Name and Nicknames

NJ name' origin

Sir John Berkley and Sir George Carteret received a royal charter for a colony in the new land and named this colony for the island of Jersey in the English Channel. Carteret had been born on Jersey and had spent several years as Lieutenant Governor of the island.

NJ has countless nicknames emhasizing its most appreciable sides. Here comes some of them.

The Garden State

This nickname seems to have originated at the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia on Jersey Day, August 24, 1876. Alfred M. Heston states in his 1926 work, Jersey Waggon Jaunts, that "The Garden State" was used by Abraham Browning, of Camden. "In his address Mr. Browning compared New Jersey to an immense barrel, filled with good things to eat and open at both ends, with Pennsylvanians grabbing from one end and the New Yorkers from the other. He called New Jersey the Garden State, and the name has clung to it ever since."

The Clam State

This nickname refers to the clams taken off the coast and in the Delaware Bay. New Jersey is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the east.

The Camden & Amboy State

or "The State of Camden and Amboy" is a reference to the old Camden and Amboy railroad and highlights the powerful influence of this railroad in the state.

The Jersey Blue State

This historical nickname recalls the blue uniforms of the New Jersey Revolutionary War soldiers.

The Pathway of Revolution

Another nickname recalling the Revolutionary War period, "The Pathway of Revolution" is a reference to the battles fought on New Jersey soil during the war.

The Switzerland of America

New Jersey, like other states with mountainous areas, has been referred to as "The Switzerland of America." This reference, made by early settlers, was to the western part of the state and the Kittatinny range and to the Watchung, Sourland and Pickle mountains in the southeast. Perhaps the most famous are the Palisades along the Hudson River.

The Mosquito State

New Jersey has sometimes been referred to as "The Mosquito State" obviously in reference to the irritating, bloodthirsty little insects. New Jersey really does not have more of these insects than other states, and it is not clear how this appellation originated.

New Spain

or "The State of Spain" came about when Joseph Bonaparte, the King of Spain, fled to New Jersey around 1812. He bought about 1,400 acres of land in the state and built a "palatial mansion" where he entertained foreign dignitaries until 1822. It's rumored that Philadelphians were jealous of New Jersey's good fortune to have such an illustrious resident and they referred to New Jersey, humorously, as "New Spain" or "The State of Spain."

The Foreigner State

In the same vein as "New Spain," this nickname evolved from the humorous gibe to New Jersey, that it was a foreign land filled with foreigners under the social influence of the previous King of Spain. New Jersey was sometimes referred to as "The Foreign State."