I’m a newspaper designer that has to adhere to the AP Style Guide. Anytime a caption mentions a USA state location I have to use the AP style to abbreviate the state name.
Ala. Kan. Nev. S.C.
Ariz. Ky. N.H. S.D.
Ark. La. N.J. Tenn.
Calif. Md. N.M. Vt.
Colo. Mass. N.Y. Va.
Conn. Mich. N.C. Wash.
Del. Minn. N.D. W.Va.
Fla. Miss. Okla. Wis.
Ga. Mo. Ore. Wyo.
Ill. Mont. Pa. Maine
Ind. Neb. R.I.
Why do some states get a two letter abbreviation and some get as many as five letters? You’d think they would keep it consistent and just pick the first four letters of the name. There are eleven that already do that: Ariz. Tenn. Colo. Mass. Conn. Mich. Wash. Minn. Miss. Okla. Mont. But the rest are just completely random.
Here’s why the AP does this random abbreviation style. It’s so that you have to constantly pull out the AP Style Guide and check it. This way it ensures you always remember that the AP style guide is the ruler.
Illinois is pretty cool, cuz our abbreviation actually spells a word. Not too many other states can claim that. Pa and Miss are the others I can see.
though montana’s is pretty nice: MO! Yo Mo!
MO is for Missouri, not Montana. Sorry.
The abbreviation for Washington is a word as is the abbreviation for Massachusetts
Two letter abbreviations make sense for states that are two words. Because using a 4 letter technique on New York would be Newy. Maybe it should be two letters for two words and four letters for one word. Or something.
whoa. i can’t believe i missed Wash and Mass. I apologize profusely to the citizens of Wash and Mass.
You also forgot to mention Ark for Arkansas…. Ark is totally a word 🙂
i do not apologize profusely to the citizens of Arkansas. Just kidding. I’m sorry, Arkansas. You are a nice, little Ark.
Ore is a word too! 🙂
So is Pa, man!