It is a matter of time until the Cleveland Indians change their name. The franchise is pouring over various ideas, determining which direction to go forward with. Only one thing is known – the new name will not have any connection to the current Indians’ nickname.
However, there are some signs as to different names that the team may be considering. According to reports, the Indians are challenging trademark applications for several names.
According to USPTO records the Cleveland #Indians Baseball Co LLC already owns trademark rights to: Blues, Naps & Bronchos (previous & unrelated to name change). They're challenging applications for Natives, Foresters, Warriors, Guardians, Cleveland Baseball Club, Heroes, Squires
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) June 7, 2021
Cleveland Indians giving signs towards potential name?
Considering the franchise’s history, the trademarks to the Blues, Naps, and Bronchos make sense. Those were all former names of the team, with the Naps being the longest tenured of the trio. That name came about in honor of superstar Nap Lajoie, who was easily the greatest player from the early days of the team.
The past can also be seen in some of the trademarks that they are challenging. Natives would have a direct correlation to the current name, although they could just be referring to native Clevelanders.
Foresters would be a nod to the old Cleveland Forest Citys of the National Association. Originally created as one of the top amateur clubs in the late 1860s, eventually joining the professional ranks in 1871 and 1872. In fact, that franchise holds the distinction of being part of the first ever truly professional baseball game, as they took on the Fort Wayne Kekiongas on May 4, 1871.
There is one fairly glaring omission from that list. The Cleveland Spiders are one of the more infamous teams in baseball history, having been gutted ahead of the 1899 season. However, before that time, they were a fairly competitive franchise. The Spiders name was considered to be one of the favorites for when the team chose a new nickname, but one has to wonder if it will be an option.
The Cleveland Indians have many options for a new name. Based on their trademark challenges, they may have a few favorites in mind.