Maryland's Nicknames (2024)

NAME

NICKNAMES

Maryland is known as both the Old Line State and the Free State.

Old Line State. According to some historians, General George Washington bestowed the name "Old Line State" and thereby associated Maryland with its regular line troops, the Maryland Line, who served courageously in many Revolutionary War battles. For a closer examination of the background on this nickname, see: The Origin of the "Old Line State", by Ryan Polk (2005).

Free State. Maryland was first recognized as a "Free State" on November 1, 1864. On that date, the Maryland Constitution of 1864 took effect. By its provisions, slavery within the State's borders was abolished, and Maryland, indeed, became a free state. To celebrate the emancipation, under direction of the Baltimore City Council, five hundred guns were fired, bells were rung, and flags displayed "to attest the joy of the people at their great deliverance."

Much later, the nickname "Free State" was used in a different context by Hamilton Owens, editor of the Baltimore Sun. In 1923, Georgia Congressman William D. Upshaw, a firm supporter of Prohibition, denounced Maryland as a traitor to the Union for refusing to pass a State enforcement act. Mr. Owens thereupon wrote a mock-serious editorial entitled "The Maryland Free State," arguing that Maryland should secede from the Union rather than prohibit the sale of liquor. The irony in the editorial was subtle, and Mr. Owens decided not to print it. He popularized the nickname, however, in later editorials.

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Maryland's Nicknames (2024)

FAQs

What are 3 nicknames that Maryland has? ›

Maryland's nicknames: "America In Miniature," "Old Line State," "Free State"

What is another name for Maryland? ›

Maryland is known as both the Old Line State and the Free State. Old Line State. According to some historians, General George Washington bestowed the name "Old Line State" and thereby associated Maryland with its regular line troops, the Maryland Line, who served courageously in many Revolutionary War battles.

What are Maryland people called? ›

Maryland (MD) If you're packing up to move to Maryland, you're about to become a Marylander.

Why is Maryland nicknamed Little America? ›

In the 1970s, National Geographic dubbed Maryland, “America in Miniature,” due to the fact that nearly every kind of terrain can be found here – from the sandy shores of the Atlantic Ocean and the expansive marshes of the Chesapeake Bay, to vast acres of farmland and the rocky Appalachian mountains.

What was Maryland's old name? ›

Officially, the new "Maryland Colony" was named in honor of Henrietta Maria of France, wife of Charles I. Lord Baltimore initially proposed the name "Crescentia", the land of growth or increase, but "the King proposed Terra Mariae [Mary Land], which was concluded on and Inserted in the bill."

What is each state's nickname? ›

Golden State

What is Maryland known for its? ›

Rankings Scorecard. Home to the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland is known for its blue crabs and the city of Baltimore, a major historic trading port, baseball destination and birthplace of the national anthem.

What is Maryland in short? ›

MD is the state abbreviation for Maryland. It is used as both the postal abbreviation and the standard abbreviation, and has been in use since the first list of abbreviations was published in 1831.

What is the motto of Maryland? ›

The Calvert motto on the scroll is "Fatti maschii parole femine," generally translated as "strong deeds, gentle words" (Chapter 496, Acts of 2017). The Latin legend on the border is the last verse of Psalm 5 (from the Latin Vulgate Bible). It translates as "with favor wilt thou compass us as with a shield."

What are Maryland students called? ›

For Maryland, GO TERPS! And we will fight, fight, fight for terrapins, Keep on fighting 'till we win.

How do marylanders say "Maryland"? ›

It's “Merlin”—Not Mary-Land

For starters, the state's name is pronounced, “Merlin'” or sometimes, “Marilyn,” but never Mary-land.

What are three nicknames for Maryland? ›

Maryland's nickname - the Free State - also makes a ref- erence to history. It was given the name by a Baltimore newspaper during the 1920s when it wanted to be free from Prohibition. This state has two other nicknames: the Old Line State and the Chesapeake Bay State.

What is Baltimore's nickname? ›

The nickname "Charm City" came from a 1975 meeting of advertisers seeking to improve the city's reputation. Efforts to redevelop the area started with the construction of the Maryland Science Center, which opened in 1976, the Baltimore World Trade Center (1977), and the Baltimore Convention Center (1979).

What are the most common Maryland names? ›

What is the most common name on earth? According to a 2023 study, Muhammad is the most popular first name in the world, with an estimated 133,349,300 people bearing the name. Maria comes in second place with 61,134,526 people, followed by Nushi with 55,898,624.

What is the nickname of Baltimore Maryland? ›

Over the years, “Charm City” has become so much a part of this town's branding that it's hard to remember a time when it didn't exist. Although the word “charm” was applied to Baltimore in some of H.L.

What 4 states touch Maryland? ›

Maryland is bordered by Pennsylvania in the north, Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean in the east, the Atlantic Ocean and Virginia in the south, and West Virginia in the west. The state can be divided into five geographical regions. The Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain spreads across the south and east of the state.

What is the nickname for Crab City? ›

Description. “Crab Town” is a nickname given to the city of Annapolis. It's been in use for generations. This image was originally a hand-colored Mylar lithograph with an edition of 100 signed and numbered copies.

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