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I'm not sure how this came up, but there was some discussion as to whether or not is it acceptable to refer to 'The Blues' as St. Louis hockey team's nickname?

Specifically: "is it acceptable for the word 'nickname' to refer to the phrase 'The Blues'"

Reference:

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  • Of course, why wouldn't it be? Maybe I'm confused by the question. 'Blues' is as much of a nickname for St. Louis as 'Blackhawks' is for Chicago, and all other sports teams. – user1230 Mar 26 '13 at 21:15
  • Welcome to Sports SE! Concern: The question, as it stands, may be too localized. Potential Improvement: Asking about the history of the St. Louis Blues in regards to how it got its name (previous location(s) if applicable) and what widely known "nicknames" it has been referred to. – user527 Mar 26 '13 at 21:57
  • @edmastermind29 I believe the question is actual toward the wider practice in Hockey of what constitutes a nickname. Is "The Blues" a nickname or not. – tzenes Mar 26 '13 at 22:00
  • Fair enough. Therefore, ask that using "The Blues" as an example for clarity. We have seen two answers that haven't addressed your question. – user527 Mar 26 '13 at 23:30
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I think that the question being asked here is more of the form:

Given a Sports Team Name of the form - 'Location Name' + 'X' (e.g. St. Louis Blues, L.A. Lakers, Miami Marlins), is it appropriate to refer the component of the name represented by 'X' as a 'nickname.'

I would be inclined to say no as a 'nickname' implies that it is a shorthand for a 'formal name.' (e.g. Jim instead of James.) The name of the NHL Hockey Team in St. Louis is not anything other than "The Blues," though nicknames for that exist. In fact, the only team I can think of more known by a nickname than their real name is the Knicks (Knickerbockers.)

If you're looking for a word or phrase to identify that specific part of the name, the only two options I can come up with are simply "team name" or "brand."

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