamental Orders of 1638 and 1639 might be the first written constitutions and certainly influenced Connecticut's 1959 adoption of the Constitution State nickname. On Dec. 7, 1787, Delaware was the first of the 13 original colonies to ratify the U.S. Constitution, becoming the nation's first state. It wasn't until 2002, however—nearly 225 years later—that this nickname became official at the request of a class of first graders from Mt. Pleasant Elementary School in Wilmington, Delaware. As the southernmost state in the continental U.S., it's no surprise that Florida has been dubbed The Sunshine State. The warm, often humid, weather is known for attracting visitors who want to trade cold northern winters for sandy beaches or the excitement of Walt Disney World. According to the CDC's National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network, however, Florida is not the sunniest state in the U.S. It ranks #12 in terms of annual sunshine as of 2020, while Hawai'i comes in at #1. A strong association exists between peaches and Georgia, but not because the state produces the most peaches. Instead, Georgia outranks all states in peanut production, producing more than the rest of the country combined. Much like its neighbor Alabama, Georgia was branded the Peach State in an effort to create an association with skilled agriculture and shift away from the state's history of cotton production—and its history of slavery. "Aloha" is more than a simple way to greet others or say goodbye; it is a deeply important element of Hawaiian culture. Hawai'i adopted the nickname the Aloha State in 1959—the same year it became the 50th state. Nearly 30 years later, in 1986, a law enacted officially defined the "Aloha Spirit" as "the coordination of mind and heart within each person." Though mostly symbolic, this law can hold residents and leaders accountable for practicing kindness and compassion toward one another in their daily lives. Although Idaho is known for producing potatoes, its nickname doesn't have anything to do with the starchy vegetable. With over 72 types of precious and semiprecious gems found throughout the region—a greater variety than any place besides Africa—Idaho truly is the "Gem State." In 1967, the star garnet—found only in Idaho and India—was named the state gem. Tourists can visit the Emerald Creek Garnet Area in the northern part of the state to dig up their own souvenirs. Illinois might be home to the hustle and bustle of the third most populous city in the U.S., Chicago, but the northern two-thirds of the state was built on grassland shaped by glaciers moving through the area thousands of years ago. The nickname Prairie State originated from those who found these wide-open swaths of prairie when they first settled in Illinois. Indiana residents have been dubbed Hoosiers for over 150 years, but the origin of this term is hazy. State representatives filed a bill to make the state nickname official in 2023, with one caveat: It should be attributed to Harry Hoosier, a formerly enslaved Methodist minister who preached throughout Indiana and other parts of the U.S. in the late 18th century. However, others claim the term began as simple slang for less wealthy farmers or residents of rural areas. There are a few theories on how Iowa came to be the Hawkeye State, a nickname approved in 1838 by officials before the territory became a state. The term appears to have gained popularity around this time in Judge David Rorer's writings and by James G. Edwards, an editor who changed the name of his newspaper to include the word "Hawk-Eye" in 1839. Some also believe the slogan's inspiration is the character of the same name in James Fenimore Cooper's 1826 novel "The Last of the Mohicans." The helianthus—better known as the sunflower—has been the official state flower of Kansas since 1903 and appears in the state nickname and flag. Even prior to this official designation, Kansas suffragists chose the sunflower as a symbol in 1867, inspiring the use of yellow as the national color for the women's suffrage movement. Sunflowers, known for their cheerful beauty and ability to thrive in various types of sand and soil, bloom under sunny skies in every county of the Sunflower State. Kentucky may be known as the Bluegrass State, but this moniker existed before bluegrass music became popular in the 1940s. The nickname's inspiration is the native grass, prevalent in the northern part of the state, where seed heads create a bluish hue when grown tall. There is a connection to bluegrass music, though: In 1938, Kentucky musician Bill Monroe named his band the Blue Grass Boys in homage to his home state, going on to become a major influence in this music style that combines elements of country, blues, jazz, and more. With the Eastern Brown Pelican designated the official state bird, it only makes sense that Louisiana's nickname is the Pelican State. A pelican has also been a feature on the state seal since 1813, the year after Louisiana joined the Union, and the state flag since 1912. Perhaps the state's focus on the bird also helped aid its repopulation, as the pelican was removed from the Environmental Protection Agency's endangered species list in 2009 following decades of concern about its survival. Since 1936, Maine license plates have beckoned tourists nationwide, calling them to visit Vacationland. Although it may not be one of the top U.S. destinations, tourism is one of the state's largest industries, and Maine has a very high percentage of vacation homes. Maine offers an incredible range of activities for outdoor enthusiasts, such as fishing, whitewater rafting, hiking, and skiing—and don't forget to try a world-famous lobster roll while you're there. Before becoming the first U.S. president, George Washington was a lauded Revolutionary War general, commanding one battle that led to Maryland being dubbed the Old Line State. On Aug. 27, 1776, Washington led 13,000 U.S. soldiers against 34,000 British troops in the Battle of Brooklyn. A group of soldiers that came to be known as the Maryland Line sacrificed themselves to provide cover for the outnumbered American troops who hastened away under Washington's order to retreat. The state nickname has since commemorated the bravery of these soldiers. Massachusetts is well known for its bays and idyllic water destinations that are also rich with history. Massachusetts Bay was home to a 17th-century British colony and Boston Harbor. Tourists visiting Cape Cod Bay can enjoy whale watching, stroll the beaches, and see nearby Plymouth Rock, where the Mayflower landed in 1620. Michigan's nickname is self-explanatory, as the state is surrounded by the Great Lakes: Erie, Huron, Michigan, Ontario, and Superior. These massive lakes total one-fifth of the world's freshwater supply and significantly influence Michigan's weather. Covering over 94,000 square miles, the total surface area of the five lakes is greater than that of seven northeast U.S. states combined—Rhode Island, Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and New York. Legend has it that the Land of 10,000 Lakes formed from the footsteps of Paul Bunyan and his blue ox Babe, but the truth is that 2 million years of glacier movement is responsible for creating these vast bodies of water. Minnesota has more than 10,000 lakes, but the number is debatable. It's difficult to tally up all the small lakes throughout the state. In 2019, Paul Boulay from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reported that the state has 11,842 lakes. However, in 2021, John Downing, director of the Minnesota Sea Grant College Program, used MNDNR's database to determine Minnesota has 14,380 lakes. The Deep South is often associated with southern charm—warm conversations, friendly neighbors, or a helping hand when needed—and this is just what Mississippi aims to deliver as the Hospitality State. This and the state's other moniker, "The Magnolia State," go hand in hand, as the newest state flag—signed into effect in 2021—features a large magnolia blossom representing the hospitality of Mississippians. Like any good legend, Missouri's moniker has several origin stories. The phrase is widely attributed to Congressman Willard Duncan Vandiver, who served at the turn of the 20th century. In a speech at a naval banquet, he declared, "I come from a state that raises corn and cotton and cockleburs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me." Another explanation attributes "show me" to miners from Missouri in Colorado who, unaccustomed to mining practices, needed explicit instructions. Today, the sobriquet has come to embody Missourians' no-nonsense and incredulous nature. Montana's natural beauty and vast horizons have earned it another unofficial nickname—Big Sky Country. But when the state adopted Treasure State as its motto, they were looking down, not up. Mineral riches in the form of gold, silver, sapphire, coal, and copper have long attracted prospectors who dreamed of digging up their next fortune. The state's dazzling natural resources led to a colorful boom-and-bust mining history as people flocked to the state, with many staying to call the picturesque grasslands and mountain ranges home. Homesteaders came to Nebraska as early as the mid-1800s to develop what was then known as the vast American desert. Due to the lack of trees, they constructed homes from sod; this rugged and resourceful mentality became part of the state's early identity. These settlers also husked corn by hand, far before the invention of husking machinery, and Cornhusker State has come to embody this DIY spirit. Today, of course, cornhuskers are most commonly associated with the University of Nebraska's legendary football team. In 1859, two miners in Virginia City, just southeast of what is now Reno, discovered a blue and gray substance that turned out to be a half-mile of silver and gold. The Comstock Lode, considered one of the most significant mining discoveries in American history, brought a rush of an estimated 20,000 fortune-seekers. It put Virginia City on the map, helping usher Nevada into the Union in 1964—and perhaps establish its reputation as the state people go to seek thrills and fortune. Nestled in New England, New Hampshire is renowned for its vast granite formations and quarries, with the largest located at Rattlesnake Hill in Concord. This quarrying site has been in operation since the 19th century and today produces 25,000 tons of granite annually. The Granite State nickname supposedly comes from a song composed by attorney and cartographer Philip Carrigain, performed for an event honoring the Marquis de Lafayette in 1825. Though often associated with the historic Garden State Parkway, New Jersey's largest toll road, the Garden State boasts many gardens and arboretums. When Abraham Browning, who served as New Jersey's attorney general from 1845 to 1850, referred to "our garden state" as "an immense barrel, filled with good things to eat and open at both ends," he likely didn't anticipate how the nickname would evolve. It also inspired "Garden State," the 2004 film featuring Natalie Portman and Jersey native Zach Braff, who also wrote and directed the movie. Sherbet sunsets, striking desert landscapes, and a fascinating history all contribute to New Mexico's enchanting nature. The state was first referred to by its nickname in a 1906 travel guide titled "The Land of Enchantment: From Pike's Peak to the Pacific" by writer and journalist Lilian Whiting. Although the guide covered the Southwest generally, New Mexico's tourist bureau declared the state the Land of Enchantment in 1935. New York's nickname traces back to a letter from George Washington in the early years of his presidency to the New York Common Council. In 1785, the father of our nation referred to the state of New York as "the Seat of the Empire." At the time, "seat of empire" was commonly used to describe a locus of power and control (think the Roman or British empires), but Empire State didn't gain traction until years later. Now, it lives on in popular culture—such as the Empire State Building and the chart-topping single "Empire State of Mind" by New York natives Alicia Keys and Jay-Z. As a major producer of supplies for the naval industry, such as tar, pitch, and turpentine, North Carolinian's nautical influence is reflected in their nickname. The tar production process was messy, thus the connection to workers getting it on their feet. However, being called a tar heel began as a mocking term for the working class, akin to redneck or hillbilly. Although the first reference to North Carolinians as tar heels dates back to the Civil War, it wasn't until 1893, when the University of North Carolina named its paper The Tar Heel, that the term evolved from insult to source of pride. Spanning 2,300 acres and tucked in the Turtle Mountains, North Dakota's famed International Peace Garden draws tourists from around the world to marvel at its beauty and biodiversity. The IPG straddles the territory between the U.S. and Canada, symbolizing peace and friendship between the neighboring nations since 1932. The North Dakota Motor Vehicle Department added the phrase to license plates in 1956; it took off, and Peace Garden State was formally adopted by the state legislature the following year. Ohio's nickname comes from the buckeye, the official state tree, which bears fruit containing poisonous nuts resembling the eye of a deer. The nickname took off as a result of the 1840 presidential campaign for William Henry Harrison, which was marked by the use of buckeye log cabins as a campaign symbol. Serving as the official mascot for The Ohio State University, the buckeye name has been embraced across the state by various Ohio landmarks and organizations, and even for a popular chocolate-peanut butter dessert. The term sooner is a reference to the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889, when 50,000 settlers ran across the state seeking claim to a portion of a 2 million-acre stretch of "unassigned" lands previously designated as Native American territory. Settlers who tried entering the Unassigned Lands prior to the designated starting time were called sooners. In recent years, the term sooner, particularly as the mascot for the University of Oklahoma, has been met with controversy from critics who associate the term with colonization and oppression of Native Americans. As the largest rodent in North America, beavers were once widespread across much of present-day U.S. and Canada. Oregon adopted the industrious animal for its state motto and animal in recognition of its early settlers, who thrived in the fur trade. At its peak in the mid-1800s, European demand for beaver fur hats and coats was so high that more than 30,000 pelts were exported annually from the U.S. Demand has since waned, but beavers continue to face habitat loss and pollution, though, in Oregon, many supporters hope to help rebuild a healthy population. Pennsylvania has the unique distinction of holding early America together in more ways than one. It was the center state of the original 13 colonies, and it was the site of pivotal events that provided cohesion to a newly formed nation. The keystone, a center stone at the top of an arch or lock that holds things together, is an apt metaphor for the state considered the birthplace of independence, where the first and second Continental Congresses took place. Small but mighty Rhode Island has nearly 400 miles of shoreline along Narragansett Bay—an impressive feat considering the state sits on just 1,214 square miles. The Ocean State motto was added to license plates in 1972 to attract visitors to the state's plentiful waterfront views and sports. The state's history has long been tied to its location near the ocean: Rhode Island was home to the first water-powered textile mill in the country in 1790 and built the first ocean wind farm in the U.S. in 2016. South Carolina's abundant sabal palmetto trees are aesthetically pleasing, but they also served a purpose that led to their storied reputation. Their spongy centers absorbed the blows from cannonballs during the Civil War. The tree, often called a cabbage palm, also appeared on South Carolina's flag when it left the Union in 1861. Before South Dakota declared itself the Mount Rushmore State, its mottos included Coyote State, Artesian State, and The Land of Plenty. The current namesake, adopted in 1992, is a nod to Gutzon Borglum's famed memorial with the 60-foot tall likenesses of U.S. presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln carved into the Black Hills. Tourists flocked to the site when it opened in 1941 and haven't stopped since. The National Park Service reports that more than 2 million visitors visit the memorial annually. Recognizing Tennessee's military history, the Volunteer State motto refers to the generations of Tennessean soldiers who answered calls for service. During the War of 1812, Tennessee's militiamen gained praise for mobilizing quickly to join Gen. Andrew Jackson. Later, the Mexican American War of 1848 saw more than 30,000 Tennessee volunteers step forward for a call of 2,600 soldiers. Tennessee has continued to celebrate its volunteer history for more than a century through more recent global conflicts in the Persian Gulf and Iraq. When Texas gained independence from Mexico in 1836, it remained an independent republic for nine years before being annexed by the U.S. During this time, its flag represented the Republic of Texas, its single star and simple red, white, and blue pattern reflecting the "bravery, loyalty, and purity" of rugged early Texans. Lone Star, however, has become both a branding term and a state of mind, suggesting the fierce independence and self-reliance that remains a vital aspect of Texan identity. While early Utahns may have liked honey, it's a bee's industriousness and collaborative spirit that inspired the state's motto. The beehive symbolism is credited to Brigham Young, founder of the Church of Latter-Day Saints, who selected it after Mormons arrived in Salt Lake City in 1847—a reminder that they would need to work together harmoniously to thrive in their new arid home. The beehive motif can be seen in countless crests and designs across Latter-Day Saints churches and was later adopted by the state for all residents to celebrate its hard-working past. The name Vermont derives from the French words "vert" and "mont" or "green mountain" in translation. Although the name is often attributed to French explorer Samuel de Champlain, considered the first European to reach Vermont in 1609, its exact origins are somewhat murky. Drive through the state's lush, rolling hills or visit the 400,000-acre Green Mountain National, however, and it's obvious why Green Mountain State is an apt nickname. Even after the Commonwealth was established, Virginia remained loyal to the British crown and thus was given the nickname, possibly by King Charles II himself. The name derived from Virginia being the first overseas dominion of English royalty. Virginia has several monikers, including the Mother of Presidents and Mother of States, but The Old Dominion still sticks. With their year-round foliage, deep roots, and luxurious smell that has inspired many a scented candle, evergreens are a tree to be admired and respected. Abundant throughout the region, Washington became known as the Evergreen State when C.T. Conover, a Seattle realtor, historian, and newspaperman, titled a sales booklet on the region, "Washington, The Evergreen State and Seattle, Its Metropolis" to attract buyers to the verdant region. Although tourism brochures used the nickname for decades, it was never officially adopted. While this straightforward nickname doesn't reveal much about D.C. other than distinguishing it as a capital city (as opposed to a state), there's an interesting history behind the name. President George Washington was given the authority to select the final location of the federal district, as it was known, somewhere along the Potomac River. The name Columbia is a nod to explorer Christopher Columbus and was used as a patriotic shorthand to refer to the U.S. during the Revolutionary War era. Thus, Washington, District of Columbia, became the nation's capital. With the Appalachian Mountain system slicing through the state, West Virginia's entire landscape is defined by hills and majestic mountain ranges. Home to stunning expanses like the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Allegheny Plateau, and the Cumberland Mountains, the state's ranges draw tourists to their ski resorts, national forests, and incredible beauty. West Virginia is also home to about 4 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Home to a prestigious master cheesemaking program and known for its squeaky and snackable cheese curds, Wisconsin doesn't need much more to prove itself as America's dairyland. Swiss immigrants are credited as the first to raise dairy cows and make cheese in the state as far back as the 1840s. Though California now produces the most milk, Wisconsin is still the largest cheese producer in the nation. Wyoming has proudly embraced its cowboy country roots since before it joined the union in 1890 when plenty of cowboys wandered into the territory via pioneer wagon trains and military forts along the Oregon Trail. Today, the state is among the top 10 largest in the country, yet it remains one of the least populated, giving residents plenty of wide-open range. Since 1936, Wyoming's license plates have sported an image of a cowboy astride a bucking horse—perfectly fitting for a state that's adopted rodeo as its official sport and the bison as its official mammal. Additional research by Dom DiFurio. Additional writing by Alizah Salario, Elisa Huang, and Tim Bruns. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. This story originally appeared on Spokeo and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
