How do nicknames for sports teams come to be?
Here is an article (bottom) on the origins of the nicknames “wahoo’s” and the shorter version “hoo’s” for the University of Virginia Cavaliers. One might think from some of the comments about nicknames on the WD1 boards that unless an elected body of university officials approves a nickname, it is a blasphemous effrontery to come up with any new ones. Such silliness. How do nicknames originate? Somebody gets an idea, speaks it or prints it, and it catches on and sticks. Now, I come up with nicknames in the same way, (as do others on these boards incidentally). Big frickin deal. I could care less if a nickname I use catches on or not. I use it because
I like it. I’m sure there are plenty of other stories of how nicknames for sports team, or individuals, or countries or cities came to be. They all have an origin that began with an individual who had their own mind. That’s normal life on earth. Again folks—it’s a sport—not religion or family or loyalty to country.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wahoos
Oh--and in light of this part of the article of the origin of "wahoo"--my "ginny" is (or should be)
far less offensive.
The yell (which the nicknames wahoo and hoo derive from)
was invented as an Indian yell for Dartmouth College by Dartmouth student Daniel Rollins in 1878
I'm surprised there isn't a campaign underway (perhaps there is behind the scenes) to rid all UVA publications and language going forward of any trace of "wahoo" or "hoo" in the same way that the formerly Cleveland Indians (now Guardians) major league baseball team got rid of the Indian mascot they had who was dubbed "Chief Wahoo" years before the team changed their name.
