Best athlete names

[UrinalCake]

I’m suffering through the interminable wait until basketball season, which is made all the worse by the CHeat’s football team actually being good and me having to hear about it from all my coworkers. So here’s my distraction to help cure my case of the Mondays. The following image has been circulating lately as one of the best/coolest athlete names:

9767

So that got me thinking, what are your favorite athlete names? I’m particularly amused by names that are appropriate for the sport or position that the athlete plays. I can think of:

Tim Duncan
Ryan Longwell (field goal kicker)
Hope Solo (women’s soccer goalie who also ostracized herself from the team)
Usain Bolt (come on, that’s just perfect)
Darrell Catchings (a former college wide receiver, I only know about him because of his name)

What else ya got?

[jwillfan]

Always makes me think of this sketch which still cracks me up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gODZzSOelss

Lately local sports journalist Lauren Brownlow has been tweeting out top 10 names for a couple of games. I'll see if I can find a couple. UNC FB has a player named Storm Duck!

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Always makes me think of this sketch which still cracks me up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gODZzSOelss

Lately local sports journalist Lauren Brownlow has been tweeting out top 10 names for a couple of games. I'll see if I can find a couple. UNC FB has a player named Storm Duck!

Clicked here to link this video. It's great.

[freshmanjs]

Rollie Fingers

[devildeac]

Darren Rumble-former NHL player.

[TKG]

Dallas Cowboys WR - Gallup.

[jwillfan]

This is the only one I can find. I swear I read a NCSU-ECU one that was funnier/better.

UNC-SC from week 1:

https://twitter.com/lebrownlow/status/1167896235384000514

1. Storm Duck
2. Dazz Newsome
3. Rico Dowdle
4. Toe Groves
5. Kingsley Enagbare
6. Randrecous Davis
7. Jamyest Williams
8. Tavien Feaster
9. Jace Ruder
10. Mon Denson

[AGDukesky]

God Shammgod

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

God Shammgod
No. Just, no.

Adding... Tiger Woods.

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

And with football season back, how about Ha Ha Clinton Dix!?!

[mr. synellinden]

Going back years before Key & Peele.

https://youtu.be/BerJdS2VJhA

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Football player Wesley Mallard who played for the Oregon Ducks.

[devildeac]

Larry Playfair-another former NHL player

[Nrrrrvous]

OK, no offense, but nothing beats the Headline from Oct 31, 2005 when Arkansas coach Houston Nutt changed quarterbacks to play South Carolina...

NUTT PULLS JOHNSON, ELEVATES DICK AGAINST COCKS

Not kidding, Robert Johnson was not doing well so they decided to play untested freshman Casey Dick against South Carolina...

I mean, will that ever be topped?

[andyw715]

Trickle, Dick.

[UrinalCake]

Thought I’d throw this one in for good measure.

9768

[JasonEvans]

I always thought Bogdan Bogdanovic felt like a totally made up name. Like John Johnson.

And then there is the Achiuwa family of Nigeria. Precious Achiuwa is a big time recruit for Memphis who will likely be headed to the NBA after one season playing for Penny. But, his brother God'sgift Achiuwa played for St John's a few years ago. The other Achiuwa siblings are Grace, Peace, God'swill, and Promise.

[luvdahops]

I'll offer up the St. Brown brothers, all of whom are/were D-1 wide receivers

Equanimeous (Notre Dame/Packers)
Osiris (Stanford)
Amon-Ra (Southern Cal)

Father John is also a former Mr. Universe

[robed deity]

Came to post about about Storm Duck but see he's already been mentioned a lot. Came across his name on the Deadspin yearly name tournament, and for me, it doesn't get any better.

Though he did get edged out in that tournament by Jizyah Shorts (not an athlete, but just...wow) and Pope Thrower.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Trickle, Dick.

Game, set match....or wait, maybe that's WORST athlete names.....

[wilson]

1. D'Brickashaw Ferguson
























Everyone else.

[DevilHorse]

The appropriately named... Josh Outman

the no-joke former MLB pitcher.
First saw him in AA at the Trenton Thunder.
Worked his way up.
Pitched in the bigs for a few years.

Larry
DevilHorse

[jimsumner]

Seems like we've done this before.

But Duke once beat Pitt because Chris Blewitt missed a short field goal.

The famous 1966 Texas Western basketball team had a player named Willie Cager.

But Bronko Nagurski is not only the best sports name ever it might be the best NAME ever.

[Duke79UNLV77]

Brothers Majestic and Scientific Mapp.

[nmduke2001]

No. Just, no.

Adding... Tiger Woods.

Can you imagine if a dude named Tiger Woods was your accountant? No you can't, because a grown A$* man should not go by "Tiger".

[curtis325]

Wonderful Terrific Monds Jr--49ers

Wonderful Terrific Monds III--Durham Bulls

[MCFinARL]

Brothers Majestic and Scientific Mapp.

You beat me to it--I always loved these two.

Another favorite is I-Perfection Harris, a Georgia Tech football recruit who ended up doing better in track and field. According to this Bleacher Report source (https://bleacherreport.com/articles/48593-whats-in-a-name-the-top-10-names-in-sports), I-Perfection was shortened from Immaculate Perfection, and his brother was named Supreme Justice Harris, but I haven't independently verified that info.

[jimsumner]

Can you imagine if a dude named Tiger Woods was your accountant? No you can't, because a grown A$* man should not go by "Tiger".

Would you like it better if your accountant was named Eldrick?

[duke4ever19]

D'Brickashaw Ferguson

Jack Youngblood

Colt McCoy


You cannot name your child 'Colt McCoy' and expect him to become anything other than a football player.

[budwom]

Cannot believe we let Virginia Tech sign Divine Deablo...how could he not be destined for Duke? (don't pester me about the spelling of Deablo, blame his mom and dad for that)...

[flyingdutchdevil]

...Tum Tum Nairn is still my favorite. I just can't stop laughing at "Tum Tum".

[Gooch]

I always loved Exree Hipp!

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/exree-hipp-1.html

[Reddevil]

I always liked Dexter Bussey.

Of course if you grew up with the name Dick Butkis in the south side of Chicago, you might grow up to be a baaaaad man.

[UrinalCake]

I always loved Exree Hipp!

I remember him, played for Maryland and I believe went on to be a Globetrotter. I always thought that after he got up in years he should change his name to “Hip X-ray.”

[Edouble]

Coco Crisp

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Michael William Krzyzewski

[UrinalCake]

Was just flipping through CBS’s Candid Coaches series, which is excellent as always, and discovered that Oregon State has a player named Tres Tinkle. I’m not sure if that means he has to pee a lot or he has to pee three times, but either way, yikes!

[BLPOG]

This thread needs a link to the nominative determinism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nominative_determinism) wiki page.

[elvis14]

Ebby Calvin Laloosh

You need a nick name, honey!

[75Crazie]

No mention yet of Tyrone Shoelaces?

[sagegrouse]

Ebby Calvin Laloosh

You need a nick name, honey!

Crash Davis was, as many of you know, a Duke athlete -- captain of the baseball team and a guy who started in the majors and later played in the minors. In between he was the baseball coach at Harvard.

[richmclean]

Fly Williams as in "Fly is open, let's go Peay!"

[Truth&Justise]

Former Stestson and Alabama State center--and member of the Navajo Nation--Chief Kickingstallionsims (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Kickingstallionsims).

I'd also point out that every March, Deadspin releases a bracket of the best names of the year, (https://deadspin.com/presenting-the-2019-name-of-the-year-bracket-1833570554) culminating in an annual champion. The only rule is people can't appear in more than one year, so check out past year's brackets for some truly unbelievable names. And here's a list of past winners (http://www.nameoftheyear.com/2007/02/names-of-year.html).

[sagegrouse]

Van Lingle Mungo, Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher from 1931 to 1941. Four-time all-star And.... he has a song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKzobTlF8fM).

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Sonny Sixkiller.....(apologies if someone had that one earlier...didn't see it scanning)

[WillJ]

I always liked I.M. Hipp (Nebraska running back)

[throatybeard]

Came to post about about Storm Duck but see he's already been mentioned a lot. Came across his name on the Deadspin yearly name tournament, and for me, it doesn't get any better.

It does get better. In the 1990s, California (Berkeley) played a guard named Randy Duck.

[burnspbesq]

It does get better. In the 1990s, California (Berkeley) played a guard named Randy Duck.

Duke men’s lacrosse has had a couple this decade: Deemer Class, Raines Shamburger. There are some Iroquois players who make the All-Name Team, notably Tehoka Nanticoke.

John Stones, who had them when he was an Everton player but lost them when he went to Man City.

[Spanarkel]

Van Lingle Mungo, Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher from 1931 to 1941. Four-time all-star And... he has a song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKzobTlF8fM).


And a heartwarming post-retirement legacy:

Mungo returned to his hometown of Pageland, South Carolina after retiring in 1945, and lived there until his death in 1985. He purchased and operated a movie house called the Ball Theatre, and had a balcony built to accommodate people of color, who had previously been denied access to the facility.[9]

[MCFinARL]

D'Brickashaw Ferguson

Jack Youngblood

Colt McCoy


You cannot name your child 'Colt McCoy' and expect him to become anything other than a football player.

Well, rodeo rider maybe.


...Tum Tum Nairn is still my favorite. I just can't stop laughing at "Tum Tum".

But his real name--Lourawls Nairn Jr.--is even better. Bet he wakes up every morning singing "you'll never find another name like mine."

[tteettimes]

All everything

Dick Groat

[jjredickrules]

For me, this Syracuse team had the best named roster I've seen.

https://cuse.com/roster.aspx?roster=243&path=mbasket

Highlights:
Scoop Jardine
Fab Melo
Rakeem Christmas

That same year, St. John's had God'sgift and Sir'Dominic visit Duke. Good year for names.

[tteettimes]

Carowhiner had Dick crum

[4Gen]

The Kentucky kicker missed a 35 yard field goal to upset number #9 Florida.

His name?

Chance Poore

[4Gen]

Carowhiner had Dick crum
Unlike Dick Trickle, Dick Crum cannot be cured.

[UrinalCake]

The Kentucky kicker missed a 35 yard field goal to upset number #9 Florida.

His name?

Chance Poore

The Chicago Bears just signed a kicker named Blewitt. Sometimes the jokes just write themselves.

[bullettoothtony]

Dick Butkus

Tris Speaker

Dizzy and Daffy Dean

Danger Fourpence (soccer)

Pele

Fabian Assman (soccer)

Yinka Dare

Majestic Mapp

Y.A. Tittle

Chief Kickingstallionsims

Picabo Street

World B. Free

Misty Hyman

Usain Bolt

[TheOldBattleship]

Loved this list of MLB player names (https://twitter.com/GrantBrisbee/status/1172713146810695685) throughout history falling between Simon Pond and Sol Carter when sorted alphabetically. Just some fantastic names throughout. I'm a particularly big fan of Skel Roach, Slick Castleman, Snake Deal, and Snuffy Stirnweiss, but there's just something subtle but awesome about Skip Pitlock.

[NEBlueDevil]

I always liked I.M. Hipp (Nebraska running back)

Tommy Armstrong (QB)
Nate Swift (WR)

[Spanarkel]

Dick Butkus

Tris Speaker

Dizzy and Daffy Dean

Danger Fourpence (soccer)

Pele

Fabian Assman (soccer)

Yinka Dare

Majestic Mapp

Y.A. Tittle

Chief Kickingstallionsims

Picabo Street

World B. Free

Misty Hyman

Usain Bolt


Great list! (though I admit not really getting what is amusing about Tris Speaker's name). Thanks!

[fidel]

Tyler Hanstravel.

[UrinalCake]

Tyler Hanstravel.

I always thought Antoine Walker was an appropriate name for the same reason.

[bullettoothtony]

Great list! (though I admit not really getting what is amusing about Tris Speaker's name). Thanks!


Not amusing, I just love that name!

[dukelifer]

Tate Armstrong
Chamique Holdsclaw
Yogi Berra

[throatybeard]

Unlike Dick Trickle, Dick Crum cannot be cured.

I have a lot of respect that guy. He had too much integrity for his employer.

[mr. synellinden]

I have a new contender. Finnish sensation Kaapo Kakko, who scored his first goal for the Rangers today.

[burnspbesq]

My alma mater had one a few years ago: Shayne Gostisbehere, MOP of the 2014 Frozen Four. Not sure anyone has ever had a better game in a NCAA final; Union beat Minnesota, 7-4, and Ghost Bear was plus-seven.

[tteettimes]

From waaaaay back....BRONCO NAGURSKI

[sagegrouse]

I have a new contender. Finnish sensation Kaapo Kakko, who scored his first goal for the Rangers today.

Have we mentioned Ole the Goalie for the Caps?

[martydoesntfoul]

In August 2016 at a Web.com tournament, these three golfers played together in the same grouping: Jhared Hack, Adam Schenk and Ryan Yip.

[bundabergdevil]

In August 2016 at a Web.com tournament, these three golfers played together in the same grouping: Jhared Hack, Adam Schenk and Ryan Yip.

I had to look this up because I thought you were having a laugh. Turns out these dudes are real...maybe golf stage names?

[martydoesntfoul]

I had to look this up because I thought you were having a laugh. Turns out these dudes are real...maybe golf stage names?LOL... glad you made the effort to confirm!! If they were going with stage names, might Birdie, Eagle and Albatross have been a little more optimistic?

[BD80]

LOL... glad you made the effort to confirm!! If they were going with stage names, might Birdie, Eagle and Albatross have been a little more optimistic?

My middle name is Forput.

[Spanarkel]

Bumper Pool, Univ. of Arkansas sophomore linebacker.

[BD80]

Bumper Pool, Univ. of Arkansas sophomore linebacker.

Sounds like the genes ran true from his paternal grandfather, Shallow.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Sounds like the genes ran true from his paternal grandfather, Shallow.

Didn't he also have a cousin named Bill Yards?

[BD80]

Didn't he also have a cousin named Bill Yards?

Take a cue from me, they're likely to table that discussion if it goes off the rails.

[wavedukefan70s]

We have a freshman qb hes going to be good also on our varsity thats got a catchy name.
Zolten Osborne .

[Indoor66]

Didn't he also have a cousin named Bill Yards?

And another named Whirl.

[BD80]

And another named Whirl.

But he's a persauna non grata in that family. He's high maintenance, always gets overheated and likes to stir things up! He's a bit on the shallow side too.

[Green Wave Dukie]

Didn't he also have a cousin named Bill Yards?

Come on Crazy, give me a break.

[CamrnCrz1974]

I am going with Vashti Cunningham, the high jumper who is the daughter of retired NFL quarterback Randall Cunningham. She won the bronze medal in high jump at the 2019 World Championships.

In biblical history, Vashti was the Queen of Persia and the first wife of Persian King Ahasuerus in the Book of Esther. At his banquet, the king insisted she appear naked in front of all of his guests, wearing nothing but her crown. She refused to do so, and she was banished as a result. Vashti is viewed as an independent-minded heroine and a feminist icon in many feminist interpretations of the Purim story.

[KShip21]

I didn't read through all posts, but ex Terp Exree Hipp was always a good one.

https://www.legendsofbasketball.com/alumni/hipp-exree/