Q is the only letter in the alphabet that does not appear in the name of any of the United States!
Q Is the Only Letter Missing from All State Names
If you mentally run through all 50 states—Alabama to Wyoming—you'll notice something peculiar: not a single one contains the letter Q. That makes Q the lone letter of the English alphabet completely absent from the American map.
The 50 states collectively use only 25 of the 26 letters. It's not by design or some deliberate omission when states were named. It's pure coincidence, driven by the historical origins of state names themselves.
Where Do State Names Come From?
Most state names have roots in indigenous languages, European place names, or notable historical figures. Mississippi and Massachusetts come from Native American words. Georgia honors King George II. Vermont derives from French words meaning "green mountain."
Since Q is relatively rare in Native American languages and doesn't feature prominently in European naming conventions either, it never made the cut. No founding father, no indigenous tribe, no Spanish explorer gave us a "Queen's Landing" or "Quincy Territory" that stuck around.
The Alphabet's Rarest Residents
While Q takes the crown for total absence, several other letters barely show up:
- Z appears only once (Arizona)
- X shows up twice (New Mexico, Texas)
- B appears twice (Alabama, Nebraska)
- J appears once (New Jersey)
On the flip side, some letters dominate. The letter A appears a whopping 61 times across all state names—more than twice as often as any other letter. That's because A is common in Native American languages and European names alike.
What About Starting Letters?
If you only look at first letters, three are missing: Q, X, and Y. No state starts with these letters, though X and Y do appear within state names (Texas, New York). Q doesn't even get that consolation prize.
Eight letters start the most states: A, M, and N each begin eight state names. Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, and Arkansas give A a strong showing, while Maine through Missouri cover M's territory.
Will This Ever Change?
Unless the US adds a 51st state with Q in its name—perhaps Quebec decides to join, or we establish the State of Quinoa—this pattern is locked in. The 50 current states aren't changing their names anytime soon.
So Q remains the alphabet's outsider, the only letter that can't claim a spot on any state welcome sign, license plate, or tourism brochure. It's a quirky piece of trivia that highlights how historical accident, not alphabetical fairness, shaped the map we know today.