What would fantasy sports be if not a creative way to disband from the day-to-day routine that many embark on, to relinquish themselves to a space of vast creativity and freedom? I mean, after all, the word “fantasy” is in the title for a reason. Millions of “managers” involve themselves in the industry daily, yet very few (and quite possibly none) are actual team managers of a real-life sports organization. This realization provides even more reason for those people escaping reality to throw some extra fun into their teams, particularly their team names.
Naming a fantasy team properly can be a daunting task for numerous reasons. There are more decisive factors to take into account than what is on the surface. Will the team name be funny enough? Will it resonate with the other members of the league? Is my team going to end up as a mockery because of my naming decision? These are the important questions that can inadvertently assist in delivering championships or ruining franchises for seasons to come.
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Best Fantasy Baseball Team Names (2023)
My personal recommendation is this: don’t overthink it. Trust me when I tell you, I’ve been down this rabbit hole before, staring at the computer screen for hours and scouring the web endlessly, trying to come up with the year’s greatest pun. You may not even realize it’s a problem until you get home from work one day to see your closest family and friends circled up, trying to understand why there are printouts from the 12th page of a Google search sprinkled all over your bedroom floor.
There are two routes to take that should be considered the most efficient and effective when it comes to picking a fantasy team name: League-tailored and player-based.
League-Tailored
My personal preference would be tailoring a team name toward the fantasy league you are a part of. In this day and age, it is at least likely that most team managers are competing against a majority of people they know on a personal level. There are fewer better team name ideas than throwing an effective inside joke into the ring, showcasing your creative skills to those around you. For example, my main season-long league that was formed well over a decade ago is simply a group of high school buddies that grew up together. Many of us have known each other a lot longer than that. And no matter what year it is, you’d be hard-pressed to not see at least one or two references from our favorite childhood TV show, Spongebob Squarepants thrown into the team name pool. They are an annual staple that is always a hit. The advice here is to be creative, know your audience, and play to the group accordingly.
Player-Based
For the savvier sports fanatic, and in this case, major league baseball connoisseur, player-based team names are typically a can’t-go-wrong option. There are two paths to choose from here. You can either A. quickly search online for a list that will have some respectable chuckler play-on name choices in the mold of Acuna Moncada and Zack & Miri make a Morneau or B. really utilize some quick Bobby-Witted thinking and make up your own. Just be sure to read the room, especially if playing with strangers or people you’re not closely familiar with. “Joe Buck Yourself” may not be the best way to impress the Senior VP at your corporation or your significant other’s abundantly religious father.
Remember, the point here is to have fun, whether that fun is in good nature, raunchy, or maybe even slightly aggressive if leaning in towards the competitive side of the game. Find a team name that best suits you and your league, and whether your team finishes undefeated or winless, at least the effort was there.
Knowing what we do now, here’s a brief rundown of this writer’s top 20 web-generated team names for 2023 that could separate your team from the rest of the pack:
- Honey Nut Ichiros
- The Trevor Ending Story
- Puigs in a Blanket
- Christmas Carrolls
- You don’t know Bo, Bichette
- Trout Fishin’
- Cease and Desist
- Kershawshank Redemption
- Syndergaarden Cop
- All Betts Are Off
- Wander Wall
- Choke Me Vladdy
- Guerrero Warfare
- The Chosen Juan
- Recency Baez
- Judge and Drury
- Only the Good Cy Young
- And Teoscar goes to…
- Lean Witt it, Rock Witt it
- OMG it Burnes
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