Ranked: 50 States' Updated Mottos

"Nil Sine Numine" has been Colorado's motto since it became a territory.The exact meaning of the phrase is unclear. People generally translate it as "Nothing Without Providence" or "Nothing Without the Deity."The phrase means "Nothing Without Providence" or "Nothing Without the Deity." A new motto was easy for.u/wavinsnail, however, who offered:

"State Sovereignty, National Union" is Illinois's motto.Illinois's motto, while "Land of Lincoln" appears on the state's license plates. An updated motto from u/Cheesypoooof suggested:u/Cheesypoooofleans toward the latter:

Utah embraces"Industry" with its state motto, but Redditor u/lejefferson thought this would be an appropriate update:u/lejefferson thought this would be an appropriate update:

The official state mottoof IllinoisTexas has "Friendship." To change this simple feeling, one Redditor suggested:

Arizona's state mottois "God Enriches." Arizona residents had several options for new mottos, all related to weather. u/Revircs suggested:u/Revircs:

Despite Oklahoma's try to make its state motto"In God We Trust" in 2012, the words "Labor Omnia Vincit," or "Labor Conquers All Things," stay on the state seal. If Oklahoma still seeks an update, one option isone option is:

With a mottothat states, "It grows as it goes," New Mexico might need an updated phrase.One option:

As "The Crossroads of America," Indiana's updated motto would restate that, but in different words.different words:

New York state's motto, "Excelsior," means "Higher" in Latin. An updated version would show the sentiment thatsentiment that:

Attributed to patriot Algernon Sydney, Massachusetts' motto is, "By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty.", "By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty.". To u/Dhaerrow, the Massachusetts motto needs to show a different side of life:u/Dhaerrow, the Massachusetts motto needs to show another side of life:

Kentucky's motto, "United we stand, divided we fall," appears on both the state flag and the seal. One Redditor suggested an updated version would be:one Redditor, would be:

God is part of Florida's official state motto, "In God We Trust," and was included in suggestions for an update, albeit in a different context:suggestions for an update, though in a different context:

Hawaii's official state motto, "Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono," means "The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness." An updated motto, according to u/KK_Magic, might be:

North Dakota's motto, "Liberty and Union Now and Forever, One and Inseparable," is a long saying on the state seal. u/UnKnown_potato suggested adding a visual element to an update:u/UnKnown_potato suggested:

French for"The Star of the North," "L'Etoile du Nord" serves as the official motto of Minnesota. This reference to geography seems to inform u/ClerkTheK1d's update:

Maine's succinct motto, "Dirigo," means "I direct" or "I guide." Although the applications of this phrase seem boundless, u/SnugNuggo felt more words were needed to fully drive home what Maine is all about:

The official state mottoof Alabama, "Audemus jura nostra defendere," means "We dare defend our rights." u/Grimsterr suggested a better description would be:u/Grimsterr, would be:

"Montani Semper Liberi," or "Mountaineers Are Always Free," captures the spirit of the state of West Virginia. An updated version of the motto for West Virginia touches on this - but adds to it, too.

Iowa has a fairly lengthy state motto: ""Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We Will Maintain." An alternative offered by u/doctorgongora isn't any shorter, but takes a different approach:

The state motto of Washington state is unofficial. It appears on the initial territorial seal for the area. "Alki" or "Al-ki" is a Native American word meaning "Bye and Bye." Redditors cared less about making a motto official and more about clarity.initial territorial sealfor the area. "Alki" or "Al-ki" is a Native American word meaning "Bye and Bye." Redditors cared less about making a motto official and more about clarity.clarity:

Delaware embraces"Liberty and Independence" with its official state motto, but u/CowboysSB82Champs suggested:

California put "Eureka" on its state seal in 1849in 1849a word that refers to finding gold. Redditors, however, felt that highways should be included in the state mottosuggesting:

"Forward" is the official state motto of Wisconsin, but with this as an update, movement looks challenging:

"Esse Quam Videri," or "To Be Rather Than to Seem," a quote from Roman author Cicero, has been North Carolina's motto since 1893.since 1893. Updating a classic, u/selfproclaimed suggests:u/selfproclaimed, looks like this:

Translated as "He Who Transplanted Still Sustains," Connecticut's state motto is Qui Transtulit Sustinet. An updated version, according to u/relaks, would be:

Rhode Island's motto is one word: "Hope." A two-word update offered by one Redditor?

"Union, Justice, Confidence" represents Louisiana on its state flag and seal but, for one Redditor, this cultural phenomenon seemed to capture the state better:

Montana's state motto, the Spanish phrase "Oro y Plata," means "Gold and Silver." To emphasize the large stretches of open land instead of Montana's resources, u/1_2_um_12 went with:

Vermont has espoused "Freedom and Unity" as its state motto since 1788, Redditors had other ideas about what would accurately capture the state of Vermont:

With a motto that states, "She Flies With Her Own Wings," Oregon aspires to embrace individualism. According to one Redditor, Oregon isn't embracing much of anything:

New Hampshire'sstate motto, "Live Free or Die," is a well-known motto. However, one Redditor suggested analternative.Another Redditor did not see the need for an update; they suggested analternative.:

"Virtue, Liberty, and Independence" make up Pennsylvania's three-part motto. An updated version that keeps the same format is:

"Equal Rights," Wyoming's state motto, attests to its constitutional history as the first state to give equal voting and office-holding rights to women. An accurate, updatedWyoming's state motto is:

An updated version ofSouth Dakota's motto, "Under God the People Rule," would be, as suggested byu/TractorMan90:

"Equality Before the Law" is Nebraska'sstate mottosince the 1860s. One Redditor gave an update on the old one, stating:one Redditor, would be:

In contrast to the official state motto of New Jersey, "Liberty and Prosperity," an updated version could be:

"Virtute et Armis," or "By Valor and Arms," is Mississippi's motto. An update from u/Lim-Plegs_McGee had a very different tone:

Nevada adopted thestate motto "All for Our Country" in 1866.A Redditor offereda motto that teaches outsiders:

With the slogan "Show Me State" on its license plates, Missouri also has astate mottothat says, "Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law." When updating this,u/AidenFelixiswent punny:

Although Alaska's state motto expresses the idea "North to the Future," u/panda_vigilante suggested:

"Agriculture and Commerce" Tennessee officially adopted as its state mottoin 1987.. Redditoru/Dashx87thought this update was appropriate:

As a controversial motto, "Fatti maschli parole femine," means "Manly deeds, womanly words" in Italian; others suggested "strong deeds, gentle words." But u/I_Am_The_Mole suggested an updated motto should focus on thestate flag:u/I_Am_The_Mole, should focus on thestate flag:

Adopted in 1861., the state motto of Kansas, "Ad Astra Per Aspera," means "To the Stars Through Difficulties." One Redditorthought this represented the state better:

"Regnat Populus," or "The People Rule," serves as Arkansas's official motto, but a more accurate saying, according to people who live there, makes reference to the fact that:

Ohio adopted itsstate motto, "With God All Things Are Possible," in 1959. Redditoru/EdgarFrogandSambuilt an update on that motto, suggesting:

Idaho'sstate motto, Esto Perpetua.or "Be Eternal" gives the updated version fromu/Neutralgoointo perspective:

Michigan shows its unique geography.Michigan uses this motto: "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you." One Redditor.The Redditor went darker, suggesting:

Themotto of Virginia has beenSic Semper Tyrannis or "Thus Always to Tyrants" since 1776. Redditorsdefied the idea of an update, offering this instead:

"Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation" is theofficial state mottoof Georgia. However, an update, u/dogsdawgs, suggested:u/dogsdawgs, suggested:

South Carolina has many sayings on its state seal, including itstwo state mottos. "Dum Spiro Spero," or "While I Breathe, I Hope," is one of the state's mottos, alongside "Animis Opibusque Parati," which means "Prepared in Mind and Resources." The seal also has palmetto trees, which u/ShinyKatana suggested could be part of the state's updated motto.u/ShinyKatana: