Most Overused Nicknames in Sports

[Swiss]

Devils.

It's not very used as a nickname's team in the States but it's widely used by soccer teams around the world. UGGGH.

And I support an Argentinean soccer team called Independiente... yes, they called it as the Red Devils.

[Needschat]

Due to falling enrollment in 1992 the district, the Schenectady City school board merged two long time rival high schools - Linton Blue Devils and Mont Pleasant Red Raiders - into Schenectady High School. The colors were red, white, and blue; combination of the blue and white from Linton, red and white from Mont Pleasant.

Schenectady has had a great and diverse history, included in this that the city was the original home for General Electric. Also housed in the city was American Locomotive. The Erie Canal passed through the city. The Mohawk River passes the south of it. But, in infinite wisdom, a student poll - or so says some news reports - chose....

Patriots.

UGH, bypassed were obvious Generals, Electrics, Americans, Locos/Locomotives...plus Express, Steamers, Steam Wrights, Canalsiders, BargeRiders, etc.

[Brian in Boston]

Nicknames currently being used by high school and prep school athletic programs in Massachusetts:

Aardvarks - 1

Anchormen - 1

Arrows - 1

Bears - 5

Beavers - 3

Bengals - 2

Bernardians - 1

Big Blue - 2

Big Green - 1

Bishops - 2

Blackhawks - 1

Black Knights - 1

Blue & Blue - 1

Blue Devils - 7

Blue Knights - 2

Blue Raiders - 2

Bombardiers - 1

Bombers - 1

Boxers - 1

Braves - 1

Brownies - 1

Buccaneers - 1

Bulldogs - 11

Canalmen - 1

Cardinals - 4

Chameleons - 1

Chargers - 2

Chieftans - 3

Clippers - 3

Clockers - 1

Colonels - 1

Colonials - 2

Colts - 1

Cougars - 9

Craftsmen - 1

Crimson Tide - 1

Crusaders - 8

Cybercats - 1

Dolphins - 1

Dragons - 3

Ducks - 1

Eagles - 14

Jets - 1

Falcons - 9

Fighting Hornets - 1

Fighting Rams - 1

Fighting Saints - 1

Fishermen - 2

Flyers - 1

Foxes - 1

Gaels - 2

Gators - 2

Generals - 2

Golden Eagles - 1

Golden Hawks - 1

Golden Knights - 1

Golden Warriors - 1

Governors - 1

Green Dragons - 1

Green Wave - 3

Grey Ghosts - 1

Griffins - 1

Gryphons - 1

Guardians - 1

Harbormen - 1

Hawks - 5

Highlanders - 3

Hillies - 1

Hillers - 1

Hilltoppers - 2

Hoggers - 1

Hokies - 1

Hornets - 3

Hurricanes - 3

Indians - 9

Knights - 4

Lakers - 2

Lancers - 5

Lions - 7

Magicians - 1

Marauders - 2

Mariners - 1

M-Cats - 1

Middies - 1

Millionaires - 1

Minutemen - 2

Mohawks - 1

Mountaineers - 1

Mounties - 1

Mustangs - 9

Naps - 1

Orioles - 1

Pacers - 1

Panthers - 18

Patriots - 4

Penguins - 1

Phoenix - 1

Pioneers - 4

Pirates - 2

Polar Bears - 1

Presidents - 1

Purple Knights - 1

Raiders - 6

Rams - 10

Rangers - 2

Rebels - 2

Red & Blue - 1

Red Devils - 2

Red Hawks - 1

Redmen - 1

Red Raiders - 7

Red Rocketeers - 1

Redwings - 1

Reggies - 1

Rockets - 3

Rough Riders - 1

Royals - 1

Sachems - 4

Sailors - 1

Saints - 1

Sammies / Suzies - 1

Scarlet Hawks - 1

Seahawks - 1

Seawolves - 1

Senators - 1

Shamrocks - 1

Skippers - 1

Spartans - 7

Spy Ponders - 1

Stags - 1

Storm - 1

Tanner Bulls - 1

Tanners - 1

Terriers - 2

Tigers - 14

Titans - 3

Tomahawks - 1

Townies - 1

Trojans - 2

Unicorns - 1

Vikings - 8

Vineyarders - 1

Wamps - 1

Warriors - 17

Whalers - 2

Wildcats - 13

Witches - 1

Wolfpack - 1

Wolverines - 2

Woolies - 1

Zebras - 1

[patsox]

You're missing a few of the ones I posted including the Middleboro Sachems, the Pembroke Titans, the Hingham Harbormen, the Hull Pirates, and the Norwell Clippers.

[Brian in Boston]

You're missing a few of the ones I posted including the Middleboro Sachems, the Pembroke Titans, the Hingham Harbormen, the Hull Pirates, and the Norwell Clippers.

Patience. There are over 400 high school/prep school athletic programs in Massachusetts. Simply because I hadn't yet posted the nicknames of some of the schools that represent towns surrounding yours didn't mean that it wasn't my intention to do so.

[musicandball]

I know of a school close to where I live named the Torrance Tartars. Thats pretty unique I'd say.

A heck of alot more unique than my schools name: The Redondo Union Seahawks. (We are also called R. U. High. No joke.)

One time, some students of ours, ten years ago, went to our rival's school (the Mira Costa Mustangs) during Costa Week. (the week that we play them in almost every sport, particularly the football game) some of our students went to the school and spray-painted "Redodo Rules!" I kid you not, we wrote "Redodo Rules" instead of "Redondo Rules." Man, since then they constantly remind us of it hahah. It's rather funny actually lol

[patsox]

You're missing a few of the ones I posted including the Middleboro Sachems, the Pembroke Titans, the Hingham Harbormen, the Hull Pirates, and the Norwell Clippers.

Patience. There are over 400 high school/prep school athletic programs in Massachusetts. Simply because I hadn't yet posted the nicknames of some of the schools that represent towns surrounding yours didn't mean that it wasn't my intention to do so.

I was just trying to help you out. I obviously realize there are plenty of high schools and prep schools with athletic programs in Massachusetts, which is why I mentioned those schools in my post.

[afarough]

Please tell me that the school named the Anchormen in Mass. use Ron Burgundy as a mascot.

[schtee]

My high school in Manhattan had a unique name, the Stuyvesant High Peglegs, named for the one-legged Dutch governor of New Amsterdam, Peter Stuyvesant.

[Still MIGHTY]

I'm only going to do South Orange County (because honestly there is a big difference between South/North OC), because if I did North OC too, this list would be ginormous. There are a ton of schools packed in small area of North OC.

South Orange County, CA

Laguna Hills Hawks (My high school)

Mission Viejo Diablos

El Toro Chargers

Trabuco Hills Mustangs

Aliso Niguel Wolverines

Dana Hills Dolphins

Capistrano Valley Cougars

San Clemente Tritons

San Juan Hills Stallions

Tesoro Titans

J-Serra Lions

Irvine Vaqueros

Northwood Timberwolves

University Trojans

Woodbridge Warriors

Beckman Patriots

Laguna Beach Breakers (used to be the Artists)

Corona del Mar Sea Kings

Newport Harbor Sailors

Estancia Eagles

Costa Mesa Mustangs

Santa Margarita Eagles

St. Margaret's Tartans

Only two names are used more than once. Mustangs twice and Eagles twice. There are a couple different horse types and of course the Spanish pronunciation of some mascots leads to different variations here and throughout So Cal. (i.e. Cowboys, Vaqueros, Gauchos)

[spyboy1]

Rapidly rising up the most OVERUSED, (remember, the actual topic of this thread, not "what names are used by high schools in my area") list is ______ Hawks.

RiverHawks. RedHawks. SkyHawks. IceHawks. Most of these have recently been put into service as schools have changed away from Native American names. It seems anytime a new name is needed they just slap some silly thing onto the front of Hawks and call it a day.

Meanwhile, back to your tangent...

[BBTV]

Downingtown (now Downingtown-West) Whippets FTW.

Current helmet, courtesy of PA Helmet Project:

Most overused nicknames are definitely Wildcats and Cougars (unfortunatley, when my alma-mater split, the half that couldn't keep Whippets decided on Cougars. Ugh.)

Most overused mark has to be the paw print. It's the most unoriginal cop out possible when coming up with a logo. Pawprints look cute when painted on little girls faces - not on actual gear.

[Brian in Boston]

Nicknames currently being used by high school and prep school athletic programs in Rhode Island:

Avengers - 1

Bengals - 1

Blue Wave - 1

Broncos - 1

Bulldogs - 1

Cavaliers - 1

Chargers - 1

Chieftains - 1

Clippers - 1

Cougars - 1

Crusaders - 1

Dragons - 1

Eagles - 1

Falcons - 2

Hawks - 1

Hurricanes - 1

Huskies - 1

Islanders - 1

Kilties - 1

Knights - 2

Koalas - 1

Lions - 1

Lynx - 1

Mariners - 2

Mounties - 1

Naval Rams - 1

Northmen - 1

Oakers - 1

Panthers - 1

Patriots - 3

Purple - 1

Quakers - 1

Raiders - 1

Rams - 1

Ravens - 1

Rebels - 1

Saints - 2

Scarlet Knights - 1

Sentinels - 1

Skippers - 1

Spartans - 1

Thunderbolts - 1

Tigers - 3

Titans - 1

Townies - 1

Vikings - 1

Villa Novans - 1

Warriors - 3

Wizards - 1

[CAB]

Speaking of unique names, I was at a basketball tournament at Nebraska Wesleyan U this weekend, and their mascot is the Prairie Wolves. Not sure what it is, but I kinda like the logo-

[BlueSky]

Love how this morphed into an unusual names thread, which was inevitable since all the overused names were mentioned in the first page or two. My 2 cents on the thread topic, have to agree with Wildcats, Lions, Tigers, Eagles, and so on. Speaking of Eagles and Tigers, if Auburn was going to insist on two nicknames, couldn't they have at least picked one unique one?

I've lived many places and have seen a few unusual nicknames. For instance, my daughters went to Lewisville (Tx) High, home of the Fighting Farmers.

Had we stayed in Florida, they would have been Tarpon Springs Spongers (named for the sponge-diving industry there):

Wow, never knew this until I did some Googling for this post...guess my girls were just destined to wear maroon in high school...

Spongers

Farmers (they also have a mono set)

I'm sure one of you stadium enthusiasts can identify where this was taken. Hint: It's the high school playoffs. IIRC those are the Lamar Vikings and Lewisville lost on a last-second 52-yard FG. I thought, "No way a HS kid is hitting this." He did.

My high school was the Buccaneers, and for a while they had what I would argue were some of the best looking helmets ever at any level (thanks to MG Helmets for this excellent rendering):

A couple of years after I started to school there, some milquetoast on the school board made them change the helmets because black was "not an official school color." Please. So they went to a silver helmet with 'Bucs' in script. Horrible. At least they're better now (thanks again to MG Helmets for the visual):

[tBBP]

Love how this morphed into an unusual names thread, which was inevitable since all the overused names were mentioned in the first page or two...

It was inevitable because...well, it just was!

But...since we're now discussing unusual nicknames, I know of one I can about bet you'll probably never hear of again unless the University of Delaware decides to adopt it:

The Fightin' Hens.

Ask Troy Aikman about that one.

[afarough]

Well if it is most unique, I would go with the Detroit Pershing Doughboys

[BlueSky]

Well if it is most unique, I would go with the Detroit Pershing Doughboys

That's indeed a good one, but cue Lee Corso: "Not so fast, my friend..."

From a 2006 article on the top 5 nicknames in Georgia high school sports:

1. Cairo Syrupmakers/Syrupmaids

The town of Cairo named their high school athletic teams after the product their town was famous for?syrup. In 1986, ESPN ranked ?Syrupmakers? as the No. 1 high school sports nickname in the nation. Adding to the distinctiveness of the school?s moniker, Cairo?s girls teams are called the Syrupmaids.

2. Johnson (Savannah) Atom Smashers

Johnson High School opened its doors in 1960, shortly after the atom smasher (or particle accelerator) was discovered. The school also had ties to Savannah State University?s science department and decided that "Atom Smasher" was an appropriate nickname for a school with a focus on the sciences. Playing off of this dynamic name, the school?s basketball gym is called the ?Reaction Chamber? and the football helmet features a picture of an atom.

3. Clarkston Angoras

An ?angora? is a type of long-haired goat. Early citizens of Clarkston were said to own a large number of angora goats, which led to the town being nicknamed ?Goatsville? and then the more prestigious ?Angora Heights.? The high school chose this rare nickname to honor the town's reputation.

4. Glynn Academy Red Terrors

Tracing its beginnings to 1788, Glynn Academy (located in Brunswick) is the second oldest high school in the state. The school can trace its nickname to a band of Scottish Highlanders who defended the coastal region from the Spanish. The Highlanders wore bright red uniforms and came to be known as ?Red Terrors.?

5. Warren County Screaming Devils

If you wanted to make a list of sinister mascots, the Screaming Devils definitely would top the list. And if this nickname isn?t enough to scare the pants off of visiting teams, the eastern Georgia school plays in a stadium called Death Valley.

If these schools still existed, they might have made the list?

Honorable Mentions: Commercial Typists, Lanier Poets, Ocilla Orphans, Sandersville Satans.

[OnWis97]

Here are (according to the source linked, I guess) the most use US high school nicknames. In quiz form:

http://www.sporcle.com/games/hs_teamnicknames.php

[BrySmalls]

I went to high school in Valhalla, NY and our nickname was the Vikings.

Fittingly enough.