What name did Congress formally approve for the new nation on September 9, 1776?

Congress formally approved the name United States of America on September 9, 1776.

The phrase had already appeared in the Declaration of Independence, whose title described “the thirteen United States of America.” Congress then adopted the name for official use in its journals and documents. This change replaced the earlier wartime designation “United Colonies,” which had been used while the colonies were still presenting themselves as connected communities resisting British rule.

The timing is significant. By September 1776, the Declaration had been adopted, the document was being distributed, and the new states were organizing themselves during the Revolutionary War. A shared national name helped distinguish the independent political union from the former colonial system.

The wording is sometimes shortened to “America” in everyday speech, but the formal country name is United States of America. It is also distinct from “United Colonies,” the name used by the Continental Congress before independence was declared. The September action therefore marks an important linguistic and constitutional step in the creation of the nation commemorated by America250.