Yankee is a nickname for Americans, especially those from the northern United States. During the Civil War, Southerners called Union soldiers “Yankees” or “Yanks,” while Northerners used it proudly to describe themselves. Today, people in other countries sometimes call all Americans Yankees, though in the United States itself, the word usually refers specifically to people from New England states like Massachusetts, Vermont, and Maine.

The term carries different feelings depending on who uses it. New Englanders might call themselves Yankees with pride, celebrating their region's history and traditions of independence and resourcefulness. Southerners might use it to distinguish themselves from Northerners. When people abroad say “Yankee,” they often just mean any American.

The word appears in the famous Revolutionary War song “Yankee Doodle,” which British soldiers sang to mock American colonists. The Americans adopted it anyway, turning an insult into a badge of honor. The New York Yankees baseball team took the name to project strength and tradition. The phrase Yankee ingenuity describes the clever, practical problem-solving that Americans, particularly New Englanders, became known for: finding smart solutions with whatever materials were available.