How Many U.s. States Have Double Letters In Their Names

How many U.In practice, s. states have double letters in their names?

I’ll bet you’ve never stopped to wonder about this while scrolling through a map or filling out a form. But here’s the thing — it’s actually kind of fascinating once you start looking. And no, it’s not just about obvious repeats like "Alabama" or "Texas." We’re talking about any double letter anywhere in the name: double vowels, double consonants, even tricky ones like "tt" or "mm.

So let’s dig in.

What Is a Double Letter in a State Name?

A double letter is simply two of the same letter appearing next to each other in a state’s official name. That could be:

• Double vowels (like "ee" in Connecticut*)
• Double consonants (like "tt" in Texas*)
• Even double letters at the beginning or end (like "ll" in Oregon* or "ss" in Mississippi*)

It doesn’t matter if it’s uppercase or lowercase — we’re just looking at the spelling. C. states only. Which means s. doesn’t count. Washington, D.And remember, we’re counting the 50 U.Neither do territories or districts.

Let’s break it down by state.

How Many U.S. States Actually Have Double Letters?

After going through all 50 states, the answer is: 21 states have at least one double letter in their name.

That’s more than you might think. And less than half of all states. Let’s look at them one by one.

The States With Double Letters

1. Alabama – "aa"
2. Alaska – "ss"
3. Arizona – "zz"
4. Arkansas – "rr"
5. California – "aa"
6. Colorado – "oo"
7. Connecticut – "tt"
8. Delaware – "ee"
9. Florida – "oo"
10. Georgia – "aa"
11. Idaho – "dd"
12. Illinois – "ll"
13. Iowa – "oo"
14. Louisiana – "uu"
15. Maine – "ee"
16. Maryland – "dd"
17. Massachusetts – "ss"
18. Mississippi – "ss"
19. Texas – "tt"
20. Utah – "tt"
21. Vermont – "tt"

Yep, that’s one in five states right there.

Now, before you start thinking this is just a spelling quirk, let’s talk about why it actually matters — or at least why it’s worth noticing.

Why Do Some States Have Double Letters?

Turns out, most of these double letters come from the original spellings of the states’ names in English, often derived from Native American words, French, Spanish, or old English place names.

Take Alabama* — that "aa" comes from the Choctwe word “Alba” or “Alban,” meaning “vegetation” or “thicket.” The double "a" stuck because that’s how it was pronounced in the original language.

Same story with Louisiana*, which comes from French explorer La Salle’s claim of “La Louisiane.” The "ou" is French, and in French, that’s a common vowel pairing.

Some are just… well, English being English. Texas* comes from the Caddo word “taysha,” but by the time it got anglicized, it had that double "t." Same with Tennessee* — wait, no, Tennessee* doesn’t have a double letter. Hold that thought.

Actually, let’s clear up a common misconception here.

What Most People Get Wrong

Here’s where it gets interesting. So a lot of people look at Tennessee* and think, “Oh, that’s got double letters! Now, ” But nope — it’s just two separate "n"s. There’s no double letter there. Same with Pennsylvania* — looks like it should have double letters, but it doesn’t.

And then there’s Mississippi*. ” But Mississippi* actually has three double letters: "ss," "ss," and another "ss.People see the double "s" and go, “Oh yeah, that one’s got it!" Wait, no. Let me check again.

Actually, Mississippi* has:

• M-i-s-s-i-s-s-i-s-s-i-p-p-i

So yes, it has double "s" twice and double "p" once. That means three instances of double letters in one state name. And that’s the most of any state.

But here’s the kicker: people often miss Vermont* or Utah* because they assume only longer names can have double letters. Still, nope. Utah*? Double "t." Vermont*? Also double "t." Short names, big impact.

Breaking Down the Patterns

Let’s group these states a bit to see if there’s a pattern.

Double Vowels

These are states where the same vowel appears twice in a row:

• Alabama – "aa"
• California – "aa"
• Colorado – "oo"
• Delaware – "ee"
• Florida – "oo"
• Georgia – "aa"
• Iowa – "oo"
• Louisiana – "uu"
• Maine – "ee"
• Massachusetts – "ss" (wait, no — that’s a consonant)

Okay, scratch that last one. Let me fix this.

Want to learn more? We recommend how many days is 12 weeks and how many years is a billion minutes for further reading.

Actually, Massachusetts* has double "s," which is a consonant. So let’s re-do this list.

True double vowels:

• Alabama – "aa"
• California – "aa"
• Colorado – "oo"
• Delaware – "ee"
• Florida – "oo"
• Georgia – "aa"
• Iowa – "oo"
• Louisiana – "uu"
• Maine – "ee"
• Connecticut – "tt" (nope, consonant again)

Ugh. This is trickier than I thought.

Let’s just call it what it is: 10 states have double vowels, and 11 have double consonants.

Here’s the clean breakdown:

Double Vowels (10 states)

• Alabama – "aa"
• California – "aa"
• Colorado – "oo"
• Delaware – "ee"
• Florida – "oo"
• Georgia – "aa"
• Iowa – "oo"
• Louisiana – "uu"
• Maine – "ee"
• Tennessee – wait, no. Tennessee* doesn’t have double letters.

Hold on. Let me go back and recount.

I think I made a mistake earlier. Let me list them again carefully.

1. Alabama – "aa"
2. Alaska – "ss"
3. Arizona – "zz"
4. Arkansas – "rr"
5. California – "aa"
6. Colorado – "oo"
7. Connecticut – "tt"
8. Delaware – "ee"
9. Florida – "oo"
10. Georgia – "aa"
11. Idaho – "dd"
12. Illinois – "ll"
13. Iowa – "oo"
14. Louisiana – "uu"
15. Maine – "ee"
16. Maryland – "dd"
17. Massachusetts – "ss"
18. Mississippi – "ss" (and another "ss" and "pp")
19. Texas – "tt"
20. Utah – "tt"
21. Vermont – "tt"

Okay, so that’s 21 states total.

Now, let’s count by type:

• Double vowels:

Now, let’s count by type:

Quick recap
Double vowels* are two identical vowels in a row (e.g., “aa” in Alabama).
Double consonants* are two identical consonants in a row (e.g., “ss” in Mississippi).

Which letter appears most often?

If you line up graag all the double‑letter pairs, the most common one is “ss.On the flip side, ” It shows up in Alaska, Arkansas, Illinois, Massachusetts, Mississippi, and a handful more. “tt” is a close second, popping up in Idaho, Texas, Utah, and Vermont. The “aa” pair is the most common vowel double, appearing in Alabama, California, Georgia, and a few others.

A quick trivia check

• The state with the most double letters* is Mississippi, with three distinct double‑letter occurrences: “ss,” “ss,” and “pp.”
• The shortest state name with a double letter is Utah (four letters, double “t”).
• The longest state name without any double letters is New Mexico (10 letters, no repeats).

A playful challenge

Think you’ve spotted every double‑letter state? Even so, try this: list all 50 states, underline any repeated letter pair, then count how many times each pair shows up. You’ll likely discover new patterns—maybe a state that has the same double letter twice in a row (like “ss” in Mississippi and “ss” again later in the name). It’s a great brain‑teaser for geography buffs and word‑games lovers alike.

Conclusion

The United States is a patchwork of linguistic quirks, and the double‑letter rule is one of the most entertaining. But from the tiny “tt” in Utah to the triple “ss” in Mississippi, these repeated letter pairs give each state a subtle signature. Whether you’re a trivia enthusiast, a teacher looking for a classroom puzzle, or just someone who loves the quirks of language, the double‑letter states remind us that even in geography, patterns can be surprisingly playful.

So the next time you’re tackling a crossword or planning a road trip, keep an eye out for those doubled letters—they’re not just a linguistic curiosity; they’re a reminder that every state has its own little twist in the tapestry of the nation.