Trying to think of a creative name for a team can seem like an impossible task. Just about every name seems to be taken. You don't want to copy a name that has been used frequently. So what is the process to go through to come up with a cool name for your team?

Before doing any brainstorming, it can be helpful to do a bit of analysis of existing team names. Some of the most successful team names in professional sports follow some patterns and fall into about four or five categories. I'll show you what I mean and then we can look at how these categories can help you find a creative name for your team.

Names of Animals

OK, so this category is obvious. Even so, don't overlook it as a source of names for a team. There are lots of them in professional sports. One of the most successful from the standpoint of sales of logo merchandise is the San Jose Sharks in the NHL. They did a lot of market research before selecting their logo and colors. It paid off. Of course there is also the Coyotes, the Panthers, and the Penguins. Continuing in the NHL there are the New Jersey Devils, the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Boston Bruins. What? Since when are the devils and the bruins names of animals. The New Jersey Devils are named after a wildcat native to New Jersey that was nicknamed the wood devil by pioneerers. The team took the name of an animal associated with local folk lore. More on this in the next paragraph. The Bruins are named for a variation of a name for bear. Something else you might consider - the name of the animal in another language or variation from another language.

Folklore

Local folklore is another source of names. The Devils came from this train of thought. The Seattle Seahawks are also in this category, named after an animal that is a part of local lore and featured on Native American totem poles. Local folklore doesn't have to refer to animals. It can be other mythical figures of strength and power. The Minnesota Vikings and the Pittsburgh Pirates are named after figures of local folklore and mythical figures. Warriors, Raiders, and Buccaneers are other names in this category.

Industry

Sometimes a common local occupation will take on mythic attributes. The Pittsburgh Steelers pay tribute to the local steelworkers. The Edmonton Oilers, the Detroit Pistons and the Dallas Cowboys all pay tribute to local industry, as do the Packers and the Brewers. Sometimes traditional or historical occupations and industry are a source of names, like the 49ers or the Astros. Look to local history and founding industry as a source of a creative team name.

Symbols of State or Country

Your city, state or country probably has a symbol that could be used or a variation that could be used for a creative team name. The Toronto Maple Leafs, the Montreal Canadiens and the Vancouver Canucks are all NHL teams named for symbols of Canada or variations of names associated with Canada.

Pure Energy

Cool names for teams can come from thinking about what in nature symbolizes energy, power or strength. Tampa Bay Lightning, the Chargers, the Sonics and the Calgary Flames chose names that express the energy found in nature and is associated with natural phenomenon.

Don't Forget Sponsors

Names can be chosen to reflect the colors or the name of the team's sponsors. An example of this choice in name was the Toronto Blue Jays, a baseball team owned by a brewery that had a popular brand of beer called Labatt's Blue. If your sponsor is known for a particular color, why not use that as a part of your team's name.

You probably get the idea by now. To come up with a creative name for your team, brainstorm some names from these different categories. Look at the landscape around you, the industry in your city, the folklore or myths that are associated with the history of your town or school and the associations that can be made with possible sponsors. This brainstorming should result in the creative name for your team that you are looking for. Trust the process.