Superstar Lizzo can officially add another award to her collection: a Minnesota snowplow has been named in her honor.
Students from Ann Mack’s sixth grade class at Osseo Middle School in Maple Grove, Minnesota, submitted the name “Blizzo” (a combination of “Lizzo” and the word “blizzard”), to a naming competition held earlier this year by the Minnesota Department of Transportation. After the public voted on the finalists, their submission was chosen on Feb. 3 as one of eight new plow names.
Lizzo, who moved to Minnesota in 2011, took to Twitter to thank the middle school for the nomination.
“Of all the awards I have received, this by far is the highest honor,” she said. “To know that there is a snowplow named ‘Blizzo’ that is clearing the streets of the Twin Cities right now makes my heart melt — or freeze.”
BLIZZO SUPREMACY
thank you MN #blizzo pic.twitter.com/IIIMBX7t3r
— FOLLOW @YITTY (@lizzo) February 12, 2023
Blizzo received 14,935 votes, the second most votes of all 60 finalists. With more than 64,000 people around Minnesota voting for their favorite names, other winners include Yer a Blizzard, Harry, Clearopathtra, Better Call Salt and Han Snowlo.
Osseo Area Schools wrote in a press release that the students credit their teamwork and creativity with their successful naming campaign and will be celebrating their win with a class party. Student Joe Zenga says they chose the name to recognize a Minnesotan artist and incorporate something that happens a lot in winter.
A handful of other states also name their snowplows, including Lizzo’s birthplace — Michigan. Michigan has a few named after musicians, like Jon Bon Snowi, Sleetwood Mac, Scoop Dogg and Weird Plow Yankovic.
Another state with interesting snowplow names is Vermont, which has vehicles called Plowasaurus Rex, Fast and Flurrious and Snow-a-Lisa. Municipalities get in on the act, too: the city of Lafayette, Indiana, has plows named Betty Whiteout, Plowy McPlowface and Buzz Iceclear.
The snowplow naming trend isn’t even limited to the U.S. In 2006, Transport Scotland held a competition in primary schools to name some of their gritters (i.e., snowplows). Their machines have ended up with monikers like Gritty Gritty Bang Bang and Snow-be-gone Kenobi.
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Check out Simplemost for additional stories.
