See How Montana Got The Nickname ‘Treasure State’

Montana’s Nicknames: More Than Just Words

How many of you know where the name "Montana" came from?

It's Spanish for ⁣montaña, which comes from the Latin word ⁣montanea, which basically means "mountainous country."

From Big Sky to Treasure State: Montana’s Many Names

Now that we know where the word "Montana" comes from, what about the nickname "Treasure State?"

This isn't the only nickname that Montana has, and every single one of them fits perfectly.

"Big Sky"—who has bigger skies than Montana? "The Last Best Place"—everyone knows it's true.

There is, however, one nickname I had never heard of before, and that's "Land of the Shining Mountains."

What Our Nicknames Say About Montana’s Rich History

While Montana does not have an official state nickname, it does have the unofficial nickname "Treasure State." It’s easy to understand how this nickname originated.

With Montana having the "richest hill on earth" in Butte and our state motto being "Oro y Plata"—Spanish for "gold and silver"—it's easy to see how mining is so important to Montana, and it's not that far of a stretch to see why that nickname stuck.

What about the other states in America? How did they come to have their nicknames? Explore the stories behind the nicknames of all 50 states in the gallery below.👇