Do You Call Yourself a Michiganian…or a Michigander?
Did you even know that Michiganian is a word? Because we sure didn't.
For the last 40 years, the Detroit News has honored their choices for the 11 Michiganians of the Year. Yes, you read that right - Michiganians. And every year since, they've gotten complaints about that term.
Actually, it's correct, according to the Detroit News. And so is Michigander.
Michiganian is the older of the two; it's been used since approximately 1805, while Michigander has roots that go back to approx. 1825.
There was a Michigan law that was adjusted in 2017 to replace the word Michiganian with Michigander, but most people never noticed the change.
Other words that have popped up through the years include Michiganese and Michiganites.
Call us crazy, but we prefer the term Michigander. That's our "preferred pronoun." What do YOU like to be called?