By Dylan McAdoo
There are many unique sports team names across all sports. The tradition of naming sports teams such odd and unusual names came from sportswriters who bestowed the names to add a splash of color to their depictions of the teams exploits. There are many different stories on how different teams’ go by their names, ranging from basic animals like dolphins or lions all the way to names like the trail blazers or warriors. According to Professional’s HQ, the reasons teams are named the way they are is because “In short, it comes from wanting to have an identity of something that can beat or dominate a person. You want the team to seem like something that can win while perhaps invoking some other qualities.”
The most common names in all sports are animal related. According to Actually Good Team Names, “Animals have always made great team names and mascots. The use of animal mascots in sports dates back to at least the 1880s, when a good-luck goat was known to follow Cincinnati’s baseball team around.” One of the more recent franchise teams is the Jaguars. According to Fansided, “In 1991, two years before the city was officially awarded an expansion team, a fan contest was held to choose Jacksonville’s nickname. Names such as the “Sharks” and the “Stingrays” were considered before finally settling on the “Jaguars.” Though jaguars aren’t technically native to the city, the oldest living jaguar in North America was housed in the Jacksonville Zoo.” Roshan Patel, a junior at Ponte Vedra High School, says, “I knew that animals as team names are common, but I just figured teams chose animals because it was the easiest. I didn’t know there was stories to how each team go their name.” Animal names are selected to feel powerful and make it easy for the fans to rally behind.
The most common way cities decide on a team name is by some type of vote. According to ESPN, “13 out of the 32 NFL teams were decided on some type of vote.” They make it a fan vote because they want their fans to make the decision as they are devoting their time, money, and life to the team. The Dolphins were one of those 13 teams that held a fan vote. According to The Culture Tip, “in 1965, a contest was held to help come up with a name for the new Miami team, and some of the names suggested to the American Football League included Mariners, Marauders, Mustangs, Missiles, Moons, Sharks, and Suns. However, 622 entrants submitted “dolphins,” which ultimately became the winner.” James O’Donnell, a junior at PVHS, says, “I like the fan vote idea, it gives the fans a chance to feel appreciated, or at least that’s how it would make me feel if I got to vote for my teams name.” A fan vote is common and the best way to give back to the fans.
There are more unique names that make people wonder how they came to be. One of those is the Trail Blazers. According to Blazers Edge, “The actual name came from a practice by explorers making paths through forests and marking the paths by chopping white “blazes” in trees’ bark so others could follow (This happened near the area of Portland).” Another one that makes you wonder is the Orlando Magic. According to nba.com, “While the group pondered which one of the finalists would be selected, Williams’ (Magic GM) 7-year-old daughter, Karen, paid a visit to her father from the family’s home in Philadelphia. After spending some time together checking out Orlando’s attractions, Pat took Karen to the airport for her flight home. As she waited for her flight, Karen said something that would leave a lasting an impression on the city of Orlando. “I really like this place. This place is like Magic.”” Ashtan Augusta, a junior at PVHS, said, “The way teams get their names is really fascinating, you would have no idea on how the names became if you didn’t do the research.” Some of these names have the most unusual backstories.
“The way teams get their names is really fascinating, you would have no idea on how the names became if you didn’t do the research.”
-Ashtan Augusta (11)
There are teams that move cites and yet their name still reflects one city or location. One of these teams is the Los Angeles Lakers. According to nba.com, “The team moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1947, and its name was changed to the Lakers to reflect the Minnesota state nickname, “Land of 10,000 Lakes.” Another team that did this is the Utah Jazz. According to nba.com, “They were originally from New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 1970s. Jazz music is popular in New Orleans, and the team was named the Jazz when it was in New Orleans. The team kept the name when it moved to Utah.” The teams carry their original names with them.
When it comes to minor league baseball team names, they might be the most unusaual they get. According to ask.com, “But, no matter their structure, many of these teams have one major thing in common: weird team names. Often, minor league teams rely on local “in-jokes” and references to an area’s history in order to connect with fans and build a community feel.” One of these weird team names is the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. According to milb.com, “The Suns rebranded after the 2016 season, becoming the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. The name combines shrimping, which is popular on Jacksonville’s St. Johns River, with the sentiment that Jacksonville, Florida’s largest city, still has a small-town feel, hinting at the moniker’s oxymoronic nature.” These minor league team names might be the weirdest things when it comes to sports.
Whether the team names are super basic or really interesting they all have their different ways of becoming what they are, from fan votes all the way to being reflective of the owner. They are all very interesting names and have their own reason why they are.
