How to Name a Football Team (Soccer Team): Explained
Choosing a football team name is an important step in shaping your club’s identity. Whether you’re starting a new football club, merging two clubs, or rebranding, the right name should reflect your team spirit, fans, and location.
Choosing a team name is not as simple as picking the first name that comes to mind because it requires thought, creativity, and a connection to your club’s identity. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of choosing your team’s name, from exploring popular football club names to understanding the meaning behind common suffixes.

How to Come Up with Good Football Team Names
A good football team name should be unique, memorable, and reflect your club’s identity. Here are some ideas that most clubs, from the best leagues in the world, use when creating ideas for their team name.
Draw Inspiration from Location & History
Many football teams take their names from their city, town, or country, such as Manchester City or Real Madrid. This is why one of the first things you can consider when starting your team is the location or a historical reference to help your team name represent its roots.
You can also research local landmarks, traditions, animals, or famous figures in that area to come up with a good name. Once you come up with a name you can add any of the following suffixes to make your team more official.
Use Popular Naming Conventions
Football clubs often follow traditional naming patterns, using suffixes like
- Football Club
- United
- Real
- Atletico
- Deportivo
- Athletic
- Rovers
- Sporting
- Racing
- City
- Town
- Union
- Rangers
- Wanderers
- Academic
- Collieries
- Albion
- Club
Summary
A football team name shapes your club’s identity and should reflect its location, history, and team spirit. Many football clubs use their city or town, like Manchester City or Rangers, and add suffixes like United, Athletic, or Club for a professional touch. Whether forming a new team or rebranding, choosing a good name helps connect with fans and establish a strong identity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does FC mean in football?
FC stands for Football Club, a common suffix in team names around the world like Manchester City FC and Barcelona FC. Some teams might use SC for Soccer Club, while others may use it for Sporting Club.
How do football teams create a unique name?
Teams are often named after their city, town, or a landmark, like Manchester United or Rangers. Some clubs merge, forming names like Newcastle United, while university and American football teams may use mascots. Others use a football team name generator or brainstorm team names that reflect their fans and history.
How can I begin improving my soccer skills right now?
To begin improving your soccer skills right now, check out our post on the best soccer training drills. If you are looking to accelerate your progress, contact us or sign an interest form for our private training program.
How can I learn more about the game?
To learn more about soccer the most important thing is to join a team and play the game as much as possible. If possible, analyze high level games as much as you can and your own games as well by recording them with a soccer camera. Also read soccer books, listen to podcasts and interviews watch soccer documentaries, as well as some movies, tv shows, and anime.