Naming all 30 NBA teams requires tracking decades of franchise relocations, corporate rebrandings, and local heritage. Every professional basketball franchise carries a moniker rooted in geography, folklore, or industrial history. If you're trying to list them all or figure out why a particular city has its specific team name, you need more than a simple roster checklist.
This guide breaks down all 30 franchises across the Eastern and Western Conferences, explaining where their names originated, how teams changed identities after moving cities, and the naming conventions that define modern professional basketball.
The Eastern Conference Teams
The Eastern Conference houses 15 franchises split evenly across three divisions: Atlantic, Central, and Southeast. Many of these squads carry historical ties to the early days of professional basketball in the American Northeast and Midwest.
Atlantic Division
- Boston Celtics: Established in 1946, the name was chosen by founder Walter Brown. Several options were considered, including the Whirlwinds and Unicorns, before Brown settled on Celtics as a nod to the original New York Celtics basketball team and Boston's heavy Irish immigrant heritage.
- Brooklyn Nets: Originally starting in New Jersey as the Americans and later the New York Nets in the ABA, the franchise adopted a rhyming moniker that fit alongside local baseball and football teams like the Mets and Jets. They kept the name when moving to Brooklyn in 2012.
- New York Knicks: Short for Knickerbockers, the name originates from the Dutch settlers who wore knotted trousers in early New York. Founder Ned Irish chose the name after a contest among sportswriters in 1946.
- Philadelphia 76ers: Named after the signers of the Declaration of Independence, who signed the historic document in Philadelphia in 1776. The team adopted the name after relocating from Syracuse in 1963.
- Toronto Raptors: Selected via a nationwide fan contest in 1994, capitalizing on the massive pop culture popularity of the film Jurassic Park and its velociraptors.
Central Division
- Chicago Bulls: Team founder Dick Klein wanted a fierce, energetic name that evoked Chicago's historic status as the meatpacking capital of the world. Other discarded ideas included the Matadors and Toreadors.
- Cleveland Cavaliers: Chosen through a public contest in 1970. A local daily newspaper reader submitted "Cavaliers," representing a group of horse-riding soldiers known for fearlessness and sportsmanship.
- Detroit Pistons: Founder Fred Zollner owned a manufacturing business that produced piston engines in Fort Wayne, Indiana, before the team moved to Detroit in 1957.
- Indiana Pacers: Named after the pace car used in the Indianapolis 500 auto race, reflecting the state's deep motorsports culture.
- Milwaukee Bucks: Selected via a fan contest in 1968. While "Skyliners" and "Bears" were considered, Milwaukee residents voted for the white-tail buck, an animal native to Wisconsin forests.
Southeast Division
- Atlanta Hawks: The franchise originated in 1946 as the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, named after Chief Black Hawk of the Sauk nation. When the team moved to Milwaukee and later St. Louis and Atlanta, they shortened the name to Hawks.
- Charlotte Hornets: Originally born in 1988, the name references the Revolutionary War history of Charlotte, where British General Charles Cornwallis reportedly called the city a "nest of hornets" due to fierce local resistance.
- Miami Heat: Chosen via a 1986 name-the-team contest, besting alternatives like the Beaches, Tropics, and Suntan. It reflects the intense subtropical climate of South Florida.
- Orlando Magic: Adopted after a contest where local fans sought a name highlighting Orlando's booming tourism industry anchored by Walt Disney World.
- Washington Wizards: Formerly the Baltimore Bullets and later Washington Bullets, owner Abe Pollin changed the name in 1997 because he felt the term "bullets" carried too much violent connotation following local crime rates.
The Western Conference Teams
The Western Conference spans from the Pacific Coast to the Rocky Mountains and Texas, featuring franchises shaped by frontier history, music culture, and rapid urban growth.
Northwest Division
- Denver Nuggets: Named in honor of the 1859 Pike's Peak Gold Rush, which established Denver as a major western settlement. The name was carried over from Denver's original ABA franchise.
- Minnesota Timberwolves: Selected in a statewide name-the-team contest in 1989. Timberwolves beat out "Polar Bears" because the timber wolf is indigenous to the northern wilderness of Minnesota.
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Following the relocation of the Seattle SuperSonics in 2008, ownership chose Thunder to honor the frequent severe thunderstorms rolling across the Oklahoma plains, as well as the state's military aviation history.
- Portland Trail Blazers: Named after the pioneers who forged the Oregon Trail westward. The title also nods to the dense forests surrounding Portland.
- Utah Jazz: The franchise moved from New Orleans in 1979. While the name made sense in Louisiana's jazz capital, Utah kept the moniker despite having no historical jazz tradition.
Pacific Division
- Golden State Warriors: Founded in Philadelphia in 1946, the team took the name of an older Philadelphia professional basketball team. They kept it after moving to San Francisco in 1962 and later across the bay.
- Los Angeles Clippers: Originally founded in Buffalo, New York, as the Braves, the team relocated to San Diego in 1978 and rebranded as the Clippers to honor the famous San Diego maritime clipper ships.
- Los Angeles Lakers: Originating in Minneapolis in 1947, the team took the nickname "Land of 10-Lakes" before moving to Los Angeles in 1960 and keeping the water-themed moniker.
- Phoenix Suns: Selected in a 1968 name-the-team contest, acknowledging the hot, sunny desert climate of central Arizona.
- Sacramento Kings: The franchise began as the Rochester Royals, moved to Cincinnati, became the Kansas City-Omaha Kings, and finally settled in Sacramento in 1985.
Southwest Division
- Dallas Mavericks: Chosen via a local television station contest in 1980. The name references wild unbranded cattle, fitting the Texan cowboy aesthetic.
- Houston Rockets: Originally founded in San Diego in 1967 as the Rockets, referencing the city's aerospace industry. The team kept the name when moving to Houston, which later became home to NASA's Johnson Space Center.
- Memphis Grizzlies: Started in Vancouver, Canada, in 1995 as the Vancouver Grizzlies, referencing the massive bears native to western Canada. The team relocated to Memphis in 2001.
- New Orleans Pelicans: After the franchise dropped the "Hornets" identity, owner Tom Benson chose Pelicans to honor Louisiana's state bird and revive a historic professional baseball team name from the city's past.
- San Antonio Spurs: Originally the Dallas Chaparrals in the ABA, the team moved to San Antonio in 1973 and rebranded to Spurs, honoring pioneer heritage and cowboy boot spurs.
Common Naming Conventions in Professional Basketball
Basketball franchises don't pick names at random. Looking across all 30 teams reveals distinct patterns in how sports marketing executives and fan committees build a brand identity.
- Geographic Heritage: Names like the Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, and Los Angeles Lakers preserve the history of the cities where franchises were born, even when teams relocate.
- Fauna and Wildlife: Animals make up a large portion of team names, including the Bucks, Timberwolves, Bulls, and Hornets, usually selected because the creature has local regional significance.
- Industrial and Cultural Pride: Monikers like the Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, and Indiana Pacers celebrate the manufacturing, automotive, and technological backbone of their respective regions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which NBA teams have relocated and changed their names?
Several teams changed names alongside relocation, such as the New Orleans Hornets becoming the Pelicans. Other teams kept their original names despite geographic shifts, such as the Los Angeles Lakers keeping a water-themed name while moving to a desert metropolis.
How are new NBA team names chosen?
Modern franchises typically run public fan contests or hire specialized sports branding agencies to test focus groups. Final decisions balance local cultural relevance, trademark availability, and merchandise sales potential.
Why do some NBA teams have non-local names?
Teams like the Utah Jazz kept their identity after moving because fans grew attached to the merchandise and brand equity built up in their previous home market.
How many NBA teams are named after animals?
More than a third of the league uses animal monikers, including predators like the Timberwolves and Grizzlies alongside hoofed mammals like the Bucks.
