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Nicknames
Home » Michigan » Michigan Overview and History » NicknamesMichigan has two nicknames - the Wolverine State and the Great Lakes State.
How the Wolverine State nickname originated remains a mystery because in fact, according to the Michigan Historical Society, wolverines were very rare in Michigan, if they were even present at all.
But there is no mystery about how Michigan became known as the Great Lakes State. The state is known for having the most miles of shoreline of any state except Alaska - 3,200 miles. That shoreline meets four of the five Great Lakes - Huron, Michigan, Erie and Superior (all but Ontario). There are also more than 11,000 inland lakes in Michigan.
The name Michigan is derived from the Indian word Michigama, meaning great or large lake.
People from Michigan call themselves either Michiganians or Michiganders.
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