Association football club names
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Association Football club names are a part of the sport's culture, reflecting century-old traditions. Club names may reflect the geographical, cultural, religious or political affiliations – or simply be the brand name of a club's primary sponsor. Because of the British origin of the modern game and the prevalence of the English language, many clubs, even outside Europe, have their names written in English.
Official names often also contain common component (prepositions, conjunctions, etc.)
In Europe, many (if not most) clubs are named after their towns or cities (e.g. "Deportivo La Coruña", "Liverpool F.C.", "Hamburger SV"). In South America, clubs are more likely to have names that don't bear the city's name. Some clubs, like Hansa Rostock or Torpedo Moscow may have both.
Common versus official usage
It is not uncommon for a club to be known in common usage by a name other than its official name, or the name on the badge.
Other clubs are more usually known by nicknames or contractions of their full names, for instance, Vasco da Gama is usually called simply "Vasco", F.C. Internazionale Milano is contracted to Inter or Inter Milan, Sporting Clube de Portugal is often called Sporting or Sporting Lisbon. Manchester United is often shortened to Man Utd, and Lyon used instead of Olympique Lyonnais.
Some clubs are commonly referred to by their initials, such as QPR, for Queens Park Rangers.
Profession/education
Profession
Topic | Meaning | Country | Clubs |
---|---|---|---|
Armed forces | For sport clubs affiliated with the armed forces of a country. See also sports societies section. | Botswana | Botswana Defence Force XI |
Hungary | Budapest Honvéd FC | ||
Pakistan | Pakistan Army | ||
Philippines | Air Force | ||
Romania | FC Steaua București | ||
Suriname | SNL | ||
Arsenal | Factories creating weapons | Argentina | Arsenal de Sarandí |
England | Arsenal | ||
Russia | FC Arsenal Tula | ||
Suriname | SV Arsenal | ||
Ukraine | FC Arsenal Kyiv | ||
United States | Detroit Arsenal | ||
Beer | Eritrea | Asmara Brewery | |
Peru | Sporting Cristal | ||
Ukraine | FC Obolon Kyiv | ||
Copper | Cobre is Spanish for copper, after association with copper mining | Chile | Club de Deportes Cobreloa, Club de Deportes Cobresal |
Peru | Cobresol F.B.C. | ||
Poland | Miedź Legnica | ||
Company name | Club names containing the name of a company. These clubs were either founded as works teams by a company for its employees (e.g. PSV), bought by a company (e.g. the three Red Bull teams), or incorporate a corporate sponsor's name (e.g. Technogroup) | Austria | FC Red Bull Salzburg |
Egypt | Arab Contractors | ||
England | Vauxhall Motors, Thames Ironworks (defunct) | ||
France | Evian Thonon Gaillard | ||
Germany | Bayer 04 Leverkusen | ||
Greece | Skoda Xanthi | ||
India | Air India | ||
Japan | Honda Motor | ||
South Korea | Ulsan Hyundai, Suwon Samsung Bluewings | ||
Mexico | Cruz Azul | ||
Netherlands | Philips Sport Vereniging | ||
Poland | Elana Toruń, KSZO Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, Stilon Gorzów, Stomil Olsztyn | ||
Russia | Lada Togliatti | ||
Suriname | SV Leo Victor | ||
United States | New York Red Bulls, Bethlehem Steel F.C. (defunct) | ||
Wales | Airbus UK | ||
Electrical | Bargh: Persian for Electricity | Ecuador | Emelec |
France | Gazélec Ajaccio | ||
Germany | 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam | ||
Iran | Bargh Shiraz F.C. | ||
United States | Houston Dynamo | ||
Metallurgy | Foolad, Zob Ahan, and Mes: Persian for Steel, Steelworks, and Copper. Vasas: "Vas- és Fémmunkások" Hungarian for "Iron and Steel Workers", Stålkameratene Norwegian for "Steel Comrades" | ||
Hungary | Vasas SC | ||
Iran | Foolad F.C. | ||
Norway | IL Stålkameratene, Staal Jørpeland IL | ||
Poland | Stal Mielec, Stal Rzeszów, Stal Sanok, Stal Stalowa Wola | ||
Russia | Metallurg Lipetsk | ||
South Korea | Pohang Steelers | ||
Ukraine | Metalurh Donetsk, Stal Alchevsk | ||
Mining | GKS: Polish for miner sport clubs Górnik: Polish for miner Zagłębie: Polish for coalfield Minero: Spanish for miner Colliery: Coal mine Shakhtar: Ukrainian for miner |
Belarus | Shakhtyor Salihorsk |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Rudar Ugljevik | ||
England | Atherton Collieries | ||
Kazakhstan | Shakhter Karagandy | ||
Montenegro | Rudar Pljevlja | ||
Peru | Unión Minas | ||
Poland | Górnik Konin, Górnik Łęczna, Górnik Polkowice, Górnik Radlin, Górnik Wałbrzych, Górnik Wieliczka, Górnik Zabrze GKS Bełchatów, GKS Jastrzębie, GKS Piast Gliwice, GKS Katowice, GKS Victoria Jaworzno, GKS Tychy Zagłębie Sosnowiec, Zagłębie Lubin, Zagłębie Wałbrzych | ||
Slovenia | Rudar Velenje | ||
Ukraine | Shakhtar Donetsk | ||
Venezuela | Atlético Club Mineros de Guayana | ||
Navy | Malavan: Persian for Sailor Flota: Polish for Fleet |
Iran | Malavan F.C. |
Philippines | Philippine Navy | ||
Poland | Flota Świnoujście | ||
Thailand | Navy FC | ||
Petroleum | Naft: Persian for Petrol | Angola | Atlético Petróleos Luanda |
Mexico | Salamanca F.C. | ||
Bolivia | Oriente Petrolero | ||
Colombia | Alianza Petrolera | ||
Ecuador | Esmeraldas Petrolero | ||
Egypt | Enppi | ||
Iran | Sanat Naft F.C. | ||
Russia | FC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk, FC Oktan Perm | ||
Ukraine | Naftovyk-Ukrnafta Okhtyrka | ||
Police | For football clubs affiliated with a police force.
El Shorta: Arabic for police. |
Argentina | Atlético Policial |
Botswana | Police XI | ||
Cambodia | Military Police | ||
China | Vanguard Hubei Police Academy | ||
Ecuador | Escuela Superior de Policía (ESPOLI) | ||
Egypt | Ittihad El Shorta | ||
England | Metropolitan Police | ||
India | Punjab Police | ||
Iraq | Al-Shorta | ||
Nepal | Nepal Police Club | ||
Poland | Gwardia Koszalin, Gwardia Warszawa | ||
Suriname | PVV, PSV | ||
Thailand | Police United | ||
Singapore | Home United | ||
Railroad workers | Rah Ahan (|Persian), Al Sekka Al Hadid: Arabic for railway, Ferro Carril (Spanish), for Railroad. Ferroviário (Portuguese) for Railroad. The "CFR" in CFR Cluj is Căile Ferate Române, the Romanian state railway system. Vasutas means "railroad worker" in Hungarian, Kigwancha means "locomotive" in Korean, Demir means "iron" in Turkish. KKS (Polish) for railway sport clubs. | Argentina | Ferro Carril Oeste, Central Córdoba de Rosario, Central Córdoba de Santiago del Estero, Instituto Atlético Central Córdoba, Club Atlético Talleres (Córdoba) |
Brazil | Ferroviário Atlético Clube | ||
Bosnia and Herzegovina | FK Željezničar Sarajevo | ||
Bulgaria | Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa, Lokomotiv Plovdiv, Lokomotiv Sofia | ||
Croatia | NK Lokomotiva | ||
Egypt | Al Sekka Al Hadid | ||
England | Harrogate Railway Athletic | ||
Germany | 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig | ||
Hungary | Debreceni Vasutas Sport Klub | ||
Scotland | Inverurie Loco Works F.C. | ||
Iran | Rah Ahan F.C. | ||
Moldova | Locomotiva Bălți | ||
Mozambique | Clube Ferroviário da Beira | ||
Poland | KKS Lech Poznań | ||
Romania | CFR Cluj | ||
Russia | FC Lokomotiv Moscow, FC Lokomotiv Liski | ||
Turkey | Adana Demirspor | ||
Shipbuilding | England | Cammell Laird 1907 F.C. | |
Scotland | Burntisland Shipyard F.C. | ||
South Korea | Ulsan Mipo Dockyard | ||
Textile | Nassaji: Persian for Textile Industry | Argentina | Textil Mandiyú |
Croatia | NK Varteks Varaždin | ||
Egypt | Ghazl El-Mehalla | ||
India | JCT FC (Jagatjit Cotton and Textile Football Club) | ||
Mozambique | Grupo Desportivo da Companhia Têxtil do Punguè | ||
Russia | FC Tekstilshchik Ivanovo | ||
Tractor manufacturing | Belarus | FC Traktar Minsk | |
Iran | Teraktor Sazi F.C. | ||
Russia | Rotor Volgograd | ||
Uzbekistan | FK Traktor Tashkent |
Education
NB: Soccer teams associated with colleges and universities in the United States and Canada are not listed here. These clubs are not independent of the school, and are divisions within a much larger school sports program. The one main exception to this rule is the men's team owned by Brigham Young University, which participates in the semi-professional USL Premier Development League instead of the NCAA.
Topic | Meaning | Country | Clubs |
---|---|---|---|
Academic | Affiliation with academics. See also Estudiantes, University, Polytechnic. | Bulgaria | Akademik Sofia |
Denmark | Akademisk Boldklub | ||
Moldova | FC Academia Chișinău | ||
Portugal | Académica de Coimbra | ||
Russia | Sportakademklub Moscow | ||
Scotland | Hamilton Academical FC | ||
Old Boys | Named by and as a reference to ex-pupils of a school | Argentina | Newell's Old Boys |
Switzerland | BSC Old Boys | ||
Polytechnic | Affiliation with a polytechnical institution. See also Academical, Estudiantes, University, Technical College. | Moldova | FC Politehnica Chișinău |
Romania | FC Politehnica Iași | ||
Students | Affiliation with students. See also Academical, Polytechnic, University. | Argentina | Estudiantes de La Plata |
Peru | Estudiantes de Medicina | ||
Mexico | Estudiantes Tecos | ||
Romania | Sportul Studențesc | ||
University | Affiliation with universities. See also Academical, Estudiantes, Polytechnic. | ||
Argentina | Juventud Unida Universitario, Club Universitario de Córdoba, | ||
Bolivia | Universitario de Sucre | ||
Chile | Universidad Católica, Universidad de Chile, Universidad de Concepción | ||
Ecuador | LDU Quito | ||
Ireland | University College Dublin A.F.C. | ||
Mexico | Estudiantes Tecos, Universidad Nacional | ||
New Zealand | University-Mount Wellington | ||
Peru | Universitario de Deportes | ||
Romania | FC Universitatea Craiova, Universitatea Cluj |
Days and dates
Topic | Meaning | Country | Clubs |
---|---|---|---|
Days of the week | Clubs named after a specific day of the week | England | Sheffield Wednesday |
Wales | Abergavenny Thursdays | ||
Independence Day | Clubs named after the day of independence of the country or city | Argentina | Nueve de Julio, Nueve de Julio de Morteros, Nueve de Julio de Río Tercero (9 July) |
International Workers' Day | Angola | Estrela Clube Primeiro de Maio | |
Portugal | Associação Naval 1º de Maio | ||
Year of establishment | Club names containing a reference to the year in which the club was established (clubs are listed in chronological order by country). The Enfield, Łęczna and Northwich clubs are breakaway clubs formed by supporters, and take their names from the foundation years of Enfield, Górnik Łęczna, and Northwich Victoria respectively. Similarly, the Darlington 1883 and F.C. Argeș 1953 identities stem from the year that now-defunct predecessor clubs Darlington F.C. and FC Argeș Pitești were constituted. FC Dordrecht has previously been named Drechtsteden'79 (DS'79) and Dordrecht'90 in their history. |
Australia | Sydney United 58 FC |
Austria | First Vienna FC 1894, FC Dornbirn 1913 Salzburger AK 1914, SC-ESV Parndorf 1919 | ||
Belgium | Eendracht Aalst 2002 | ||
Bosnia and Herzegovina | SFK 2000 | ||
Canada | Vancouver 86ers | ||
Denmark | B.93, B.1903, B.1908, B.1909, B.1913 | ||
England | 1874 Northwich, Darlington 1883, Enfield 1893, Cammell Laird 1907, The 61 | ||
Finland | PK-35 | ||
Germany | 1860 München, SV Darmstadt 98, Hannover 96, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Schalke 04, BVB 09 | ||
Gibraltar | Manchester 62 | ||
Greece | Olympiacos Volou 1937 | ||
Italy | A.C. Fanfulla 1874, Ascoli Picchio F.C. 1898, Bologna F.C. 1909, A.C. Reggiana 1919, F.C. Bolzano 1996 | ||
Mauritius | AS Port-Louis 2000 | ||
Netherlands | Be Quick 1887, Fortuna '54, AZ '67, FC Dordrecht | ||
Norway | Sarpsborg 08 FF | ||
Poland | TS Koszarawa 1910 Żywiec, KKS Włókniarz 1925 Kalisz, KS ROW 1964 Rybnik, GKS Górnik 1979 Łęczna (defunct) | ||
Republic of Ireland | Limerick 37 | ||
Romania | F.C. Argeș 1953, ASA 1962 Târgu Mureș (defunct), FC Vaslui 2002, SC Corvinul 2005 Hunedoara (defunct), ASA 2013 Târgu Mureș | ||
Russia | FC Krasnodar-2000 (dissolved), Zvezda 2005 Perm | ||
Scotland | Gretna F.C. 2008 | ||
South Korea | Bucheon FC 1995 | ||
Switzerland | FC St. Gallen 1879, FC Basel 1893, FC Thun 1898, FC Wil 1900 | ||
Year of city founding | Clubs named after the year of city establishment. | United States | Legacy 76, Madison 56ers, Reno 1868 FC |
Specific origins of club
Topic | Meaning | Country | Clubs |
---|---|---|---|
Great Chicago Fire | Officially founded on 8 October 1997, the 126th anniversary of this pivotal event in the history of Chicago. | USA | Chicago Fire |
Heart of Midlothian | Named for a dance hall, itself named for a novel by Walter Scott and a reference to the city of Edinburgh, located in the centre of Midlothian county | Scotland | Heart of Midlothian |
Homeless | Nomads, Rovers, Wanderers. Excursionistas translates roughly as "The Voyagers". Originally a team without a home ground | Argentina | Excursionistas |
Australia | Western Sydney Wanderers FC | ||
Chile | Santiago Wanderers | ||
England | Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Bristol Rovers, Doncaster Rovers, Northern Nomads, Wanderers, Wolverhampton Wanderers | ||
Malta | Sliema Wanderers | ||
Philippines | Manila Nomads | ||
Republic of Ireland | Bray Wanderers, Shamrock Rovers, Sligo Rovers | ||
Scotland | Albion Rovers, Dundee Wanderers, Raith Rovers | ||
Uruguay | Montevideo Wanderers | ||
Ittihad | Arabic for "the union", meaning the merger of clubs or clubs founders | Egypt | Al Ittihad Al Sakandary, Ittihad El Shorta |
Libya | Al-Ittihad (Tripoli) | ||
Saudi Arabia | Al-Ittihad (Jeddah) | ||
Mohun Bagan | The club was named after the palace, Mohun Bagan Villa, that was the site of the club's first ground | India | Mohun Bagan |
Park Avenue | The club originally played at the Park Avenue ground | England | Bradford Park Avenue |
Rangers (Glasgow) | The club founder saw the name Rangers in a Rugby annual | Scotland | Rangers |
Sounders | From Puget Sound, on whose eastern shore the city of Seattle lies. | United States | Seattle Sounders (NASL), Seattle Sounders (USL), Seattle Sounders FC, Seattle Sounders Women |
United | Often (but not always) refers to the result of a merger. | Argentina | Unión de Santa Fe, Unión de Mar del Plata, Unión de Sunchales |
Australia | Gold Coast United, Adelaide United, Newcastle United Jets | ||
Belgium | KVSK United | ||
England | Leeds United, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Sheffield United, West Ham United, and many more | ||
Finland | Tampere United | ||
India | NorthEast United FC, Tezpur United F.C., Rangdajied United F.C., United S.C. | ||
Jamaica | Montego Bay United F.C., Portmore United F.C., Rivoli United F.C. | ||
Japan | JEF United Ichihara Chiba | ||
Republic of Ireland | Galway United, Drogheda United, Waterford United | ||
New Zealand | Hawke's Bay United | ||
Scotland | Ayr United, Dundee United | ||
South Korea | Incheon United, Seoul United | ||
Sweden | AFC United | ||
Thailand | Buriram United, Muangthong United, Bangkok United, Chiangrai United, and many more | ||
United States | D.C. United, Atlanta United FC, Minnesota United FC |
Ethnic, social, national or religious background
Geographical features
Celestial bodies
Topic | Meaning | Country | Clubs |
---|---|---|---|
Cosmos | Australia | Canberra Cosmos FC (defunct) | |
USA | New York Cosmos | ||
Galaxy | Named the "Galaxy" because Los Angeles is considered home of the "stars" of the American entertainment industry | USA | LA Galaxy |
Planet | Russia | FC Saturn Ramenskoye | |
Star | Astra is the Latin name for star, Asteras is the Greek name for star | France | Red Star F.C. |
Greece | Ethnikos Asteras F.C., Asteras Tripoli F.C., Agrotikos Asteras F.C., Kyanos Asteras Vari F.C., Asteras Amaliada F.C., Nafpaktiakos Asteras F.C., Asteras Magoula F.C., Neos Asteras Rethymno F.C., Asteras Exarchia | ||
Poland | Astra Krotoszyn | ||
Romania | Astra Ploieşti | ||
Serbia | Red Star Belgrade | ||
Sweden | IK Sirius | ||
Switzerland | FC Blue Stars Zürich |
Specific geographical features
Plants
Topic | Meaning | Country | Clubs |
---|---|---|---|
Oak | Ghana | Hearts of Oak | |
Pine | Australia | Frankston Pines | |
Finland | FC Honka | ||
Rose | The Portland Thorns name and logo intentionally reference its city's official nickname, "City of Roses".[1][2] | Australia | Adamstown Rosebuds |
Scotland | Linlithgow Rose F.C., Montrose Roselea F.C. | ||
Shamrock | Symbol of Ireland. | Ireland | Shamrock Rovers |
United States | Boston Shamrock Rovers, South Carolina Shamrocks, St. Louis Shamrocks (all defunct) | ||
Thistle | National symbol of Scotland | Scotland | Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Partick Thistle |
United States | Cleveland Thistles (defunct) | ||
Timber | Generic term for wood | United States | Portland Timbers (as well as past teams of the same name) |
Elements, chemicals, gems and stones
Topic | Meaning | Country | Clubs |
---|---|---|---|
Diamond | USA | Denver Diamonds | |
Japan | Urawa Red Diamonds | ||
Gold | USA | FC Gold Pride | |
Platinum | Zimbabwe | FC Platinum | |
South Africa | Platinum Stars | ||
Ruby | Russia | FC Rubin Kazan | |
Synthonia | Contraction of "synthetic ammonia", a type of fertiliser. | England | Billingham Synthonia F.C. |
Real or mythical creatures
Real or mythical people
Sport
Sports societies
Topic | Meaning | Country | Clubs |
---|---|---|---|
Beitar | The Betar movement, associated with Revisionist Zionism | Israel | Beitar Jerusalem F.C., Beitar Tel Aviv F.C. |
Rapid | Rapid means fast (Latin). | Austria | SK Rapid Wien |
CSKA | CSKA means Central Army Sports Club in most Slavic languages. CWKS is the Polish equivalent, and CSCA is the Romanian/Moldovan equivalent. Indicates that the team was originally part of the army. | Bulgaria | CSKA Sofia |
Poland | CWKS Legia Warszawa | ||
Romania | CSCA Bucureşti | ||
Russia | PFC CSKA Moscow | ||
Ukraine | CSKA Kyiv | ||
Dynamo | Majority are Eastern European teams, indicates that the team was originally part of the Soviet Dynamo sport society or an equivalent such as Sportvereinigung Dynamo. | Albania | KS Dinamo Tirana |
Belarus | Dinamo Minsk, Dinamo Brest | ||
Croatia | Dinamo Zagreb | ||
Estonia | Dünamo Tallinn | ||
Georgia | Dinamo Batumi, Dinamo Tbilisi | ||
Germany | Berliner FC Dynamo, SG Dynamo Dresden | ||
Latvia | FK Dinamo-Rīnuži/LASD | ||
Moldova | FC Dinamo Bender | ||
Romania | Dinamo Bucharest | ||
Russia | Dynamo Moscow, Dynamo Bryansk | ||
Ukraine | Dynamo Kyiv, Dinamo Luhansk | ||
Uzbekistan | Dinamo Samarqand | ||
Hapoel | Hebrew for The Worker, an Israeli sport association, with links to trade unionism | Israel | Hapoel Acre, Hapoel Ashkelon, Hapoel Asi Gilboa, Hapoel Balfouria, Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Hapoel Haifa, Hapoel Ironi Rishon LeZion, Hapoel Jerusalem, Hapoel Petah Tikva, Hapoel Ra'anana, Hapoel Ramat Gan, Hapoel Tel Aviv |
Homenetmen | pan-Armenian sports and Scouting organization | Lebanon | Homenetmen Beirut F.C. |
Homenmen | pan-Armenian sports and Scouting organization | Lebanon | Homenmen Beirut |
IFK | IFK, Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna, Swedish for Sporting Society Comrades. All Swedish clubs named IFK are members of IFK's central organisation, while clubs named IFK in Finland are not. | Finland | Helsingfors IFK, IFK Mariehamn, Vasa IFK, Åbo IFK, Grankulla IFK |
Sweden | IFK Eskilstuna, IFK Göteborg, IFK Malmö, IFK Norrköping, IFK Lidingö, IFK Stockholm, IFK Uddevalla, IFK Umeå, IFK Åmål, IFK Mora, IFK Luleå | ||
Lokomotiv | For Eastern European teams, indicates that the team was originally part of the Soviet Lokomotiv sport society or an equivalent. | Bulgaria | Lokomotiv Plovdiv, Lokomotiv Sofia |
Germany | Lokomotive Leipzig | ||
Moldova | Locomotiva Bălți | ||
Russia | Lokomotiv Moscow | ||
Kazakhstan | Lokomotiv Astana | ||
Uzbekistan | Lokomotiv Tashkent | ||
Maccabi | For Jewish teams, indicates that the team was originally part of the Maccabi sport society. | Israel and others | (see Maccabi) |
Spartak | For Eastern European teams, indicates that the team was originally part of the Soviet Spartak sport society or an equivalent. | Bulgaria | Spartak Varna |
Russia | Spartak Moscow, Spartak Nalchik | ||
Torpedo | For Eastern European teams, indicates that the team was once part of the Soviet republican VSS Trud. | Belarus | Torpedo Minsk, Torpedo Zhodino |
Georgia | FC Torpedo Kutaisi | ||
Russia | Torpedo Moscow, Torpedo-ZIL Moscow | ||
Ukraine | FC Torpedo Zaporizhzhya | ||
Vorwärts | Armeesportvereinigung Vorwärts were the sports society of the East German Army. | East Germany/ Germany | Vorwärts Berlin |
Zenit | For Eastern European teams, indicates that the team was originally part of the Soviet Zenit sport society or an equivalent. | Czech Republic | Zenit Čáslav |
Russia | Zenit Saint Petersburg, Zenit Penza |
Values and ideals
References
- ^ Siemers, Erik (13 December 2012). "Timbers name new women's club Portland Thorns". Portland Business Journal. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
- ^ "Portland women's pro team unveils "Thorns FC" as identity". Clubs. Soccer Wire. 13 December 2012. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
- ^ This men's team is owned and operated by Brigham Young University, whose athletic nickname is Cougars. However, it does not participate in NCAA competition, instead playing in the USL Premier Development League. The BYU women's soccer team, which also uses the Cougars nickname, does compete in the NCAA structure.
- ^ "Histórico". NetVasco. Archived from the original on 23 June 2007. Retrieved 23 June 2007.
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