Nickname

A nickname is a short, clever, cute, derogatory, or otherwise substitute name for a person or thing's real name (for example, Tom is short for Thomas). As a concept, it is distinct from both pseudonym and stage name, although there may be overlap in these concepts.

Sports clubs and their nicknames

Sporting clubs are often given nicknames. These may or may not be incorporated into official names or be used by the club. The names of animals or colours are popular. Examples:

Related Topics:
Sport - Club

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Football (soccer)

• Les Aigles de Carthage (Eagles of Carthage) - Tunisia national team
• Albicelestes (The White-and-Sky-Blues) - Argentina national team
• All Whites - New Zealand national team
• Asini Volanti (Flying Donkeys) - Chievo Verona
• Gli Azzurri (Blues) - Italy national team
• Bafana Bafana (The Boys) - South Africa national team
• The Baggies - West Bromwich Albion
• Bajen - Hammarby IF
• Bhoys, Hoops - Celtic
• I Bianconeri (The White-and-Blacks), La Vecchia Signora (The Old Lady) - Juventus
• The Black Cats - Sunderland
• Blåvitt (Blue-White), Änglarna (The Angels) - IFK Göteborg
• Les Bleus - France national team
• Canaries - Norwich City
• Canaris - Nantes
• Los Ches - Valencia
• Colchoneros (Mattress Makers) - Atlético Madrid
• Les Diables Rouges, Rode Duivels (Red Devils in French and Dutch) - Belgium national team
• The Dons - Aberdeen, AFC Wimbledon, MK Dons
• Les Éléphants - Côte d'Ivoire national team
• Geißböcke (Billy Goats) - FC Köln
• 'Gers - Rangers
• Gnaget - AIK
• The Gunners - Arsenal
• The Hoops - Shamrock Rovers
• Jambos, Jam Tarts - Hearts
• Järnkaminerna (The Iron Stoves) - Djurgårdens IF
• Les Lions de l'Atlas (Lions of Atlas) - Morocco national team
• Les Lions de la Téranga - Senegal national team
• Lions Indomptables (Indomitable Lions) - Cameroon national team
• Makrillarna (The Mackerels) - GAIS
• Magpies - Newcastle United
• Matildas - Australia women's national team
• Los Merengues (The Whites), Los Galácticos (The Galactics) - Real Madrid
• Oranje (Orange) - Netherlands national team
• Rams - Derby County
• Red Devils - Manchester United
• The Reds - Liverpool
• The Reggae Boyz - Jamaica national team
• Sky Blues - Coventry City
• Soccerroos - Australia national team
• Super Eagles - Nigeria national team
• Taeguk Warriors - South Korea national team
• Los Ticos - Costa Rica national team
• The Toffees - Everton
• Los Tricolores, El Tri - Mexico national team
• I Viola (The Purples) - Fiorentina
• United - Clubs named United often use their surname as a nickname.
• 'The Three Lions', 'St. George Cross' - England national team
• Panzer - Germany national team
• The Locomotive - Czech Republic national team
• The Dynamite - Denmark national team
• Wolves - Wolverhampton Wanderers

Rugby Union

• Baa-Baas - Barbarian F.C.
• All Blacks - New Zealand national team
• Les Bleus - France national team
• 'Ikale Tahi (Sea Eagles) - Tonga national team
• Leicester Tigers - Leicester Rugby Football Club
• Lelos - Georgia national team
• Manu Samoa - Samoa national team
• Los Pumas - Argentina national team
• Springboks - South Africa national team
• Wallabies - Australia national team

Baseball

• Arizona Diamondbacks - D-backs
• Atlanta Braves - Bravos, America's Team
• Baltimore Orioles - O's
• Boston Red Sox- BoSox; Carmines; New England Nine; Olde Towne Team
• Chicago Cubs - Cubbies; Loveable Losers; Scrubs; Dubs; Northsiders
• Chicago White Sox - ChiSox; "Da Sox"; Pale Hose; Southsiders
• Cincinnati Reds - Redlegs; nicknamed "The Big Red Machine" during the team's run in the 1970's, when they won the division 6 times and appeared in the World Series 4 times
• Cleveland Indians - The Tribe
• Florida Marlins - Fish; Fighting Fish; The Men of Teal
• Houston Astros - 'Stros
• Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - Halos; Seraphs
• Los Angeles Dodgers - Bums (from their Brooklyn days; usage in L.A. has faded with time)
• Milwaukee Brewers - Brew Crew; Brew-has
• Minnesota Twins - Twinkies
• New York Mets - nicknamed "The Loveable Losers" when they first started playing, the Kings of Queens; The Amazin' Mets
• New York Yankees - The Bronx Bombers; The Pinstripes
• Oakland Athletics - A's
• Pittsburgh Pirates - Bucs; Buc-o's
• Philadelphia Phillies - Fightin'; Phils; Philthies; Sillies
• St. Louis Cardinals - Cards; Redbirds
• San Diego Padres - Pods; Friars
• San Francisco Giants - Jints (rhymes with "pints")
• Tampa Bay Devil Rays - D-rays; Rays
• Washington Nationals- Nats

Basketball

• Gli Azzurri - Italy national team
• Les Bleus - France national team
• Cavs - Cleveland Cavaliers
• Knickerbockers - New York Knicks
• Mavs - Dallas Mavericks
• Sixers - Philadelphia 76ers
• Sonics - Seattle SuperSonics
• Tall Blacks - New Zealand national team

Cricket

• Black Caps - New Zealand national team
• Proteas - South Africa national team

American Football

• Atlanta Falcons - The Dirty Birds
• Chicago Bears - Da Bears; Monsters of the Midway
• Cleveland Browns - Dawgs (from the Dawg Pound, a famously rowdy bleacher section of the team's former home, Cleveland Stadium, since transferred to today's Cleveland Browns Stadium)
• Cincinnati Bengals - The Bungles (applied during the team's recent spell of poor play)
• Dallas Cowboys - America's Team
• Green Bay Packers - The Pack
• Jacksonville Jaguars - Jags
• Miami Dolphins - Fins
• Minnesota Vikings - Vikes; also "Vi-queens" when they are playing poorly (like this year)
• New England Patriots - Pats
• New Orleans Saints - Ain'ts (when playing poorly, which is quite common in their history)
• New York Giants - G-Men
• Pittsburgh Steelers - The Steel Curtain (in their glory years of the 1970s, has been resurrected due to their recent success)
• San Diego Chargers - Bolts (from the lightning bolt design on their helmets)
• San Francisco 49ers - 'Niners
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Bucs
• Washington Redskins - 'Skins

Canadian Football

• Calgary Stampeders - Stamps
• Edmonton Eskimos - Esks
• Hamilton Tiger-Cats - Ti-Cats
• Toronto Argonauts - Argos; Boatmen (team was founded by the Toronto Argonaut Rowing Club in 1873)
• Winnipeg Blue Bombers - Bombers

Hockey

• Mighty Ducks of Anaheim- Ducks
• Chicago Blackhawks - Hawks
• Colorado Avalanche- Avs
• Detroit Red Wings - Wings
• Edmonton Oilers - Billy's Boys (after William "Wild Bill" Hunter, founder of the World Hockey Association and the team's predecessor, the Alberta Oilers
• Montreal Canadiens- Habs (short for "Habitant", or Québecois farmer); Flying Frenchmen; Les Rouges (after the red colour of their jerseys)
• New York Rangers - the Blueshirts
• Philadelphia Flyers - nicknamed the "Broad Street Bullies" during the team's Stanley Cup runs during the 1970's (the Spectrum, the arena where the Flyers then played, is on Broad Street in South Philadelphia)
• Tampa Bay Lightning - the Bolts
• Toronto Maple Leafs - the Buds (nickname bestowed by sportswriters, probably based on the team's use of a leaf as a logo)

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