# 3-syllable team names: unacceptable? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 12, 2003, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-syllable-team-names-unacceptable/194699 "2003-08-12T18:40:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-syllable-team-names-unacceptable/194699/1 "2003-08-12T18:40:06Z")
Has anybody ever noticed that when a pro sports team has a 3-syllable name, that name gets abbreviated by the fans/sports media? I’ve come to the conclusion that the general public prefers just one- or two-syllable names. Some examples: **Major League Baseball** Mariners --\> M’s Athletics --\> A’s Orioles --\> O’s Indians --\> The Tribe (less common) Diamondbacks --\> D-Backs Devil Rays --\> D-Rays **National Football League** Forty-Niners --\> 'Niners Buccaneers --\> Bucs Cardinals --\> Cards Patriots --\> Pats **National Basketball Association** Timberwolves --\> T-Wolves Trailblazers - --\> Blazers Supersonics --\> Sonics etc. Any ideas as to the reasons behind this? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-syllable-team-names-unacceptable/194699/2 "2003-08-12T19:02:56Z")
I’ll agree, but I’ve never heard the Mariners called the M’s. ---
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-syllable-team-names-unacceptable/194699/3 "2003-08-12T19:10:43Z")
Well, the NHL has the Columbus BlueJackets. I have never heard of them being referred to in any shorthand way. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-syllable-team-names-unacceptable/194699/4 "2003-08-12T19:19:59Z")
“M’s” may be a regional thing - I live near Seattle, and the radio and TV announcers, as well as locals, use the abbreviation all the time. But I’ve heard it on ESPN, too. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-syllable-team-names-unacceptable/194699/5 "2003-08-12T19:32:02Z")
Nope, I’ve heard the Mariners referenced as the M’s. I do it sometimes. I think we just like to shorten things or make up nicknames. The Yankees are frequently referred to as Yanks (or variations on the theme), the Red Sox or White Sox are called just the Sox, the nickname for the Cubs (the Cubbies) is longer than their name, the Orioles are called the O’s or the Birds, the Astros were nicknamed the 'Stros by some retard (that has to be the lamest nickname for a team ever), the Mets are sometimes referred to as the Amazin’s, the Phillies are just the Phils, the Angels are the Halos, etc. We just like making up nicknames. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-syllable-team-names-unacceptable/194699/6 "2003-08-12T19:34:24Z")
The Eagles are the Iggles. [sub]What?\*\* ---
**Author:** ![troub](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troub/32/14802_2.png) [@troub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troub)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-syllable-team-names-unacceptable/194699/7 "2003-08-12T19:54:02Z")
I’d have to agree with **Neurotik**. . .people just like nicknames. The baseball Cardinals are also called the Cards, or “The Redbirds” (also three syllables), but not usually any more often than they are referred to as the Cardinals (of course, this 3-syllable word itself often ends up shortened to Card’nals, 2 syllables, but nevermind that 🙂 ). ---
**Author:** ![Orange\_Skinner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3be4f8/32.png) [@Orange\_Skinner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orange_Skinner)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-syllable-team-names-unacceptable/194699/8 "2003-08-12T19:58:48Z")
I’ve never heard the Cleveland Indians called anything but the Indiands…or the 49er’s, for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![Orange\_Skinner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3be4f8/32.png) [@Orange\_Skinner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orange_Skinner)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-syllable-team-names-unacceptable/194699/9 "2003-08-12T20:00:38Z")
Nevermind, the niners…you said that in the OP. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-syllable-team-names-unacceptable/194699/10 "2003-08-12T20:01:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mullinator \* > \*\*Well, the NHL has the Columbus BlueJackets. I have never heard of them being referred to in any shorthand way. \*\* That’s because calling the the B.J.s could be… er… misinterpreted. ---
**Author:** ![Orange\_Skinner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3be4f8/32.png) [@Orange\_Skinner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orange_Skinner)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-syllable-team-names-unacceptable/194699/11 "2003-08-12T20:02:15Z")
_And_ the Tribe! Gah. I’m going back to bed. ---
**Author:** ![verbenabeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c4cdca/32.png) [@verbenabeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/verbenabeast)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-syllable-team-names-unacceptable/194699/12 "2003-08-12T20:06:30Z")
the Mets are referred to as the “amazin’” Mets, true enough… most people don’t even know their REAL name is the “Metropolitans”… the shortened name became so popular NOBODY uses the real name… then they made up a nickname to make the short name LONGER… Crazy world we live in… ---
**Author:** ![Orange\_Skinner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3be4f8/32.png) [@Orange\_Skinner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orange_Skinner)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-syllable-team-names-unacceptable/194699/13 "2003-08-12T20:07:19Z")
Ooh, wait (if this one magically appears in the thread after I’ve posted it after being certain it wasn’t there, I’m going to scream really loudly) there’s the 76ers, shortened to the 6ers. ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Frank\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank_2)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-syllable-team-names-unacceptable/194699/14 "2003-08-12T20:11:10Z")
The Pittsburgh Pirates are also called the Bucs. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-syllable-team-names-unacceptable/194699/15 "2003-08-12T20:19:55Z")
Shorter names makes the sports headline writers’ jobs easier. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-syllable-team-names-unacceptable/194699/16 "2003-08-12T20:21:43Z")
Actually, I think the original name of the Mets was something like “The New York Metropolitan Baseball Club” ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-syllable-team-names-unacceptable/194699/17 "2003-08-13T02:34:12Z")
I’d guess that one-syllable or two-syllable team names make for a more rythmic cheer-chant, as in, “Let’s go, \_\_\_\_!”