# 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:** 20
**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 27, 2021, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/382 "2021-07-27T22:54:41Z")
I admit that Kraken is pretty damn cool, though some of its lustre has worn off after what’s-her-face was using it as a political metaphor in the election bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thegunismightierthanthepen/32/2981_2.png) [@TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheGunIsMightierThanThePen)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/383 "2021-07-27T23:32:21Z")
On the other hand, it does make a pretty catchy rallying cry for the fans. _Release the Kraken!!!_ ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/384 "2021-07-28T00:36:47Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > It could refer to something that doesn’t even exist in the city the team is currently in (Utah Jazz First off, Utah is a state. Second, [there does appear to be a Jazz scene in Salt Lake City](https://www.visitutah.com/articles/how-to-hear-live-jazz-every-night-week-salt-lake). ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/385 "2021-07-28T00:38:46Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > A lot of baseball team nicknames are dumb, to be honest. PHILLIES, for God’s sake. Padres. No one would use “Dodgers” now; we’re just used to it, that’s all. Cubs? Come on. Nationals is a ridiculous name. “Mets” aren’t even a thing. Athletics. Guardians is no worse than any of those and better than a lot of them. I worked for a year with a woman who did not realize that the A’s and the Athletics are the very same team. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/386 "2021-07-28T00:42:02Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > Plus that whole “Guardians of the Galaxy” business is popular these days. I can understand why they went that way. They’re looking for the US Space Force sponsorship? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/387 "2021-07-28T00:52:10Z")
As someone mentioned above, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is in Cleveland. The team could’ve gone with _The Cleveland Fame_. ---
**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 28, 2021, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/388 "2021-07-28T00:53:20Z")
OK, the Chicken Nuggets is officially the best name ever for a Little League team. ---
**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 28, 2021, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/389 "2021-07-28T00:56:03Z")
I have to agree. That’s so darn _cute_! ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/390 "2021-07-28T14:46:43Z")
Well, I think you get my point. If I gave you infinite tries to guess the team name of the NBA team in Salt Lake City, Utah, how many tries would it take you to get “Jazz”? 500? ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/391 "2021-07-28T14:56:08Z")
Or that the team in perpetually drought-stricken LA was called the Lakers? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/392 "2021-07-28T15:02:12Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > Great names: Blue Jackets, Pelicans. I don’t recall “Blue Jackets” being a highly popular choice at the time. There was sentiment for calling the hockey team the “Mad Cows”. The uniform looked, well, interesting when the minor league Columbus Chill briefly adopted it. [![](http://www.columbuschill.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Mad-Cows-5.jpg) ](http://www.columbuschill.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Mad-Cows-5.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/393 "2021-07-28T15:06:19Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > Well, I think you get my point. If I gave you infinite tries to guess the team name of the NBA team in Salt Lake City, Utah, how many tries would it take you to get “Jazz”? 500? 50,000 is a low guess. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/394 "2021-07-28T15:15:41Z")
If you were told they were originally based in New Orleans, and (stupidly) didn’t change their name when they moved, how many guesses would it take? ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/395 "2021-07-28T15:20:55Z")
Well, yeah, sure — same with Minneapolis Lakers. As you implied, we’re mocking their decisions to KEEP their names. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/396 "2021-07-28T15:27:58Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > As you implied, we’re mocking their decisions to KEEP their names. Thankfully, _most_ teams which have had names that made reference to their city/region, and then moved, have changed their names, otherwise we would now be blessed with: - Kansas City Texans (Chiefs) - Tennessee Oilers (Titans\*) - Minnesota Senators (Twins) - Texas Senators (Rangers) - Milwaukee Pilots (Brewers) - Washington Expos (Nationals) - Colorado Nordiques (Avalanche) - Carolina Whalers (Hurricanes) - New Jersey Rockies (Devils) \*- They did actually play as the Tennessee Oilers for two years ---
**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 28, 2021, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/397 "2021-07-28T15:30:52Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Thankfully, _most_ teams which have had names that made reference to their city/region, and then moved, have changed their names, otherwise we would now be blessed with: Oklahoma City Supersonics ---
**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 28, 2021, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/398 "2021-07-28T15:42:41Z")
Baltimore Brewers (Orioles) This is fun! Any more out there? ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/399 "2021-07-28T15:44:12Z")
Cool list. Milwaukee Pilots wouldn’t be so bad, given the proximity (110 miles?) to Oshkosh, the biggest gathering of air pilots each year (the EAA event). And, arguably, Minnesota has had some memorable senators… ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/400 "2021-07-28T15:46:02Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Baltimore Brewers (Orioles) > > This is fun! Any more out there? Speaking of Baltimore - Baltimore Browns (Ravens - yes they were told by the NFL to leave the Browns behind, but they would have changed it anyways I’m sure) ---
**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 28, 2021, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323/401 "2021-07-28T15:51:33Z")
Technically, the Ravens started their franchise history in 1996 in Baltimore. They didn’t leave the name behind in Cleveland, they left the franchise history. The current Cleveland Browns are the original Cleveland Browns with a 3 year hiatus. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323.md?page=19) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-considering-a-name-change-edit-its-guardians/914323.md?page=21)