In early August, I had the chance to attend the ESPN fantasy football ultimate draft weekend in the Bahamas. Multiple fantasy football leagues congregated at Baha Mar to make their annual selections, with the help of the "Fantasy Focus" crew, to help with draft orders, late-round diamonds in the rough and a healthy amount of chirping. ("You picked WHO sixth overall???")
Among the leagues present were the "Bahamas Ballers," who were the life of the party and incredible ambassadors for why it's awesome to live in the Bahamas. Bahamas Ballers is also a terrific league name: alliteration, easy and fun to say and invokes pride among its members.
Then there was the "Nice Man League" of college friends, who selected the theme music for the Nintendo Wii as they marched in as if they were a caricatured Mii version of themselves. Their league name was birthed because, as league-member Ryan pointed out when I asked, "When someone would do something stupid, we would say, 'Nice, man,' so it became a trend.
I've been doing this post on ESPN for four years, and this is the first time that I've shined a spotlight on league names. Whether you have a great origin story or another connection, don't forget to put a little elbow grease into the league name as well.
Previous years: 2024 | 2023 | 2022
The league I joined is called "Influencers in Paradise" -- the influencer part is inspired by the terrific creators in the league, like Kickball Dad and Insane Shayne. The "in Paradise" part was a nod to Joey Graziadei and Tanner Courtad, both from the Bachelor/ette.
Field Yates made the selection for my team -- the Millenium Atlanta Falcons -- and chose a kicker in the sixth round ... I'm in trouble. I owe Field a little payback, I'm a Yater and I'm gonna Yate.
Luckily, you won't be in trouble because I'm here to inspire you with some cool, funny fantasy hockey team names. Lumped into categories as usual. Drop the puck!
ESPN Fantasy Hockey is the fun, free way to get inside the game. Draft your players, set your lineups and earn points when the pros do. Sign up today!
Player pun names
Kyle Connor McDavid Pastrnak
LabuBoone Jenner
Colton Rizz-ons
SkibiDean Evason
Dexter Morgan Rielly
Bingo and Nikolai Bluey-lers
La Femme Nikita Kucherov
Nathan's MacHotDog Eating Contest
Leon Forgot About Draisaitl
Cale Makarbonated beverage
Sidney Cros-bae
Brandon Nat Pagle
Artemi Panarinse and repeat
The Nature of Things with Nick Suzuki
Jesper Bratt Pack
William Homelander
Brayden Right To The Point
Zach What Is a Werenski
Matt Du-Shane Wright
Lucas Everybody Loves Raymond
Auston JackHughes
Travis ConnectMe via LinkedIn
Sebastian Aho, Aho, It's off to work we go
Captain Rikard Rakell
Justin Holl in the Wall
Erik Pinky and the Brannstrom
Ivan Ivan Duran Duran
Now you Vesey now you don't
A mistake plus Tyler Kleven gets you home by 7
Collin Steffi Graf
Brandon Carlo Colaiacovo
Ben Chiarot's of Fire
Not sure how to play? Try out the ESPN Mock Draft Lobby.
Max I don't think you're ready for Pacioretty
Ilya La Bouche-kin
Connor Geekie Squad
Oskar We Are So Back
Sean Walker, Texas Ranger
Michael Pocket Eyssimont
Drew Never In Doughty
Olli Maata and Faata
Nick Publix
Jamie Canada Drysdale
Adam Pelech-an Brief
Erik Haula If You Hear Me
Nikita Knock at Za-Door-ov
Kirby Dach-ed and Loaded
Mason Applebees
Cody Ceci'd on that email
Eetu Luosta Rhymes
Esa Lindell computers
Frank Nazar Deymesin (for my fellow Turks out there)
Zach Benson and Beaker
Ondrej Palat-es
Star Wars
Cassian An-Dorofeyev
K2S-Orlov
R2-DTootoo
Order #66 Mario Lemieux
It's a Neutral Zone Trap!
Alex Emperor Palpa-Steen
Grand Admiral Henry Thrun
I don't like Sand-is Ozolinsh
Mon Moth-Martin Necas
That's no Moon-treal Canadiens
Noxi Clayton Kell-er
Kitrin Adam Braves
DJ Smith Clulow
Filip Use The Forceberg
John TaBarriss Offee
Use the Schmaltz! (for the Spaceballs fans)
Din Tristan Djarin
Kayden GroGuhle
StewJon Klingberg
Chris Cooper-alls
If you want to hear Arda talk about a galaxy far, far away, check out ESPN Presents: Never Tell Me The Odds, a podcast about all the latest Star Wars news and reviews.
WWE
Seth Jones Rollins
Dylan GUENTHER... THE RINK GENERAL
Logan Paul Kariya
Sami Zayn Parekh
Kevin Alex Steen Owens
Mr. Quinn Hughes
CM Pionk
Rowdy Roddy Sniper
K'Andre The Giant
Sycho Sid the Kid
SummerSlafkovsky
Survivor S-Erie Otters
Paul Hyman
Kevin PS Hayes
Made it this far? Create your own league with your own rules and play against your friends today.
Dale Hunter Hearst Helmsley
Big E-hlers
Xavier Miles Woods
Kofi Kingston Frontenacs
Charlotte Checkers
Banger after Banger Seamus Casey
Brock Kay-Faber
Joel Armia and Hammer
Arda appeared in WWE as "Kyle Edwards" and still writes about the squared circle here on ESPN.
Download the ESPN Fantasy Sports app and have every player right at your fingertips. Available on the App Store and Google Play.
The 'Fantasy Focus' crew but with wrestling-inspired names
Mike Clay-more
Field UnderYater
Stephania Ring The Bell
Daniel Atomic Dopp
Liz WrestlepaLoza
You can find Arda Öcal hosting "The Drop," "SportsCenter," and more. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @Arda.