# Cleveland Indians considering a name change \[Edit: It's "Guardians"\] **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [July 4, 2020, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323 "2020-07-04T20:53:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/242 "2021-07-23T16:22:21Z")
I’m not sure what that means – that MLB teams choose boring names? Yep, sure do. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/243 "2021-07-23T16:22:26Z")
No love for the Cleveland Steamers? ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/244 "2021-07-23T16:26:08Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I’m not sure what that means I think it means “It could be worse” ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/245 "2021-07-23T16:27:46Z")
_shrug_ It could always be worse. They could have gone for the historical Cleveland Infants, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/246 "2021-07-23T16:40:08Z")
It’s better than Indians, but not one tenth as good as Spiders. A mystifying fumble. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/247 "2021-07-23T16:46:15Z")
> [@ShadowFacts](#): > > I think it means “It could be worse” We’ve gotten used to the Mets, A’s (Athletics) and Reds. I think we can handle Guardians. I don’t love it, but it’s acceptable. Spiders sounds like a XFL team. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/248 "2021-07-23T16:51:52Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Spiders sounds like a XFL team. I personally think Spiders is pretty cool and certainly very different than other team names, which is probably why it did not win out. This is a game that drowns itself in tradition, and I can imagine the core Cleveland audience will probably prefer Guardians. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/249 "2021-07-23T16:55:21Z")
> [@ShadowFacts](#): > > I personally think Spiders is pretty cool and certainly very different than other team names, which is probably why it did not win out. Yeah, I’m not a fan of the _Seattle Kraken_ either. (The name. I have no opinion on the team) ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/250 "2021-07-23T16:56:51Z")
Their previous “C” logo wasn’t all that different: [![](https://gray-woio-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/6C0rBVbggbXb6GV9OQ0T_Y8PqMY=/1200x675/smart/filters:quality(85)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/SXBLUTDCLRGS3JEQV4X4UJFO2Y.jpg) ](https://gray-woio-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/6C0rBVbggbXb6GV9OQ0T_Y8PqMY=/1200x675/smart/filters:quality(85)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/SXBLUTDCLRGS3JEQV4X4UJFO2Y.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/251 "2021-07-23T16:59:27Z")
> [@ShadowFacts](#): > > This is a game that drowns itself in tradition, and I can imagine the core Cleveland audience will probably prefer Guardians. Most of the folks I’ve talked to liked Spiders better. But they could have done much worse. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/252 "2021-07-23T17:06:38Z")
> [@ShadowFacts](#): > > I can only speculate, but I imagine the fact that “Guardians” is syllabically similar to “Indians” may have been a factor as well. That is, it rolls off the tongue in an identical way to the old name. And think of the money they’ll save by not having to paint over the last five letters on various pieces of signage. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/253 "2021-07-23T17:10:26Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Their previous “C” logo wasn’t all that different > > [https://gray-woio-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/6C0rBVbggbXb6GV9OQ0T\_Y8PqMY=/1200x675/smart/filters:quality(85)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/SXBLUTDCLRGS3JEQV4X4UJFO2Y.jpg](https://gray-woio-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/6C0rBVbggbXb6GV9OQ0T_Y8PqMY=/1200x675/smart/filters:quality(85)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/SXBLUTDCLRGS3JEQV4X4UJFO2Y.jpg) Exactly. They’re not ripping off the Cubs (different shade of blue, for example), they’re maintaining continuity with their history. I suppose _the Guardians_ is no worse than _the Nationals_ or _Expos_ or _Metropolitans_, but I’m another one disappointed they didn’t go back to _the Spiders_. And what’s the hypocoristic form of _Guardians_? The Indians were “the Tribe”, the Braves are “the Bravos”, the Cardinals are “the Cards”. Will they be “the Guards”? Think my native city missed an opportunity, here. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/254 "2020-12-14T02:21:49Z")
> **[Cleveland Indians to change team name franchise has used for more than a century](https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/cleveland-indians-to-change-team-name-franchise-has-used-for-more-than-a-century/)** > > The team will keep the Indians nickname for the 2021 season, however Ideas/guesses as to the new name? ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/255 "2020-12-14T02:23:00Z")
I hope it’s the Spiders. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/256 "2020-12-14T02:23:15Z")
The Rocks. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/257 "2020-12-14T02:23:15Z")
Previous thread. > [@Cleveland Indians considering a name change \[Edit: It's "Guardians"\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change/914323): > > Seems to be a new story: Good. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/258 "2020-12-14T02:37:25Z")
> [@Chingon](#): > > I hope it’s the Spiders. That’s my vote as well. Although they could do what Washington did and go with Cleveland Baseball Team. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/259 "2020-12-14T02:52:47Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > That’s my vote as well. Although they could do what Washington did and go with Cleveland Baseball Team. That’s just a temporary placeholder for Washington until they come up with a new name. There’s no reason for Cleveland to do that at this point. Indians, while problematic, isn’t as blatantly offensive as Redskins. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/260 "2020-12-14T02:54:11Z")
Last news item I saw on the subject said that Washington was considering keeping the “temporary” name. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/261 "2020-12-14T02:57:17Z")
I’ve seen that they may keep in through the 2021 season, but I haven’t seen anyone suggest they’ll keep the current name permanently. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323.md?page=14)