3 best potential names for Cleveland's next pro sports team

No. 3 - Cleveland Herons

Going beyond downtown limits, Cuyahoga County houses Ohio's lone national park, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Right by Cleveland, the park is one of the most beautiful areas of the entire state.

Naming the Cleveland WNBA team after one of the many species that call Ohio home is a worthwhile idea, but finding an animal-based franchise name that is not already claimed is a tall task. But, one possibility stands out. As of the 1980s, the great blue heron began building nests and living in Cuyahoga Valley.

The great blue heron is the largest in the United States nearly five feet tall. Despite a history of being hunted and suffering habitat loss in past centuries, this heron has persevered and is now a thriving species that inhabits lands all across North America and Central America. Naming the franchise after the resilient animal gives the team a strong identity from day one.

Admittedly, naming a franchise after a non-threatening bird has not always been the most exciting choice. At first, the New Orleans rebrand to the Pelicans was met with some mockery and confusion. But, given Louisiana's roots to the Pelican, the branding stuck and fits into the NBA perfectly. For Cleveland, a name such as the Herons could have the same effect.

In the 2022-23 season, the Cleveland Cavaliers partnered with the Metroparks for their city edition jerseys. That previous relationship between nature and sports in Cleveland adds to the potential for a nature-inspired name. While Herons may not be the final decision, building an identity for a Cleveland WNBA team from the city's natural history could be the perfect choice.