The official nickname for Minnesota is The North Star State, originating from the French motto which appears on Minnesota's state flag and seal: l’étoile du nord (translation: the star of the North).


Another well-known nickname for Minnesota is Land of 10,000 Lakes (in fact, there are more than 11 thousand lakes in the state!) Minnesota has also been referred to as The Gopher State and The Bread and Butter State for its superior products presented at the Pan-American Exposition in 1902.