All Football Club Nicknames Explained: Team Names & Origins

Whether you’re a lifelong football fan or just getting into the game, club nicknames can be a bit of a puzzle. Every team has one, and most nicknames originate with a story that goes far beyond the pitch.

These names reflect pride, place, and tradition, turning a club into something that fans believe they can connect with.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the nicknames and origins of all 92 clubs in the top four divisions of English football from the current 2025/26 football league season.

What Football Club Nicknames Mean For Supporters?

For many supporters, football club nicknames signify a shared identity with the club and the surrounding community. Using a nickname is a way of saying you recognise the club’s roots and what it stands for.

Many names point to a team’s history, the local area, or the colours on the shirt. Some nicknames may represent the landmarks or industries that shaped the city, while others reflect long-standing symbols you may spot on badges, flags, and scarves.

Chanting a nickname at a match or wearing it on a scarf helps fans feel part of the same story. It shows pride and makes loyalties clear without saying much.

How Football Club Nicknames Started

Most nicknames began in simple ways. In most instances, names took hold because of a club’s kit colours, a ground’s surroundings, or a famous landmark nearby.

A few started as digs from rivals and were later embraced by the club and its fans. Over time, they stuck, moved into chants and headlines, and became part of everyday football talk.

That mix of local detail and shared memory is what gives the names their significance to that club. With that in mind, read on to discover some of the most popular nicknames in English football.

Popular Football Club Nicknames And Their Origins

Many football clubs across the UK are better known by their nicknames than their official titles. Here are a few of the most popular examples and where they come from:

Manchester United – The Red Devils

Manchester United were first called the “Red Devils” in the 1960s. The name was inspired by a local rugby team and soon became linked to the club’s famous red kits.

Newcastle United – The Magpies

Newcastle United are nicknamed “The Magpies” because of their black and white striped shirts, which resemble those of the bird.

Everton – The Toffees

Everton are nicknamed “The Toffees” because of two nearby toffee shops.

Sunderland – The Black Cats

Sunderland are called “The Black Cats” due to the black cat symbolism that has been part of the club’s history and the city’s old military connections.

West Ham United – The Hammers

West Ham United’s nickname, “The Hammers,” comes from the team’s roots in the Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company.

These nicknames can illustrate how names can grow from colours, trades, and local symbols. Of course, some clubs are known by more than one name, and there’s a reason for that.

Why Do Some Clubs Have More Than One Nickname?

Clubs with long histories can sometimes get more than one nickname. Different generations and different parts of a fanbase may prefer different terms, and some names come and go with time.

You’ll hear nicknames linked to colours, badges, or parts of a club’s name. Others reflect the city’s industry or a nearby landmark. Media outlets might favour one version, while supporters stick with another that feels more authentic to them.

The variety is not a contradiction; it’s a reflection of how people connect to a club in different ways. With that in mind, the Premier League offers plenty of examples that show how tradition and identity come together.

Premier League Nicknames

Club Histories Behind Each Name

Each Premier League team has its own nickname, often tied to local history, symbols, or club colours. Here’s a quick look at some of the most well-known nicknames and the stories behind them:

• AFC Bournemouth – The Cherries: AFC Bournemouth are known as “The Cherries”, a nod to their cherry-red stripes and the former cherry orchards near their old ground.
• Arsenal – The Gunners: Arsenal are called “The Gunners” because the club was founded by workers at an armaments factory in London. The cannon on their badge links to this history.
• Aston Villa – The Villans: Aston Villa’s nickname, “The Villans,” is a play on the club’s name. It’s been used by fans for generations.
• Brentford – The Bees: Brentford are known as “The Bees” after a chant started by local students in the 1890s, which has stuck with the club ever since.
• Brighton & Hove Albion – The Seagulls: You’ll hear Brighton called “The Seagulls” because of the club’s location on the south coast of England.
• Burnley – The Clarets: Burnley are nicknamed “The Clarets” due to their claret and blue playing kit.
• Chelsea – The Blues: Chelsea uses “The Blues” because of their traditional all-blue kit.
• Crystal Palace – The Eagles: Crystal Palace supporters know their club as “The Eagles”, a name adopted in the 1970s to give the team a fresh identity.
• Everton – The Toffees: Everton’s nickname comes from the two toffee shops that were close to their original ground in the 19th century.
• Fulham – The Cottagers: Fulham are known as “The Cottagers” because of their historic Craven Cottage stadium.
• Leeds United – The Whites (or The Peacocks): Leeds are called “The Whites” due to their all-white kit adopted in the 1960s; “The Peacocks” nods to a pub near their old ground.
• Liverpool – The Reds: Liverpool are called “The Reds” thanks to their famous all-red kit.
• Manchester City – The Citizens (or Cityzens): Manchester City fans are called “Citizens”, a nod to the club’s name and the city itself.
• Manchester United – The Red Devils: Manchester United are commonly referred to as “The Red Devils”, inspired by the club’s red kit and a local rugby team.
• Newcastle United – The Magpies: Newcastle’s black and white stripes have earned them the nickname “The Magpies”.
• Nottingham Forest – Forest: Forest is the most common nickname, simply taken from the club’s name.
• Sunderland – The Black Cats: Sunderland’s nickname reflects the black cat symbol long associated with the club and its former Roker Park ground.
• Tottenham Hotspur – Spurs or The Lilywhites: “Spurs” is a shortened version of the club name, while “The Lilywhites” refers to their white shirts.
• West Ham United – The Hammers: West Ham are “The Hammers”, named after their origins at the Thames Ironworks.
• Wolverhampton Wanderers – Wolves: They’re most often just called “Wolves”, a simple shortening of their full name.

Whether a nickname is based on the club colours, badge, or history, each name is unique and helps fans differentiate between clubs.

Although the Premier League is the most popular league in England, many clubs in the divisions below have well-known nicknames.

Championship And Lower-League Nicknames

Clubs in the Championship and lower leagues also have nicknames with interesting backstories, reflecting local history, industries, or features of the town or city.

Sheffield Wednesday is known as “The Owls” because their stadium is in the Owlerton area. Preston North End are called “The Lilywhites” for their traditional white shirts. Millwall go by “The Lions”, linking to a bold, hard-working image the club wanted to represent.

Some nicknames come from a town’s most recognisable trade or landmark. Grimsby Town are known as “The Mariners” due to the town’s strong fishing heritage, and Oxford United are the “U’s”, based on the team’s name.

Names like these help supporters feel closely connected to their local area and make each club unique, no matter what league they play in. You’ll spot the nicknames on scarves, hear them sung at matches, and see how much they mean on a matchday.

Championship

• Birmingham City — “The Blues”: Named for their longstanding blue shirts, the moniker has been used by fans for generations.
• Blackburn Rovers — “Rovers”: Taken directly from the club’s name, echoing their early days as a roving side before settling.
• Bristol City — “The Robins”: Inspired by their red kit and the robin that has featured on club crests.
• Charlton Athletic — “The Addicks”: Thought to derive from “haddocks”, linked to a local fish shop near their early grounds.
• Coventry City — “The Sky Blues”: Adopted in the 1960s when the club switched to a distinctive sky-blue strip.
• Derby County — “The Rams”: Drawn from the city’s emblem and the traditional folk song “The Derby Ram”.
• Hull City — “The Tigers”: A reference to their black-and-amber stripes, which resemble a tiger’s colouring.
• Ipswich Town — “The Tractor Boys”: A 1990s taunt referencing Suffolk’s agricultural heritage that supporters proudly embraced.
• Leicester City — “The Foxes”: Leicestershire’s fox-hunting history put the fox on the crest and gave rise to the nickname.
• Middlesbrough — “Boro”: A long-used abbreviation of the club’s name adopted by fans and media alike.
• Millwall — “The Lions”: Taken from the lion on the badge, symbolising the club’s fighting spirit since the early 20th century.
• Norwich City — “The Canaries”: Rooted in the city’s historic canary-breeding and reflected in their yellow-and-green colours.
• Oxford United — “The U’s”: A shorthand from “United” that dates back to the club’s Headington United days.
• Portsmouth — “Pompey”: A traditional nickname with naval associations that has long applied to both club and city.
• Preston North End — “The Lilywhites”: Refers to their all-white home strip worn since the 19th century.
• Queens Park Rangers — “The R’s”: A play on the initials of Queens Park Rangers that became a terrace staple.
• Sheffield United — “The Blades”: Celebrates Sheffield’s steel and cutlery industry, with blades on the club crest.
• Sheffield Wednesday — “The Owls”: Named for the Owlerton district and adopted after the move to Hillsborough.
• Southampton — “The Saints”: Originates from the club’s roots as St Mary’s Church Young Men’s Association.
• Stoke City — “The Potters”: A nod to Stoke-on-Trent’s world-famous ceramics and pottery trade.
• Swansea City — “The Swans”: Drawn from the city’s name and swan imagery used by the club.
• Watford — “The Hornets”: Coined after a 1959 switch to yellow-and-black colours resembling a hornet.
• West Bromwich Albion — “The Baggies”: Said to refer to baggy shorts or bag-collecting turnstile operators in the club’s early years.
• Wrexham — “The Red Dragons”: Taken from the Welsh dragon on the national flag and the club badge.

League One

• AFC Wimbledon — “The Dons”: Inherited from the original Wimbledon FC, a playful shortening of the town’s name.
• Barnsley — “The Tykes”: A Yorkshire nickname for locals that the club adopted to reflect regional identity.
• Blackpool — “The Seasiders”: Reflects the town’s status as a seaside resort on the Fylde Coast.
• Bolton Wanderers — “The Trotters”: A folkloric nickname linked to tales of a slaughterhouse and pigs’ trotters near their old ground.
• Bradford City — “The Bantams”: Chosen in 1903, with the bantam’s claret-and-amber hues matching the club colours.
• Burton Albion — “The Brewers”: Celebrates Burton upon Trent’s renowned brewing industry.
• Cardiff City — “The Bluebirds”: Inspired by their blue kit and the popular play “The Blue Bird” in the early 1910s.
• Doncaster Rovers — “Rovers”: Reflects the club’s early years as a wandering side before finding a permanent home.
• Exeter City — “The Grecians”: A long-standing local nickname tied to the St Sidwell’s “Greeks” tradition.
• Huddersfield Town — “The Terriers”: Adopted in the late 1960s to symbolise tenacity, with the terrier added to the badge.
• Leyton Orient — “The O’s”: A simple initial-based nickname drawn from “Orient”.
• Lincoln City — “The Imps”: From the famous Lincoln Imp carving in the city’s cathedral.
• Luton Town — “The Hatters”: Reflects Luton’s historic hat-making industry.
• Mansfield Town — “The Stags”: Taken from the stag on the town crest and Sherwood Forest associations.
• Northampton Town — “The Cobblers”: Celebrates the town’s traditional shoe and boot-making trade.
• Peterborough United — “The Posh”: Origin disputed, but linked to a 1920s remark about wanting “posh” players and image.
• Plymouth Argyle — “The Pilgrims”: Refers to the city’s Mayflower heritage, with a pilgrim figure on the crest.
• Port Vale — “The Valiants”: A historic moniker playing on “Vale” and the idea of valour.
• Reading — “The Royals”: From Berkshire’s title as the Royal County and the crown on the badge.
• Rotherham United — “The Millers”: Named for the flour mills near their old Millmoor ground.
• Stevenage — “The Boro”: Short for “borough”, echoing the club’s former name, Stevenage Borough.
• Stockport County — “The Hatters”: Derived from Stockport’s once-thriving hat-making industry.
• Wigan Athletic — “The Latics”: A contraction of “Athletic” adopted by fans.
• Wycombe Wanderers — “The Chairboys”: Reflects High Wycombe’s long history of chair-making.

League Two

• Accrington Stanley — “Stanley”: A straightforward shortening of the club’s name, rooted in its Stanley Street/club origins.
• Barrow — “The Bluebirds”: Taken from their blue shirts, a nickname shared historically with the town’s teams.
• Barnet — “The Bees”: Inspired by their black-and-amber colours and long-standing bee imagery.
• Bristol Rovers — “The Gas”: Adopted from a former rival taunt about the gasworks by their old Eastville ground.
• Bromley — “The Ravens”: Drawn from local heraldry and reflected in their dark kit.
• Cambridge United — “The U’s”: An initial-based nickname used since early United days.
• Cheltenham Town — “The Robins”: From their red strip, with a robin commonly used on the badge.
• Chesterfield — “The Spireites”: Named for the town’s famous crooked church spire.
• Colchester United — “The U’s”: A long-standing shorthand for “United”, adopted by supporters.
• Crawley Town — “The Red Devils”: Originates from their red kit and a fiery club identity. This nickname is independent of Manchester United’s nickname.
• Crewe Alexandra— “The Railwaymen”: Reflects Crewe’s historic status as a major railway town and works.
• Fleetwood Town — “The Cod Army”: A modern fan moniker rooted in the town’s fishing heritage.
• Gillingham — “The Gills”: A simple, widely used shortening of the club’s name.
• Grimsby Town — “The Mariners”: Celebrates the town’s deep fishing and seafaring traditions.
• Harrogate Town — “The Sulphurites”: Refers to the spa town’s sulphur springs and their yellow kit.
• MK Dons — “The Dons”: Carried over as a shortened form of “Wimbledon”/“Dons” after the club’s reformation.
• Newport County — “The Exiles”: Adopted after the club’s late-1980s rebirth and period playing in exile.
• Notts County — “The Magpies”: From their black-and-white striped shirts.
• Oldham Athletic — “The Latics”: A contraction of “Athletic” used by supporters for decades.
• Salford City — “The Ammies”: Inherited from the club’s days as Salford Amateurs, shortened affectionately by fans.
• Shrewsbury Town — “The Shrews”: A play on the town’s name, long used alongside “Salop”.
• Swindon Town — “The Robins”: From their red kit and a robin motif on historic crests.
• Tranmere Rovers — “Rovers”: Directly from the club’s name, reflecting early nomadic roots.
• Walsall — “The Saddlers”: Honors the area’s leather and saddle-making heritage.

Are Football Club Nicknames Still Changing?

Most nicknames have stood the test of time, passed from one generation to the next. New ones do appear, but usually for specific reasons, such as a badge refresh, a move to a new ground, or a phrase that takes off among fans online.

Sometimes a manager or player sparks a short-lived nickname, especially with younger supporters. Even then, the established names tend to remain the main reference point because they carry history that newer terms cannot replace.