1

Meryl Streep

Image: Montclair Film, CC BY 2.0

We’ll begin with a modern icon. Since her start in stage plays in 1975, Meryl Streep has completely risen to stardom, to the point of being considered by many as the very best actress of her generation.

Streep holds the distinct honor of being the most nominated actress for an Academy Award in history, with 21 nominations and 3 wins. Some of her most memorable performances include Sophie's Choice , Kramer vs. Kramer , and The Bridges of Madison County .

2

Marilyn Monroe

Image: Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0

What more can be said about the "Blonde Bombshell" that hasn’t been said before? Born Norma Jeane Mortenson, Marilyn Monroe is definitively one of America’s most famous pop icons. There’s a good reason why legendary pop artist Andy Warhol decided to immortalize her with a series of paintings: Marilyn not only perfectly encapsulates Hollywood in the '50s but also serves as a great representation of how the world sees the American dream.

Monroe’s first on-screen appearance dates back to 1947, when she briefly appeared as a waitress. Nobody knew that this small role would be followed by an extremely profitable career, which included classics like Some Like It Hot , The Seven Year Itch , and The Misfits .

3

Grace Kelly

Image: Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0

Many of the actresses on this list are considered Hollywood royalty, but only Grace Kelly holds the honor of being an actual princess. However, while her marriage to Prince Rainier III of Monaco was truly a spectacular moment, we shouldn’t overlook the incredible career of this amazingly talented actress.

After a number of small roles, Kelly first achieved stardom with her performance in John Ford's 1953 film Mogambo , for which she was nominated for her first Academy Award. That being said, perhaps her most iconic roles are the numerous Hitchcock films she appeared in, including such classics as Dial M for Murder , Rear Window , and To Catch a Thief .

4

Judy Garland

Image: Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0

Sometimes actresses and actors are typecast after a particularly amazing role: Carrie Fisher will always be Princess Leia, Anthony Hopkins will always be Hannibal Lecter, and Judy Garland will always be remembered as the brave Dorothy Gale from The Wizard of Oz . And while this role truly cemented Garland as an undisputed American icon, there’s so much more to this amazing actress's career.

Garland’s incredible voice and acting chops skyrocketed her to fame from an early age. One year before portraying Dorothy, she starred alongside Mickey Rooney in the 1938 film Love Finds Andy Hardy . As an adult, she received Oscar nominations for such iconic films as A Star Is Born and Judgment at Nuremberg .

5

Elizabeth Taylor

Image: photo by Alan Light, CC BY 2.0

If there’s one thing that you probably remember about Elizabeth Taylor , it’s those hauntingly beautiful eyes of hers: They were a gorgeous blue that almost seemed to shift into a unique shade of violet under the right light. Regardless, this amazing American actress is still remembered as one of Hollywood’s most iconic legends.

Elizabeth Taylor’s many acting roles are too many to count, so we’ll leave you with a few of our favorites: two film adaptations of Tennessee Williams’ plays, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Suddenly, Last Summer , and her performance as the Queen of the Nile herself in the 1961 film Cleopatra .

6

Katharine Hepburn

Image: Volha Kudzina

Throughout her nearly sixty-year career, Katharine Hepburn amassed an impressive number of awards and accolades. Critics and fans alike adored the outspokenness, independence, and freedom that she brought to her characters. It seems only natural that her amazing talent earned her 4 Academy Awards for Best Actress, a record she holds to this day.

Born and raised in Hartford, Connecticut, Hepburn started acting during her college years. After a very successful run on Broadway, she gained international fame after Hollywood discovered her. Her third film, Morning Glory , earned Hepburn her very first Academy Award.

7

Ginger Rogers

Image: Kyle Head

It should go without saying that all the actresses on this list have multiple talents, including singing and dancing. However, it would be a safe bet to state that Ginger Rogers , Fred Astaire’s most beloved dance partner, is the very best dancer on this list (which is definitely saying something).

Born in Independence, Missouri, but raised in Kansas City, Rogers began her career in a vaudeville act at the age of 14. In the 1930s, she met her perfect partner in crime, Fred Astaire. From 1933 to 1939, the duo starred in 9 iconic films, which completely revolutionized the Hollywood musical genre.

8

Julia Roberts

Image: David Shankbone, CC BY 3.0

Julia Roberts became an instantly recognizable icon in the ‘90s, starring in such classics as Steel Magnolias , Pretty Woman , and My Best Friend’s Wedding . However, it wasn’t until the start of the new millennium that she earned her first well-deserved Academy Award, when she played the paralegal-turned-environmental activist in the 2000 film Erin Brockovich .

Nowadays, Roberts continues to shine on the silver screen. The 21st century saw her starring in films like Ocean's Eleven and Eat Pray Love . Not only that, she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 2014 for her performance in the 2014 TV film The Normal Heart .

9

Whoopi Goldberg

Image: Canadian Film Centre from Toronto, Canada, CC BY 2.0

Caryn Elaine Johnson, known to the world as Whoopi Goldberg , is undeniably a jack of all trades. She is an Academy Award-winning actress, received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor for her work as a comedian, and is also a TV personality who entertains millions of American homes every day.

Whoopi first rose to prominence for her wonderful performance in Steven Spielberg’s 1985 film The Color Purple , for which she received a Golden Globe for Best Actress. That first recognition was quickly followed by a myriad of awards, including an Academy Award for Ghost and an Emmy for hosting the TV show The View .

10

Rita Hayworth

Image: photo by Alan Light, CC BY 2.0

Just like Judy Garland, many people know Rita Hayworth as "Gilda," a nickname she earned after starring in the titular 1946 film. However, there’s so much more this actress contributed to Hollywood throughout her spectacular career, so we decided to honor her life and work with this final entry.

Born Margarita Carmen Cansino, Rita was already a professional dancer by age 12, performing on stage with her father, who was also a dancer. By the time she was in her early 20s, she had already taken the world by storm, becoming one of the most profitable actresses of the Golden Age of Hollywood.

1

Hell’s Kitchen

Image: Michael Matloka

What’s in a name? In this case, fire, grit, and a wink of humor. Legend has it that during a riot, a young police officer muttered, "This place is hell itself," only for his older partner to quip, "Hell’s a mild climate—this is hell’s kitchen." The pun was too good to forget, and the nickname stuck. Years later, developers tried a new label—"Clinton"—hoping it would sound more welcoming on real estate brochures. But New Yorkers can be a bit stubborn, and locals chose to keep the old name. After all, only "Hell’s Kitchen" could do justice to a neighborhood with that much flavor, grit, and, well, heat.

2

Harlem

Image: Phil Evenden

Back in the 1600s, when northern Manhattan was little more than farmland, Dutch settlers, homesick for their town across the sea, named the area Nieuw Haarlem after Haarlem in the Netherlands. Time smoothed away the "Nieuw," but the name remained. Centuries later, Harlem became something entirely of its own: a world capital of music, art, and pride. The rhythms may have changed from Dutch hymns to jazz and soul, but the name still carries the same echo of nostalgia and creativity.

3

Greenwich Village

Image: Budgeron Bach

Long before jazz bars and coffeehouses filled the air with chatter, this corner of Manhattan was a quiet patch of countryside known as Groenwijck—Dutch for "pine district." The British, with their habit for renaming, turned it into Greenwich, and generations of locals affectionately shortened it to "the Village." Its winding lanes still ignore the city’s rigid grid, twisting and bending like memories of the farmland that came before. Even today, as musicians play on stoops and artists linger in cafés, the Village keeps that timeless feeling.

4

Chelsea

Image: Elric Pxl

Here’s a name steeped in nostalgia and old-world charm. In the mid-1700s, retired British Major Thomas Clarke bought a large plot of land overlooking the Hudson River and built his dream home, naming it "Chelsea" after the genteel London district he once knew. The estate is long gone, swallowed by the city’s constant growth, but its name never left the map. Over the centuries, the neighborhood evolved with a flair worthy of its heritage. First a quiet residential area, then a bustling creative hub filled with galleries, theaters, and fashion studios. Much like its London namesake, New York’s Chelsea has always worn its artistic spirit proudly, with just the right touch of elegance.

5

The Meatpacking District

Image: TanjaSchwarz

It sounds tough because it was. In the early 1900s, this corner of Manhattan had more than 250 meatpacking plants and slaughterhouses filling the air with noise—and, yes, a certain aroma that no candle could ever mask. Workers hauled sides of beef down cobblestone streets dusted with ice and sawdust, a daily ballet of grit and muscle. Today, the scent of raw steak has been replaced by perfume and espresso, and the warehouses now house boutiques and rooftop bars. Still, the name "Meatpacking District" hangs on proudly, a reminder that even glamour was built on hard work and heavy lifting.

6

Times Square

Image: James Ting

Believe it or not, the origin of this glowing crossroads has more to do with ink and paper than neon lights. In 1904, when The New York Times moved its headquarters to what was then called Longacre Square, the city decided to rename the area in the paper’s honor. To mark the occasion, the Times threw a grand celebration complete with fireworks and electric lights. Decades later, the newspaper has long since moved out, but the glow never dimmed. What began as a nod to journalism became the city’s biggest stage, where the lights still flash like headlines that never stop breaking.

7

SoHo

Image: Zeke Goodyear

It may sound like a borrowed bit of London, but this SoHo is a New York creation. Back in the 1960s, urban planner Chester Rapkin was writing a report about a fading industrial zone just SOuth of HOuston Street, and casually shortened that phrase into "SoHo." He couldn’t have known he was naming one of the city’s trendiest neighborhoods. As artists began filling the old cast-iron factories with studios and galleries, the nickname spread faster than wet paint. Soon, SoHo meant loft living, street art, and downtown cool. And here’s a fun fact for visitors: in Manhattan, Houston is pronounced HOW -ston, not like the Texas city. Mispronounce it, and you’ll hear all about it before you hit the next crosswalk!

8

NoHo

Image: Dylan Dehnert

By now, you probably know the drill. After the renaming of SoHo proved such a success, the north couldn’t be left behind. When the area NOrth of HOuston Street, another cluster of lofts and studios began to bloom, it soon earned the mirrored name "NoHo." Smaller and quieter, it kept its creative streak without the chaos. Cast-iron buildings, cobbled streets, and a calm charm that feels like SoHo’s thoughtful twin, equally artistic but happy to hum instead of shout.

9

TriBeCa

Image: Essow K

What if geometry had a ZIP code? That’s pretty much how TRIangle BElow CAnal Street —better known as TriBeCa—came to be. The name began as a bit of city-planning jargon for a small, oddly shaped area, but once The New York Times printed it, the label spread faster than a rumor on the subway. Before long, the whole neighborhood embraced its new identity. Today, those wide streets and grand old warehouses host film festivals, art galleries, and lofts so sleek they make geometry look downright glamorous.

10

NoLIta

Image: Alex Haney

Tucked just NOrth of LITtle ITAly, this petite pocket of Manhattan once blended seamlessly with its pasta-and-pastry-filled neighbor. Then came the wave of stylish boutiques, corner cafés, and street-front charm that begged for its own identity. The solution? NoLIta, a name so snappy it sounds like it’s been around forever. Sleek, sunny, and effortlessly cool, it’s proof that in New York, a clever name can turn a few city blocks into a full-blown destination.

11

Turtle Bay

Image: Masahiro Naruse

At first glance, the name sounds cute enough for a storybook, and in a way, it is. Back in the 1600s, Dutch settlers named a small farm near a creek that flowed into the East River. Some say it referred to the turtles that lived there; others claim it came from the Dutch word deutal , "bent blade," describing the curve of the bay. Either way, it’s one of Manhattan’s softest names, a calm corner in the city that never sleeps.

12

Gramercy

Image: Megan Bucknall

Long ago, this Manhattan neighborhood was a swampy patch of land the Dutch called Krom Moerasje , meaning "little crooked marsh," hardly the kind of description you’d want on a real estate brochure. In the early 19th century, developer Samuel B. Ruggles acquired the land and renamed it Gramercy , adapting an archaic expression derived from the French grand merci , meaning "many thanks." Suddenly, it sounded far more elegant. The neighborhood grew around its most famous feature: Gramercy Park, a private, gated square that remains key-only to this day. In New York, that’s about as close as it gets to a secret garden.

1

Superior

Image: Brian Beckwith

As we know, Michigan is divided into the Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The discussion about whether the Upper Peninsula should become its own state dates back as far as 1858.

During the 19th and 20th centuries, residents of the region proposed creating the State of Superior , named after the Great Lake that defines the region. Although the movement never gained enough traction, some people still support the idea today, even though Superior would become the state with the smallest population.

2

Jefferson

Image: Kirk Thornton

Jefferson was a proposed state, much like Washington was before it became a state. Picture this: a state straddling Northern California and Southern Oregon, rich in timber and minerals. This was the vision for Jefferson , first proposed in the mid-19th century and revived in 1941.

Residents even declared a symbolic "secession" and distributed pamphlets proclaiming their independence. However, World War II shifted priorities , and the movement eventually fizzled out.

3

Deseret

Image: Wolfgang Hasselmann

Mormon settlers had big dreams in 1849—they proposed Deseret , a massive theocratic state . The name, meaning "honeybee" in the Book of Mormon , symbolized industry and cooperation. But Congress wasn’t exactly buzzing with enthusiasm.

Instead, Congress created the smaller Utah Territory , which at the time included present-day Utah as well as parts of Nevada, Colorado, and Wyoming.

4

Sequoyah

Image: Nina Luong

In 1905, Native American tribes in eastern Oklahoma proposed the State of Sequoyah , named after the Cherokee scholar who created the Cherokee syllabary .

It was a bold move to create a Native-majority state. However, Congress chose instead to merge the area with Oklahoma Territory to form the state of Oklahoma . The constitution drafted for the proposed State of Sequoyah went on to influence the final Constitution of Oklahoma.

5

Lincoln

Image: Clark Van Der Beken

The proposed State of Lincoln had multiple identities. One version placed it in eastern Washington and northern Idaho. Although the name was intended to honor Abraham Lincoln, other names, such as Columbia and Eastern (East) Washington , were also considered.

Another proposal envisioned Lincoln in southern Texas. This version reportedly had a prepared constitution and a distinctive red flag featuring Lincoln’s face inside a yellow circle.

6

East and West Jersey

Image: Nick Fewings

Can you imagine two New Jerseys? Back in 1674, when the area was still a British province, New Jersey was divided into East Jersey and West Jersey , each with its own government and constitution.

But the separation lasted only 28 years . The territories were rejoined in 1702, and the first New Jersey state constitution wasn’t adopted until 1776, following independence from Britain.

7

Franklin

Image: Dan Mall

The State of Franklin was another plan, except this one worked, for a while. In 1784, settlers in eastern Tennessee had had enough with what they saw as North Carolina’s neglect. They declared independence and formed the State of Franklin , named after Benjamin Franklin, of course.

For four years, Franklin operated as a de facto state , complete with its own constitution and government. However, Congress refused to recognize it, and by 1788, the State of Franklin ceased to exist.

8

Transylvania

Image: Julia Volk

Transylvania (from the Latin for "beyond the woods" ) is more than just a remote land of vampire legends—it was also nearly the name of a short-lived American colony in what is now mostly Tennessee and parts of Kentucky.

In 1775, land speculator Richard Henderson struck a deal with the Cherokee to create the Colony of Transylvania , in parts of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. But Virginia and North Carolina declared the venture illegal. Still, the name lives on today in Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky.

9

Nickajack

Image: lauren barton

During the Civil War, Union sympathizers in northern Alabama, northern Georgia, and eastern Tennessee proposed the creation of the State of Nickajack . The name came from a Cherokee village, but the idea never gained much traction.

Today, the Nickajack Dam and Nickajack Lake reservoir mark areas that would have fallen within the boundaries of this proposed state.

10

Absaroka

Image: Mohan Nannapaneni

Have you ever heard of Absaroka ? During the Great Depression, residents of parts of Wyoming, South Dakota, and Montana proposed the creation of the State of Absaroka , named after the Crow Nation’s word for "children of the large-beaked bird."

The movement was largely a symbolic protest against federal neglect. Absaroka even had its own license plates and a self-declared "governor," but the state never came to fruition.

11

Westsylvania

Image: Isaac Wendland

Yet another -vania . In the late 18th century, settlers west of the Appalachian Mountains proposed the creation of the State of Westsylvania . Frustrated by neglect from eastern state governments—especially Virginia and Pennsylvania—they wanted a state of their own.

But like many other separatist efforts, the proposal was rejected by Congress and never became a reality.

12

Madison

Image: Library of Congress

Another president nearly had a state named after him—but didn’t. The name of the fourth U.S. president, James Madison, was once proposed for the area that is now part of the Dakotas.

In the late 19th century, residents of what is now southwestern North Dakota proposed the creation of the State of Madison . However, the idea faced a major hurdle: Congress was already considering dividing the Dakota Territory into two separate states. In 1889, North and South Dakota were admitted to the Union, and the Madison proposal was quietly shelved.