# Is Seals, as in Navy Seals, an acronym? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 14, 2011, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-seals-as-in-navy-seals-an-acronym/581856 "2011-05-14T00:34:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-seals-as-in-navy-seals-an-acronym/581856/1 "2011-05-14T00:34:57Z")
And if so, what’s it stand for? (Yes, you’ll be settling a bet!) Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![SmartAlecCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SmartAlecCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAlecCat)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-seals-as-in-navy-seals-an-acronym/581856/2 "2011-05-14T00:37:46Z")
> **[United States Navy SEALs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy_SEALs)** > > The United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the United States Navy's primary special operations force and a component of the United States Naval Special Warfare Command. Among the SEALs' main functions are conducting small-unit special operation missions in maritime, jungle, urban, arctic, mountainous, and desert environments. SEALs are typically ordered to capture or kill high-level targets, or to gather intelligence behind enemy lines. > SEAL tea... > [@](#): > > The United States Navy **Se** a, **A** ir and **L** and Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs > **[U.S. Navy Special Operations Careers | Navy.com](https://www.navy.com/careers-benefits/careers/special-operations)** > > While their missions are closely guarded secrets, it’s common knowledge that Navy Special Operations teams are the best in the world. Sailors in special warfare jobs are in the business of saving lives and keeping our country operationally safe. > [@](#): > > SEALs take their name from the environments in which they are trained to operate: sea, air and land. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-seals-as-in-navy-seals-an-acronym/581856/3 "2011-05-14T01:01:21Z")
Great post/username combo! ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-seals-as-in-navy-seals-an-acronym/581856/4 "2011-05-14T02:20:46Z")
Or **S** leep **E** at **A** nd **L** ift… ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-seals-as-in-navy-seals-an-acronym/581856/5 "2011-05-14T02:39:13Z")
Is Seals, as in Navy Seals, an acronym? As opposed to a nickname? ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-seals-as-in-navy-seals-an-acronym/581856/6 "2011-05-14T03:45:01Z")
Well, you might need to distinguish between navy SEALS and navy seals: [United States Navy Marine Mammal Program - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Navy_Marine_Mammal_Program) ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-seals-as-in-navy-seals-an-acronym/581856/7 "2011-05-14T07:12:37Z")
when referring to them, always spell it all-caps. they don’t like being called “seals.” ---
**Author:** ![BACI](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ce73a5/32.png) [@BACI](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BACI)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-seals-as-in-navy-seals-an-acronym/581856/8 "2011-05-14T07:18:04Z")
So, did you win the bet?? ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-seals-as-in-navy-seals-an-acronym/581856/9 "2011-05-14T11:29:37Z")
> [@SmartAlecCat](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > SEALs take their name from the environments in which they are trained to operate: sea, air and land. Unlike other Naval personnel, who have no competence whatsoever to operate in those environments. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-seals-as-in-navy-seals-an-acronym/581856/10 "2011-05-14T16:25:20Z")
> [@mac\_bolan00](#): > > when referring to them, always spell it all-caps. they don’t like being called “seals.” And you don’t want to piss off a Navy SEAL! ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-seals-as-in-navy-seals-an-acronym/581856/11 "2011-05-14T17:08:02Z")
I think it could be argued that SEAL is a [backronym](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backronym). It seems doubtful that someone thought of putting together sea-air-land and it just happened to spell out a stealthy aquatic mammal. It an then be argued that a backronym is not a type of acronym. (see _Differences from acronyms_ in the wiki article). ---
**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:** [May 14, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-seals-as-in-navy-seals-an-acronym/581856/12 "2011-05-14T17:29:14Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > I think it could be argued that SEAL is a [backronym](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backronym). It seems doubtful that someone thought of putting together sea-air-land and it just happened to spell out a stealthy aquatic mammal. It an then be argued that a backronym is not a type of acronym. (see _Differences from acronyms_ in the wiki article). Does anyone know for sure about this? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-seals-as-in-navy-seals-an-acronym/581856/13 "2011-05-14T18:06:12Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Unlike other Naval personnel, who have no competence whatsoever to operate in those environments. Certainly the vast majority of them have not had the degree of training that SEALS have had to operate in those environments. Is there some point to this post? ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-seals-as-in-navy-seals-an-acronym/581856/14 "2011-05-14T18:11:50Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > I think it could be argued that SEAL is a [backronym](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backronym). It seems doubtful that someone thought of putting together sea-air-land and it just happened to spell out a stealthy aquatic mammal. It an then be argued that a backronym is not a type of acronym. (see _Differences from acronyms_ in the wiki article). In other words, BACKRONYMS: **B** ackward **A** cronym **C** onceit **K** indly **R** egarded an **O** verdone **N** ame, **Y** et still **M** nemonically **S** timulating Oww. I think I broke something important inside my head on that one. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-seals-as-in-navy-seals-an-acronym/581856/15 "2011-05-15T01:43:05Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > I think it could be argued that SEAL is a [backronym](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backronym). SEALs were called SEALs the day they were officially formed. ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-seals-as-in-navy-seals-an-acronym/581856/16 "2011-05-15T02:10:00Z")
> [@](#): > > It seems doubtful that someone thought of putting together sea-air-land and it just happened to spell out a stealthy aquatic mammal. OK, from now on we’ll call 'em SAALs ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-seals-as-in-navy-seals-an-acronym/581856/17 "2011-05-15T02:16:23Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > SEALs were called SEALs the day they were officially formed. So? ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-seals-as-in-navy-seals-an-acronym/581856/18 "2011-05-15T02:44:51Z")
Actually I lost the bet. (Thanks for nothing you bastards!:D) I was sure it wasn’t because all the proposed meanings for the acronym sounded lame. Because they were all incorporating something for the ‘E’, and none were actually correct. Like this, ‘Select Elite…’, it just sounded too hokey to me. Of course, we’re all Canadian’s so we don’t have much exposure. I mean, we hear the word, of course, but it’s not like we know any Navy Seals. After hearing all the lame acronyms that were being tossed about, the aquatic animal just sounded more likely to me. Thanks for setting me straight. When I googled I got predominantly aquatic animals!:smack: ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-seals-as-in-navy-seals-an-acronym/581856/19 "2011-05-15T04:31:23Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Of course, we’re all Canadian’s so we don’t have much exposure. Maybe if you’d stopped clubbing them all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Oly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oly/32/8255_2.png) [@Oly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oly)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-seals-as-in-navy-seals-an-acronym/581856/20 "2011-05-16T13:05:29Z")
> [@SmartAlecCat](#): > > SEALs take their name from the environments in which they are trained to operate: sea, air and land. So outer space is off limits? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-seals-as-in-navy-seals-an-acronym/581856.md?page=2)