Do you know your state flag?
We mean it, do you actually know your state flag? Or are you sat there rapidly going through all the other US state flags you know, desperately trying to remember which one is yours?
Well, if you can’t remember which state flag is surely fluttering in the breeze above you, don’t feel too bad. It’s not an essential piece of everyday information to know. But with National Flag Day on the horizon, you might want to have a quick Google, just to be safe.
Celebrated on June 14th, National Flag Day isn’t a federal holiday, but that hasn’t stopped it from becoming widely celebrated across the US every year. Commemorating the adoption of the US flag on the same day in 1777, National Flag Day, and indeed National Flag Week, has become a hallmark event on many people’s calendars.
Of course, National Flag Day isn’t just about celebrating the central flag of our proud nation, but also the flags of our states as well.
Proposed as an idea in 1893 after the World’s Columbian Exposition, by the early 1900s, pretty much every state had designed and adopted its own flag. Indeed, as recently as May 2024, Minnesota went about designing and selecting a brand-new flag, which now flies proudly on flagpoles throughout the union.
But this got us thinking. We all know what our nation’s flag looks like, but how many people know what their state flag is – and more to the point, which state flags are the most forgettable?
To find out, we turned to everyone’s favorite quiz website – Sporcle - and analyzed data from their incredibly popular US States Flag Quiz. Played over 417,000 times, this quiz gives participants 10 minutes to name all 50 state flags, based on their image. And using the results data of this quiz, we can see which state flags were most commonly forgotten.
So, without further ado, here are the top most forgettable state flags in America.
Which are the top 5 most forgettable state flags?
As much as we might not like to admit it, some state flags are simply less interesting than others. Whether it’s their choice of color, their chosen background, or even the state motto woven into the fabric, some flags simply miss the mark.
Thus, here are the top 5 most forgettable state flags, based on our data:
1. Idaho
No one likes to admit it, but someone has to come last. And in the case of state flags, this unenviable position falls to Idaho. Memorized by just 36.5% of quiz takers, we have to agree that Idaho’s flag doesn’t stand out that much.
Designed with a gorgeous blue background, Idaho’s flag places its state seal front and center, which represents Idaho’s main industries of mining, agriculture, and forestry. Certainly, a meaningful display, but clearly one that fails to grab people’s attention.
2. New Hampshire
Next up, and only 1% higher than Idaho, we have New Hampshire, at 37.5%. Much like Idaho, New Hampshire’s state flag is also fairly bland and interestingly shares a lot of similar features to our most forgettable state flag, such as its rich blue background and dramatic upfront imagery.
Specifically, new Hampshire’s flag contains an image of the US frigate, Raleigh, which was the first US ship to fly the American flag in battle. The Raleigh in turn is surrounded by a laurel wreath with 9 stars, which represent New Hampshire being the 9th state to join the union. A fascinating flag backstory, but not the most visually striking.
3. Nebraska
Continuing our trend of how not to design a memorable flag, Nebraska takes the third spot with 37.8% and is once more a flag defined by a blue background and central defining image.
Like Idaho, Nebraska’s state flag has the state seal in the middle, which includes imagery of the Missouri River, the Rocky Mountains, smiths at work, and settler’s cabins. There’s a lot going on in the seal, all of which represent what Nebraska stands for. But it’s also clearly muddled and unclear enough for such a flag to stick in people’s minds.
4. Minnesota
Unfortunately, despite Minnesota just getting a new flag, they still placed as our 4th most forgettable flag, being remembered by only 37.9% of those who had taken the quiz. However, we’d wager this is people forgetting the old flag, rather than the far more striking new one.
While the old flag focused on commemorating important dates in the state’s history, Minnesota’s new flag blends beautiful blues and a white star to represent the vast waterways of the state and celebrate its indigenous people, as well as highlighting the state motto “The Star of the North”.
5. West Virginia
Finally, moving away from the classic blue background with a central image pattern that has defined our bottom five so far, our 5th place flag, West Virginia, has instead gone for a slightly different stark white design, with a blue border, all finished with a state-focussed image in the center.
Sadly, despite being a well-known state, its flag is not, being remembered by only 38.5% of quiz participants. Even though the white background is certainly striking, its image of a rock flanked by a farmer and a miner, representing the state’s core industries is clearly not leaving the intended mark.
Which are the top 5 most memorable state flags?
Ok, so now that we’ve looked at the most forgettable state flags in the US, we’re sure you’re curious to find out which ones are the most memorable. And don’t worry, we have you covered here as well.
Below are the top 5 most memorable state flags, none of which you’ll be surprised by:
1. California
You knew it was coming before you’d even read the title, and we’d wager it’s the state flag most people think of first, when it comes to the most memorable US state flag out there, that award goes to California.
Memorized by a whopping 88.8% of those who did the quiz, California’s flag is dominated by the iconic image of a grizzly bear. First flow in 1846 as an act of rebellion against Mexico, it was intended to intimidate Mexican forces. As striking as ever, it’s really no surprise that this flag is so well-known across the states.
2. Texas
Next up is the “Lone Star” state of Texas, whose flag was correctly guessed by 87.6% of quiz enthusiasts. Famed for its iconic white star and the red, white, and blue bars, the Texan flag certainly sticks in the mind.
First raised over the Republic of Texas, the design of the flag represents Texan solidarity after declaring independence from Mexico. The stripes each have their own meaning, with the blue standing for loyalty, white for purity, and red for bravery.
3. Colorado
Third, we have one of the most distinctly designed flags out of all the US states – Colorado. Housing the iconic C that starts its name, Colorado was correctly noted by 79.6% of those who did the quiz.
The flag of Colorado was adopted in 1911, with its blue stripes representing the open blue sky while the white symbolises the Rocky Mountains. The C is actually shaded in the same red as that on the American flag and represents the red-hued earth of the state, while the gold disk in the C represents the constant sunshine the land gets.
4. Washington
Perhaps one state flag you didn’t see coming in the top five, there’s a very good reason why Washington State was remembered by 77.5% of those taking this popular Sporcle quiz.
Case and point, Washington’s dark green flag is dominated by an enormous portrait of none other than George Washington, surrounded by the state seal. Simple in design, it’s no wonder such a flag sticks in people’s minds.
5. Alaska
Finally, to round out the top five, we have Alaska, which didn’t adopt its state flag until 1926, yet has still created a flag notable enough to be remembered by 75.5% of quiz participants.
While still adopting a blue background, Alaska’s flag is defined by the Big Dipper star constellation, with the blue background representing Alaska’s forget-me-not flower. The addition of an eighth star away from the constellation represents the North star, highlighting Alaska as America’s most northern state.
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And there you have it, those are America’s most forgettable and most memorable state flags. Did your state’s flag make the cut, perhaps you were betting on your state’s flag making it into our top 5?
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