Many sports teams are named for an ethnic group or similar category of people. Though these names typically refer to a group native to the area in which the sports team is based, many teams take their names from groups which are known for their strength (such as Spartans or Vikings), despite not being located near the historic homes of these groups.
Professional teams edit
American edit
- Allen Americans (ECHL) – Allen, Texas, USA
- Houston Texans (National Football League) – Houston, Texas, USA
- New York Knicks (NBA), the name "Knick" is a shortened version of the word "Knickerbocker", a term which comes from a pseudonym used by Washington Irving in his book, A History of New York. The term was used to refer to the descendants of the original Dutch settlers of New York. Later, by extension, the term was used to describe New Yorkers in general.
- New York Yankees (Major League Baseball) – New York City, New York, USA
- Rochester Americans (American Hockey League) – Rochester, New York, USA
- Tri-City Americans (Western Hockey League) – Kennewick, Washington, USA
Bavarians edit
Boers edit
- Indios del Bóer ("Indians of the Boer") (Baseball) - Managua, Nicaragua
Canadian edit
Canadians in general edit
French Canadians edit
- Les Canadiennes de Montréal (Canadian Women's Hockey League) – Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Montreal Canadiens (National Hockey League) – Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Celtic/Irish edit
- Boston Celtics (NBA) – Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Celta de Vigo – Galician football team whose name reflects Celtic people.
- Celtic FC – Scottish football team whose name reflects Celtic people, both Scottish and Irish.
- Hibernian FC – Scottish football club reflecting Irish origins.
- London Irish (Premiership Rugby) – Brentford, Greater London, England
Cornish edit
Cossacks edit
- Vinnytski Haidamaky (Ukrainian Hockey Championship) – Vinnytsia, Ukraine
- Kozakken Boys (Tweede Divisie) — Werkendam, Netherlands
Egyptian edit
- Al Masry SC – Port Said, Egypt
- Egypt national football team The Pharaohs – Alexandria and Cairo, Egypt
Indian edit
Indigenous peoples edit
Italian edit
- Brooklyn Italians – U.S. Football (soccer) team based in Brooklyn, New York
- Audax Italiano – Chilean Football club based in La Florida
Maccabees edit
Poles edit
- Polonia Warsaw – Polish Football (soccer) team, founded when Poland was not an independent country
Roslagen edit
- Rospiggarna (Allsvenskan)
Saxons edit
- The England Saxons, the country's second men's rugby union XV, formerly known as England A
Scots/Highlanders edit
- Edmonton Scottish (AMSL) – Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Highlanders, a team based in Otago, New Zealand, named for the Scottish population of the area.
- London Scottish F.C. (RFU Championship) – Richmond, London, England
- Victoria Highlanders (USL League Two) – Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Spaniards edit
- Deportivo Español, Parque Avellaneda, Argentina
- RCD Espanyol, Barcelona
- Real Club España, Mexico City
- San Diego Padres (MLB), San Diego, California, USA
- Unión Española, Independencia, Chile
Alavese edit
- Deportivo Alavés, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
Asturians edit
Viking edit
- Canberra Raiders (NRL) – Canberra, Australia – viking logo
- Canberra Vikings (NRC) – Canberra, Australia
- Minnesota Vikings (NFL) – Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Viking FK (Eliteserien) – Stavanger, Norway
- Víkingur (Úrvalsdeild) – Reykjavík, Iceland
School and youth teams edit
Arabs edit
- Coachella Valley High School, Coachella, California, USA. The nickname has been changed to "Mighty Arabs" and the cartoonish "Arab" mascot and logo have been retired.[1]
Athenians edit
- Mount St. Mary's University, Los Angeles, California
Britons edit
Cajuns edit
Celtics edit
Dutchmen edit
- Hope College, Holland, Michigan – Flying Dutchmen
- Union College, Schenectady, New York
- Edgerton High School, Edgerton, Minnesota – Flying Dutchmen
Gaels edit
- Bishop Gorman High School, Las Vegas
- Iona College, New Rochelle, New York
- Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario
- Saint Mary's College, Moraga, California
Irish edit
Indigenous peoples edit
Norse edit
Quakers edit
Samurai edit
Saxons edit
Scots/Highlanders edit
- Alma College, Alma, Michigan – Scots
- Carlmont High School, Belmont, California – Scots
- College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio – Fighting Scots
- Covenant College, Lookout Mountain, Georgia – Scots
- Edinboro University, Edinboro, Pennsylvania • Heathwood Hall Episcopal school, Columbia, South Carolina – highlanders
- Gordon College, Boston, Massachusetts – Fighting Scots
- Incline High School, Incline Village, Nevada - Highlanders
- Lyon College, Batesville, Arkansas – Scots
- Macalester College, Saint Paul, Minnesota – Fighting Scots
- McHenry County College, McHenry County, Illinois – Scots
- MacMurray College, Jacksonville, Illinois – mascot is the Highlander
- Maryville College, Maryville, Tennessee – Scots
- Monmouth College, Monmouth, Illinois – Fighting Scots
- New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey
- Ohio Valley University, Vienna, West Virginia – Fighting Scots
- Presbyterian College, Clinton, South Carolina – Nickname is Blue Hose, mascot is Scotty the Scotsman
- Radford University, Radford, Virginia
- Rochester Adams High School, Rochester Hills, Michigan - Highlanders
- Shadle Park High School, Spokane, Washington – Highlanders (Based on the Henderson Clan)
- University of California, Riverside, California
Spartans edit
Swedes edit
- Bethany College, Lindsborg, Kansas – Terrible Swedes
Tartars edit
- El Camino College Compton Center, Compton, California
- Compton High School, Compton, California – In reference to the college, the high school is the "tarbabes".
Trojans edit
- University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, Arkansas
- Troy University, Troy, Alabama
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
Vandals edit
Vikings edit
- Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois
- Augustana University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, Minnesota
- Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio
- Downey High School, Downey, California
- Homewood-Flossmoor High School, Flossmoor, Illinois
- Lynbrook High School, San Jose, California
- Miamisburg High School, Miamisburg, Ohio
- Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, Kentucky – Nickname is Norse; mascot is Victor E. Viking.
- Portland State University, Portland, Oregon
- Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington
Defunct names edit
- Atlanta Black Crackers – (Negro league baseball team)
- C.D. Euzkadi (los vascos, "the Basques") - Mexican football team (1938-1939)
- Cleveland Indians - (Major League Baseball team), Cleveland, Ohio, now the Guardians
- Cincinnati Cubans – (Negro league baseball team)
- Edmonton Eskimos – (Canadian Football League) – Edmonton, Alberta. Name use discontinued in 2020. Team rebranded as Edmonton Elks in 2021 after interim period as "EE Football Team."
- Hermosillo Seris
- Hofstra Flying Dutchmen, now the "Pride"
- Nebraska Wesleyan Plainsmen, today the "Prairie Wolves"
- New York Americans – (National Hockey League, 1925–1941)
- New York Black Yankees – (Negro league baseball team)
- New York Cubans – (Negro league baseball team)
- Pekin High School (Pekin, Illinois) Chinks, now the "Dragons"
- Quebec Nordiques – (WHA 1972–1979, NHL 1979–1995)
- San Antonio Black Indians – (Negro league baseball team)
- Sonoma State University Cossacks, now the Seawolves
- Washington Redskins (National Football League) – Washington, D.C., USA, now the Commanders
- Wayne State Tartars, now the Warriors.
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Philip J. Victor; Nadeem Muaddi (September 12, 2014). "California high school drops controversial Arab mascot". Al Jazeera.