article How Unique is Your School's Nickname?

[gchs_uk9]

How unique is your school's nickname? Odds are, not very unique at all. Of the 280 KHSAA member schools, 27% have one of six nicknames. As you might expect the top six are all of a rather generic variety. Eagles is the most common mascot in Kentucky, found at 17 schools. There are 15 Wildcats in the state, 13 Panthers and Tigers, and 10 Bulldogs and Cardinals. Just below those are 9 Colonels and 9 Cougars, along with another 8 Raiders.

 

Fifty-five schools have mascots not found at another school in the commonwealth (this is stretched slightly as Ashland, Bethlehem, Louisville Collegiate have separate nicknames for their boys and girls teams; it also should be noted that this article makes no distinction among school who use 'Lady' in front of their girls team names).

 

Some of the most unique include animals (Bracken County Polar Bears, Campbell County Camels, Greenwood Gators, Notre Dame Pandas, Owsley Count Owls), colors (Bowling Green Purples, Manual Crimsons), jobs (Danville Admirals, Estill County Engineers, Marshall County Marshals, Washington County Commanders), weather (Hopkins County Central Storm, Meade County Green Waves, Paducah Tilghman Blue Tornado), and the just downright absurd (Bethlehem Banshees [girls], Lloyd Memorial Juggernauts, Louisville Collegiate Amazons [girls], Sacred Heart Valkyries, St. Francis Wyverns).

 

Most likely there is a reason your school uses the name it does. I encourage you to research their name, colors, and whatever else you can about your school. No matter the nickname, all 280 schools in Kentucky are unique!

[gchs_uk9]

KENTUCKY NICKNAMES

 

Eagles (17): Apollo, Bethlehem (boys), Campbellsville, Christian Fellowship, Eastern, Evangel Christian, Fairview, Fort Knox, Graves County, Heritage, Leslie County, Lexington Christian, Madison Southern, North Bullitt, Ohio County, Portland Christian, Scott

 

Wildcats (15): Bath County, Buckhorn, Edmonson County, Franklin-Simpson, Gallatin County, Henry County, Kentucky School f/t Blind, Lynn Camp, Menifee County, Newport, Pendleton County, Shelby Valley, Trigg County, Waggener, Whitefield Academy

 

Panthers (13): Augusta, Carroll County, Cumberland County, Daviess County, Dawson Springs, Elizabethtown, Fleming County, Frankfort, Knox Central, Ludlow, Pikeville, Pleasure Ridge Park, Russellville

Tigers (13): Barbourville, Bardstown, Beechwood, Bellevue, Breckinridge County, Caldwell County, Clay County, Fern Creek, Hopkinsville, Jackson City, Murray, Paintsville, St. Xavier

 

Bulldogs (10): Burgin, Clinton County, Fairdale, Fulton City, Hazard, Holmes, John Hardin, Lawrence County, Male, Paul Dunbar

Cardinals (10): George Rogers Clark, Livingston Central, Martin County, Mayfield, Nelson County, Red Bird, Scott County, South Laurel, Taylor County, Wayne County

 

Colonels (9): Bourbon County, Caverna, Christian County, Covington Catholic, Dixie Heights, Henderson County, Kentucky School f/t Deaf, Oldham County, Whitley County

Cougars (9): Bullitt Central, Calvary Christian, Conner, Grayson County, Letcher County Central, Logan County, Louisville Holy Cross, McLean County, Morgan County

 

Raiders (8): East Carter, Hart County, Iroquois, McCreary Central, Ryle, Trimble County, Warren East, Whitesville Trinity

 

Rebels (6): Atherton, Boone County, Boyle County, Casey County, Owen County, Todd County Central

Warriors (6): Community Christian, Danville Christian, East Ridge, Eminence, Southwestern, Western

 

Jaguars (5): Cooper, East Jessamine, Floyd Central, Mercy, North Laurel

Lions (5): Boyd County, Cordia, Elliott County, Lewis County, Lyon County (stylized Lyons)

Mustangs (5): Bishop Brossart, McCracken County, Moore, Muhlenberg County, North Oldham

Trojans (5): Barren County, Covington Latin, North Hardin, Southern, Webster County

 

Bearcats (4): Anderson County, Beth Haven, Kentucky Country Day, Walton-Verona

Bears (4): Brown, Butler, Butler County, Spencer County

Bobcats (4): Bell County, Betsy Layne, Breathitt County, Lee County

Dragons (4): Doss, Green County, South Oldham, Warren Central

Hornets (4): Hancock County, Magoffin County, Metcalfe County, Phelps

Indians (4): Adair County, Covington Holy Cross, Madison Central, Montgomery County

Patriots (4): Allen County-Scottsville, Knott County Central, Lincoln County, Model

Rockets (4): Assumption, Crittenden County, Rockcastle County, Shelby County

Vikings (4): Rowan County, St. Mary, Valley, Villa Madonna

Yellowjackets (4): Central, Middlesboro, Williamsburg, Woodford County

 

Falcons (3): Fort Campbell, Hickman County, Monroe County

Generals (3): Jackson County, Lafayette, Thomas Nelson

Knights (3): Lexington Catholic, Marion County, Piarist

Pirates (3): Belfry, Berea, Powell County

Royals (3): Frankfort Christian, Mason County, Rose Hill Christian

Titans (3): Collins, Louisville Collegiate (boys), Mercer County

 

Aces (2): Frederick Fraize, Owensboro Catholic

Braves (2): Grant County, Union County

Bruins (2): Ballard, Central Hardin

Chargers (2): Bullitt East, Jeffersontown

Colts (2): DeSales, West Jessamine

Comets (2): Carlisle County, West Carter

Commodores (2): Perry County Central, Tates Creek

Crusaders (2): June Buchanan, St. Henry

Golden Eagles (2): Johnson Central, Shawnee

Hawks (2): Larue County, Pike County Central

Lakers (2): Calloway County, Russell County

Maroons (2): Madisonville-North Hopkins, Pulaski County

Rams (2): Raceland, Riverside Christian

Red Devils (2): Owensboro, Russell

Spartans (2): Sayre, South Warren

Thoroughbreds (2): Harrison County (stylized Thorobreds), Newport Central Catholic

Wolverines (2): Walden, Western Hills

 

Admirals (1): Danville

Amazons (1): Louisville Collegiate (girls)

Banshees (1): Bethlehem (girls)

Black Bears (1): Harlan County

Black Devils (1): Robertson County

Blackcats (1): Prestonsburg

Blazers (1): University Heights

Bluebirds (1): Highlands

Blue Devils (1): Henry Clay

Blue Jackets (1): Nicholas County

Blue Tornado (1): Paducah Tilghman

Bombers (1): Ballard Memorial

Briar Jumpers (1): Somerset

Broncos (1): Frederick Douglass

Camels (1): Campbell County

Cavaliers (1): Jenkins

Centurions (1): Christian Academy of Louisville

Commanders (1): Washington County

Crimsons (1): Manual

Defenders (1): Bryan Station

Demons (1): Williamstown

Engineers (1): Estill County

Flyers (1): Franklin County

Gators (1): Greenwood

Golden Lions (1): Garrard County

Greendevils (1): Dayton

Green Dragons (1): Harlan

Green Waves (1): Meade County

Greyhounds (1): Paris

Highlanders (1): Highlands Latin

Irish (1): Holy Family

Juggernauts (1): Lloyd Memorial

Kittens (1): Ashland (girls)

Marshals (1): Marshall County

Mountain Lions (1): Pineville

Mountaineers (1): Oneida Baptist Institute

Musketeers (1): Greenup County

Owls (1): Owsley County

Pandas (1): Notre Dame

Pilots (1): Fulton County

Pioneers (1): Simon Kenton

Polar Bears (1): Bracken County

Purples (1): Bowling Green

Red Hawks (1): Seneca

Redhounds (1): Corbin

Saints (1): St. Patrick

Scotties (1): Glasgow

Shamrocks (1): Trinity

Storm (1): Hopkins County Central

Tomcats (1): Ashland (boys)

Toppers (1): Presentation

Valkyries (1): Sacred Heart

Warhawks (1): Great Crossing

Wolves (1): Wolfe County

Wyverns (1): St. Francis

[Jumper_Dad]

Somerset are the only Briar Jumpers in the nation, can't get more unique than that.

[B-Ball-fan]

^^^

 

Great work @gchs_uk9 !!!

 

Very cool one stop page to see all of the mascot names!!!

[allsport71]

That is pretty awesome, Great job, I didn't realize there was that many Eagles in the state. Some serious research there, thanks.

[mcpapa]

I once watched a televised Illinois high school basketball game between the Cornjumpers and the Wooden Shoes.

[mcpapa]

My high school was the Gophers. One of our rivals was the Archers.

[SHS Future]

Briar Jumpers is about as unique as they come.

[SLINK]

Somerset are the only Briar Jumpers in the nation, can't get more unique than that.

 

True, Dad.

[afi100guy]

Go Camels! We spit!

[PepRock01]

While I love Shamrocks, there are some other Trinity high schools out there that are also Shamrocks. I think one up in PA.

[LongTimeReader]

Campbell Co. is my favorite mascot!

[CincySportsFan]

Out of state, but we were the Dukes. Our neighboring rival were the Aviators.

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

Cov Cath picked the Colonels based largely on the alliteration aspect of things. It's pretty interesting to think of the other 'c' mascots they could have gone with and how completely foreign they sound to say out loud. The Cov Cath Chargers? The Cov Cath Cavaliers? Nope.

 

Cov Cath DID briefly switch up the mascot for 1 single year. In 1944 when world war 2 was in full swing, they tried the "Covington Catholic Crusaders" out. The Christian soldiers aspect apparently seemed apropos at the time. They were back to being the Colonels in 1945.

[Brddog]

Out of state, but we were the Dukes. Our neighboring rival were the Aviators.

 

An elementary school in Lincoln County is the Aviators.