Premier League 2024-25: All club's nicknames explained

Nicknames have become a common thing in world football over the years.

The 2024-25 season of the Premier League is right around the corner. The biggest domestic league in world football is about to set on another exciting adventure. 

Over the years, nicknames have become a common thing in the world of football. Whether it be opposition fans giving a team a derogatory name in order to annoy their rival fans or a name from the supporters themselves, keen to make the club their own. Virtually all football teams have a nickname. 

So today, we have brought you a list of the nicknames of all Premier League clubs. We have also cracked down the meanings of these nicknames. 

20. Arsenal: Gunners

The nickname is a reference to the club’s origins, having been formed by workers from the Royal Arsenal armament factory in Woolwich, which produced munitions, weapons (such as artillery and small arms) and explosives.

19. Aston Villa: The Villans

Aston Villa’s nickname finds its reference in Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel. It was a cricket club whose players founded the Egnlish football team. The ‘Villans’ is mostly confused with the word ‘Villains’.

18. Brighton: Seagulls

Brighton’s nickname has a very interesting story about it. The club’s first nickname was the ‘Dolphins’, coined in the 1970s. One Christmas Eve, a group of regular Brighton fans made up a plan to respond to Palace fans chanting “Eagles, Eagles” by saying “Seagulls, Seagulls.” The nickname swept through the fan base and in 1977 a Seagull was added to the badge.

17. Bournemouth: The Cherries

Bournemouth FC got its nickname from the cherry-red striped shirts that the team plays in. Perhaps less plausible, because Dean Court (Bournemouth’s home ground) was built adjacent to the Cooper-Dean estate, which, it is believed, may have contained many cherry trees.

16. Brentford FC: The Bees

This has been the club’s nickname since the 1890s when a group of students started shouting “Come on you, Bs” in support of a friend who was playing for Brentford. In 1971, owing to its popularity, a bee was added to the club’s badge.

15. Chelsea FC: The Blues

Chelsea have always worn blue shirts. Although they originally used the paler eton blue. It was taken from the racing colours of the then club president, Earl Cadogan, and was worn with white shorts and dark blue or black socks. The Blue in Chelsea’s crest also adds to the credibility of the nickname. 

14. Crystal Palace: The Eagles

From their inception, the team has been known as ‘Palace‘, but also ‘The Crystals’ and ‘The Glaziers’, because of the association with the glass building in Hyde Park, London. That latter nickname stuck until 1973 when flamboyant manager Malcolm Allison decided it was too fragile. He insisted on the more aggressive ‘Eagles’. 

13. Everton: The Toffees

The ‘Toffees’ nickname originated very early in the history of the club. Its inception is still argued over with two local rival toffee shops playing a large role in the club’s early history. Both Ye Anciente Everton Toffee House and Old Mother Nobletts Toffee Shop claim to have started off the nickname.

12. Fulham: The Cottagers

The nickname ‘The Cottagers’ comes from Fulham’s home ground. The stadium is called Craven Cottage and the players who play there are called The Cottagers by the supporters.

11. Ipswich Town: The Tractor Boys

The nickname is an example of self-deprecating humour referring to Ipswich’s agricultural heritage. The origins of the nickname are not certain, but the first generally accepted use of the nickname appeared at a losing away game at Birmingham City late in the 1998-99 season. There the home fans were chanting “no noise from the Tractor Boys”, a name which stuck.

10. Leicester City: The Foxes

Leicestershire’s (The County in which the club is situated) fame as a fox-hunting hub inspired the nickname and choice of the club’s emblem, with a simple fox design appearing on the club’s shirts for the first time in 1948.

9. Liverpool: The Reds

Liverpool’s nickname finds its origin in the club’s shift to an all-red attire in the 1890s. The tale goes that legendary manager Bill Shankly was the founder of the all-red initiative.

8. Man City: Citizens

The nickname “The Citizens” is believed to reflect the club’s close ties and service to the local community in Manchester. It suggests an inclusive spirit, representing every individual who supports or is a part of Manchester City.

7. Manchester United: The Red Devils

United’s nickname comes from the legendary manager Matt Busby, who drew inspiration from the English rugby side Salford that had toured France in the 1930s. Their kit consisted of a red shirt, with the French press branding them as “Les Diables Rouges” – which translates to “the Red Devils”.

6. Newcastle United: The Magpies

Newcastle fans are called Magpies, which is due to the club’s iconic magpie-styled black and white kit. They are also often referred to as The Toon Army or the Geordies.

5. Nottingham Forest: The Garibaldis

From the beginning, Forest dressed in ‘Garibaldi red’ shirts. This was named after the leader of the Italian freedom fighters known as the redshirts, who were universally popular in England at the time.

4. Southampton: The Saints

Southampton have been nicknamed “The Saints” because of the club’s beginnings as a church football team at St Mary’s Church.

3. West Ham United FC: The Hammers / The Irons

West Ham have two nicknames, ‘The Irons’ and ‘The Hammers’. Both of these names are related to their original name which was ‘Thames Ironworks FC’. On the club badge, you can see two hammers, which relate to the club’s industrial past.

2. Tottenham FC: The Lilywhites

Tottenham are nicknamed the Lilywhites, because of their traditional all-white home kit. This clean and simple design was adopted in the early 20th century and has since become a defining aspect of the club’s identity.

1. Wolverhampton Wanderers FC: The Wolves

The nickname is derived directly from the name of the club city ‘Wolverhampton’ and has been shortened to ‘Wolves‘ over the years.

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