On Feb. 2 the previously known Washington Football Team announced their new name: Washington Commanders.
After two years, the NFL team based in Washington, D.C. has finally chosen a name. The franchise will take on the name Washington Commanders. Other name options included: Red Hogs, Defenders, Armada, Presidents, Brigade and the previous name the Washington Football Team. Their reason for picking the name was to honor the military and service and leadership that are in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia (DMV) area.
Before the selection, fans were asked to provide suggestions or identify which names they had liked. Most fans had suggested names such as the Red Wolves, Red Tails, Red Hogs and even keeping the Washington Football Team name. However, it seems like the franchise did not even consider the suggestions and went in a different direction.
Fans had mixed reviews about the new name. Some rival teams have already coined the nickname “Commies,” which is what people call communists. To make it worse, the team is in D.C. and the color has red in it, and I am not an overtly political person, but it does not look good. Yikes.
Furthermore, the name was joked about on Twitter. One Twitter user compared the Commanders to those fake football team names that are seen in movies because the movie could not get the rights to use them in the film.
When I first heard the news, the name sounded generic. It seems like the franchise did a google search for their new name because it lacks originality. It still sounds like a moniker (a name) just like the Washington Football Team, but at least that name flowed. It is hard to come up with a nickname that is positive for the Commanders. I understand the tribute to the military roots that are in Washington D.C. but any other name could have been chosen. For me, I kind of liked the name Washington Red Hogs.
By Shirell Washington
sawashington@vwu.edu
