U.S., US, U.S.A, United States, United States of America, America

[Étoile]

Why does the country in between (not counting Alaska or Hawaii) Canada and Mexico has so many names? Which one(s) do you use?

I call it the U.S. when I say it and write/type it. I notice non-Americans usually call it America.

[Phoenix]

I say U.S.A. for no particular reason, that's just how I abbreviate it.

[Gin Uh Fur]

United States mostly but i tend to us them all.

:]

[Swamp56]

I say either U.S. or United States. If you just say America, I see that as referring to North and South America.

[Shevanel]

Many countries have a few names. For a bunch of different reasons. Some political, and violent (Like Burma/Myanmar), and others for Language reasons (Like the USSR and Soviet Union and all the names in between xD). Sometimes for formalities as well

[Maddy]

Sometimes I'll say America, but more often U.S.

[otc877]

Its name is large, nobody wants to say The United States of America when it can be abbreviated with all the names in your title.

As for which one I use, it comes down to context of the conversation.

[Eccentric]

Like otc877 said, all of those alternate names are pretty much just different ways of shortening "United States of America"
there's also the United Kingdom, UK, Britain

[Étoile]

Originally Posted by Eccentric

Like otc877 said, all of those alternate names are pretty much just different ways of shortening "United States of America"
there's also the United Kingdom, UK, Britain

But doesn't that work like this?

United Kingdom or UK-Northern Ireland, Scotland, England
Great Britain or Britain: Scotland, England

All the names we use for the U.S. represents the same land.

[Eccentric]

yeah, i guess that was stretching it a tad
but it still makes the same point

[SlickyPants]

US and A!

[Revan]

I just say US. Otherwise I have to like...pause for a period lol. I dunno maybe I am saying U.S. Lol

[Daniel]

I honestly use them all in equal amounts. Though verbally I tend not to say USA or US but rather the United State or America, while writing USA, US, etc.

[Austin]

Didn't know britain was only england and scotland? Learn something new every day.

Btw where the fuck is Wales? ;O

[mattypants]

+1 to america.

People up here usually say "the states" or "the US".
Not many people here use the full name or "america"

[GhostDog]

I generally say "The US". I try to avoid referring to it as just "America" since, y'know, the whole North/South America thing. (Unless, of course, I am saying "AMERICA, FUCK YEAH!". Because there is no other way to say that.)

Though it does bug me that there's no way to say "American" referring to something from the US without also possibly referring to anywhere in North or South America. I mean, what else are we supposed to say? "United Statesian"? "US-flavored"? "OH GOD WHY ARE DRAGONS EATING MY FACE?"

Well, okay. I'll take any excuse to say that last one. But my point remains!

[ANightDude]

I say United States, personally.

But apparently people from Latin America get a bit annoyed when the U.S. is called America. Because "America" is two continents. :/

[RaeofLite]

I say the U.S mostly.

But the UK has different names too. Britain, United Kingdom, Great Britain (even though those (GB and Britain) wouldn't technically include Wales or Scottland.
UAE (United Arab Emrates)

I'm sure there are other countries as well.

[Nitro]

It has always bothered me that a citizen of the United States of America be called an "American". An American should be someone who comes from the continent America. Given the rather descriptive name of the country, one would think that a citizen of the USA would simply be called "citizen of the United States of America" or Cusa. Since it would be handy to have the same word in noun and adjective form perhaps: "calls the United States of America home" or Cusah.

relevant Wikipedia article on the topic: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_for_U.S._citizens