The Name Game

Taking a semi-serious look at potential secondary nicknames for AV Alta FC

A couple years ago, USL Antelope Valley was born – and just over a year ago, AV Alta FC was born at a raucous block party on Lancaster Boulevard. For any questions about the style or logo (two AVs for the price of one!), it’s a name, logo, and identity that has already taken root here in the Valley. Seriously, it’s all over the place. Last week my wife & I grabbed a quick lunch in Lancaster when 3 twenty-somethings walked into the restaurant, each rocking a different piece of Alta gear. On Saturday we went to a local festival in Palmdale and AV Alta had a tent there connecting with the community. A couple days ago, a friend & I were coming back from a coffee run when we were behind a car with multiple Alta stickers & magnets. “AV Alta” is hard to get away from here in the 661. And even though it isn’t the most traditional sports team name, it’s a name that has already garnered loyalty.

So I’m not trying to spit in the face of all that work & all that love when I say this.

But we could use an additional nickname.

I’m not saying replace “Alta”. I’m just saying that we could say something else too.

Think about it. Plenty of teams have various unofficial nicknames in addition to their official monikers. Sometimes these are pretty generic, especially if the official team name doesn’t include a nickname. Think colors – Liverpool are the Reds, Chelsea are the Blues. Think logos – Manchester United are the Red Devils, Brighton are the Seagulls, Orlando City are the Lions, Minnesota United are the Loons, Forward Madison are the Mingos. Think abbreviations – if you ask an NFL fan in Florida who the Jags, Bucs, or Phins are, they’ll know which often-underperforming franchise you’re talking about. Tottenham Hotspur are Spurs, Wolverhampton Wanderers are Wolves, etc.

But most of all, what I’m talking about is a secondary nickname, even if there’s already an official nickname. For example, the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks use “Fear the Deer” a decent amount, most heavily and notably during their 2021 title run. The University of Michigan Wolverines are also known as Big Blue. And there are examples within USL League One itself. Richmond Kickers are also the Roos, after the kangaroo mascots that have been part of club history. Charlotte Independence are also the Jacks, after Captain James Jack, a Revolutionary War figure pictured on their crest.

There’s room enough both to value an official team name and also to slap an unofficial, secondary nickname on the team too.

So if you haven’t already shunned me for heretically forsaking the AV Alta name of our forefathers, here are some additional titles that I think could enter the rotation as we talk about the club.

THE BASIC NAMES

Altitos

One more nod to the purists – I’ve seen this spin-off a couple times, & while I think more creativity is permissible, this one isn’t bad.

Antelopes

OK, this one is pretty on-the-nose for the Antelope Valley. But if you like a team name that isn’t too overdone and that has an obvious location to the area, this one is as clean of a fit as it gets.

THE ANIMAL NAMES

Condors

There’s a little semi-local competition for this one, between a Bakersfield AHL team and the LA Clippers’ Chuck the Condor mascot. But it’s a California-connected bird, and you can do something with the desert motif present already in the club.

Coyotes

The coyotes that pop up around the Antelope Valley (you’ll legitimately see some from time to time) aren’t individually scary – they’re a bit smaller than you’d think, and quite a bit smaller than their wolf cousins. But they often travel in packs, working together to hunt, and there’s an aspect there that makes for a good team nickname. Not much name competition after the Phoenix-based NHL team moved to Utah.

Ravens

Most places have normal ravens – the Antelope Valley has freakishly large ravens. The residents know I’m not kidding. We just need to bring in a bird expert to train a raven to mimic what the LAFC falcon does before matches.

Zorros

I’d take Foxes as well, but keeping the Spanish word partners well with Alta. (Children’s book dropping soon, Learning the Alphabet from Alta to Zorros?) Additionally, there’s some Alta California connection with the fictional Zorro character, as he was created in 1919 as a resident of the Pueblo of Los Angeles in Alta California. For that matter, given the fictional Zorro’s nature as a masked man who defends commoners against corrupt authorities, the nickname feels relevant to the current world. Former USL Championship team Fresno FC (2018-19) was known as the Foxes (with Zorros used frequently as well), so repurposing the name may feel like a bit of a knock-off. But if not, this name would rank high on the list for me.

THE AEROSPACE NAMES

Jets or Pilots

If you want something pretty standard that reflects the significant aerospace connection of the area, either of these are good options. I like Jets a little more, but it also is already in use by an NFL and NHL franchise, so Pilots is a little more unique.

Hornets

Yes, it’s an animal too (as is the next one), but I’m categorizing it here because of the aerospace connection. The plane mounted outside as fans enter the Hangar is an F18, which are nicknamed Hornets. That gives this nickname a very team-specific connection, while also being easier and more accessible than “the F18s”.

Skunks

Not a very popular animal mascot – I can’t imagine why. But again, this is listed here because of the aerospace connection to the massive Skunkworks classified R&D facility in the Antelope Valley – Skunkworks is easier to say than “Lockheed Martin's Advanced Development Programs”. A Skunks nickname would be unique and local.

Supersonics (or Sonics)

I’ve put some names on the list that are shared by larger brands but don’t feel especially tied to them – this one might push the envelope a little because of how close the connection is between this name and the relocated NBA team. But there isn’t really a better name to reference Chuck Yeager’s historic flight that broke the sound barrier, which took place around the AV at Edwards Air Force Base, unless you want to label the team the “X1s”.

THE DESERT NAMES

Dust Devils

This easily connects with the sandy color already in the logo. Devils is a frequent enough nickname anyway, but tying it to the sandy plumes that the ever-present Lancaster wind spins up brings a nice local touch.

Poppies

We already have the poppy shape in the team crest, as a reference to the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve nearby. It’s a recognizable and brilliant little flower – and whenever some (long-hinted-at) orange kits or merch drops, I think they’re going to sell great. Like Antelopes, this name is more straightforward than crazy imaginative, but I think in a good way.

Vaqueros

We had a vaquero-type rider as part of the pregame introductions at the opening USL1 match, and the (outstanding) media team has already created some great videos with this motif. These traditional Mexican cowboys & horsemen bring some historic connection to California history. El Paso Locomotive had a Vaquero jersey last year, but otherwise this is a pretty unique nickname as well.

OTHER NAMES I KICKED AROUND

A couple more that I considered:

• You could do colors, but “The Sand and Green”, “The Green and Sand”, etc. just didn’t have a ring to it.

• The AV is a pretty hot desert climate, but with “Alta” being a bit abstract anyway, I didn’t feel like “Blazes”, “Heat”, “Sun”, “Sol”, etc. added much.

• None of the local plants sounded great as a nickname in my opinion – “Joshua Trees”, “Tumbleweed”, “Cacti”, etc.

• There are some snakes out here, but “Rattlesnakes”, “Rattlers”, “Mojave Greens”, etc. felt more generically-desert-ish than specifically Antelope Valley.

• Despite Edwards Air Force Base having a space connection, I couldn’t find a space name that really work – “Astronauts” might be OK, but “Astros” feels pretty connected to the Houston MLB team, “Stars” sounds a little generic, etc.

• “Bears” or “Grizzlies” fits with California, but are common enough names to not feel like standouts.

• If the NBA’s Toronto Raptors can get their name because Jurassic Park came out around the time they formed & people just wanted dinosaurs – then I’m going to toss in some Dune-related names just because I want to. All hail “Muad’Dibs”, “Fremen”, “Sandworms” (not really but can you imagine?), etc.

• If you want to get complicated, we’ve got one of the few musical roads in the world a couple miles from the stadium – if you drive over its ridges, it’ll play “The William Tell Overture”… so “Archers” kinda works? It felt multiple steps deep & less intuitive to me, though.

MY TOP FIVE

Here’s my personal ballot. Love it, hate it, here ya go.

5th. Antelopes

Simple and clear.

4th. Zorros

A little “tougher” than some of the options, and there are a couple ways to go with it.

3rd. Poppies

Simple and clear, but a little less on-the-nose, and it fits the logo.

2nd. Hornets

There’s a Hornet plane right outside the stadium.

1st. Vaqueros

Unique while fitting into elements of team branding already.