Arizona Symbols, State Names

Browse the state's symbols; state animal, state bird, state flower, state flag, state fossil, state insect, state motto, state seal, state tree, color, dance, fish, mammal, music, nut, reptile seal, and miscellaneous designations, emblems, and mascot of each state with pictures. Find origin of the state name. View the state almanacs, state timelines and peruse state facts and stats such as the capitol, location, and date admitted to the union.

Nick Name

Southwest

Grand Canyon State - Arizona's most popular nickname celebrates its most famous natural feature, the Grand Canyon.
Copper State - Celebrates its mineral wealth, and is also represented by a copper-colored star on its flag

Origin of Name

From the Indian Arizonac, meaning little spring or young spring

It's said that a mining speculator named Charles D. Poston first suggested the name Arizona in a petition to the United States Congress to make Arizona a legal territory.
The name is derived from a combination of two words from the Papago Indian dialect of the Pima language; "Aleh" and "Zon" together as "Aleh-zon" meaning "little spring." The "little spring", located in Mexican territory, is near a large silver discovery made in Arizona Creek.