What name did the Continental Congress officially approve for the new nation in September 1776?

The Continental Congress officially approved the name United States of America on September 9, 1776.

Before that decision, revolutionary documents often called the colonies the “United Colonies.” The Declaration of Independence used the phrase “United States of America” in its text, but Congress did not formally settle on the name until September. The change reflected the political transformation from colonies resisting imperial rule into states claiming sovereignty.

The wording was not simply a change in branding. “United States” described a union of separate states, while “America” identified the broader geographical and political project. The phrase appeared in the declaration’s heading and conclusion before Congress formally adopted it.

The name remained in use under the Articles of Confederation and was carried into the Constitution. Modern references often shorten it to “the United States” or “the U.S.,” but the full constitutional name is the United States of America. Its formal adoption is an important milestone between independence and the creation of the federal government.