Wyoming State Symbols

Wyoming state symbols: official state symbols include the western meadowlark, Indian paintbrush, plains cottonwood, American bison, and Equality State nickname.

Abbreviation

Cheyenne

Capital

1890

Statehood

Symbols

Overview

The bison flag and Indian paintbrush are Wyoming's most recognized official state symbols — the bison tied to Yellowstone conservation history, the paintbrush to high-prairie wildflowers. The western meadowlark, plains cottonwood, Equal Rights motto, and Equality State nickname complete a list built around open country and women's suffrage history.

Best-known symbol American Bison

Oldest in this guide Equal Rights, 1893

Flag centerpiece Wyoming State Flag, 1917

Wyoming State Symbols — Complete List

Category	Official Symbol	Adopted
State Flag	Wyoming State Flag	1917
State Bird	Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta	1927
State Flower	Indian Paintbrush Castilleja linariifolia	1917
State Tree	Plains Cottonwood Populus deltoides	1947
State Motto	Equal Rights English	1955
State Nickname	The Equality State	1990
State Mammal	American bison Bison bison	1985
State Colors	Brown and Gold	—
License Plate Slogan	The Equality State	1966
State Seal	Great Seal of Wyoming	1893

What Does Wyoming Mean?

Wyoming became the 44th state in 1890. The name was borrowed from Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania and comes from a Munsee Delaware place-name often explained as referring to a broad plain or large flat.

The state-symbol story is less about the borrowed eastern place-name and more about Wyoming's own claims: Equal Rights, the Equality State nickname, the bison flag, Yellowstone bison survival, and symbols of high plains and mountain country.

Wyoming's postal abbreviation is WY, and residents are Wyomingites. The Equality State nickname points to the territory's 1869 women's suffrage law.

Key Meaning and Background

Origin: Borrowed from Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania, from a Munsee Delaware place-name.
Statehood: Wyoming became the 44th state in 1890.
Suffrage identity: Wyoming Territory granted women full voting rights in 1869, giving the state its Equality State identity.

Usage Examples and Context

State: Refers to Wyoming, a western state of high plains, mountains, sagebrush basins, ranching, and Yellowstone country.
People: People from Wyoming are called Wyomingites.
Flag: The state flag places the Great Seal on a white bison.

Nicknames and Short Forms

The Equality State: Wyoming's official nickname, tied to women's political rights in the territory.
Abbreviation: WY; older short form Wyo.

Newest and Oldest Symbols

Oldest listed Great Seal of Wyoming, 1893

Older symbols tend to anchor the state's public identity: flag, bird, flower, motto, or nickname.

Newest listed The Equality State (1990), American bison (1985)

Recent designations often show how states keep adding wildlife, foods, breeds, and cultural traditions.

What Wyoming's Symbols Say About the State

The American bison is the hub's anchor because it appears on the state flag and reaches back to the Yellowstone herd story before the mammal designation became law in 1985.

Wyoming's civic symbols are just as direct. Equal Rights and the Equality State nickname are tied to the territory's early women's suffrage law rather than to a vague ideal.

The western meadowlark, Indian paintbrush, and plains cottonwood keep the guide close to open ground. The cottonwood is especially Wyoming: in a largely treeless state, it marks water, settlement, and ranch life.

Quick Answers

What is Wyoming's most famous state symbol?

The American bison is Wyoming's strongest symbol because it appears on the state flag and had been central to Wyoming imagery long before it became the official state mammal.

What is Wyoming's state bird?

Wyoming's state bird is the western meadowlark, adopted in 1927.

What is Wyoming's state flower?

Wyoming's state flower is the Indian paintbrush, adopted in 1917.

Why is Wyoming called the Equality State?

Wyoming is called the Equality State because Wyoming Territory granted women full political rights in 1869, decades before the 19th Amendment.

How many official state symbols does Wyoming have?

Wyoming's state symbols list here includes the flag, western meadowlark, Indian paintbrush, plains cottonwood, Equal Rights motto, Equality State nickname, colors, and American bison.