Named by Dutch explorer Adrian Block, it was originally named "Roodt Eylandt" meaning "red island" in reference to the red clay that lined the shore. Rhode Island was the last of the original thirteen colonies to join the Union.

The official state flag is comprised of a simple white field bordered on three sides with golden yellow fringe. Thirteen stars representing the original 13 colonies encircle a single gold ship's anchor representing the commercial significance and potential power of it's maritime activities. The states motto " Hope" is on a blue ribbon below the anchor. The anchor was first adopted as a seal for Rhode Island in 1647, when the four original towns of Providence, Warwick, Portsmouth, and Newport united under the Rhode Island charter.