The U.S. Women's Gymnastics Team Needs the Perfect Nickname

They haven't won gold yet—the team final isn't until Tuesday, Aug. 9th and the Magnificent Seven and Fierce Five only got their iconic nicknames after confirming themselves as the best in the world.

But with two 2012 Olympians and a 14-time world championship medalist on the team, it's more a question of how many points the U.S. women's gymnastics team will win gold by, not whether or not they'll win. So when Gabby Douglas, Aly Raisman, Simone Biles, Laurie Hernandez and Madison Kocian are standing on top of the podium at the Rio Olympics, an appropriate nickname should be ready and waiting.

When interviewed by Andrea Joyce after Trials concluded on Sunday, Biles' struggled to come up with a nickname and eventually offered, "The Fierce Five, second generation?" 

Gymnastics fans tried to come up with something better. Many jumped on the "GLAMSquad" bandwagon because the initials of the gymnasts' first names (Gabby, Laurie, Aly, Madison and Simone) spell out "glams." 

But others argued that a "Glam Squad" brings to mind a stylist applying false eyelashes and bronzer to an actress—not a world-class athlete representing her country. 

Raisman agreed, telling TeamUSA.org, "I think it’s cute, but that’s not going to be our name. I feel like it doesn’t really fit the athletes."

"Fierce was so good. You need something that describes the team."


Aly Raisman to TeamUSA.org

Fencer Mariel Zagunis, who won Olympic gold at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, agreed. 

It'll be hard to top the Fierce Five. In an interview last fall, Douglas remembered how McKayla Maroney came up with the nickname. The original idea was "Fab Five," but it was shot down because it was previously used for the University of Michigan's 1991 men's basketball team. 

"I think we were all really just fierce and determined," she said. "And actually Mykayla came up with that name the Fierce Five. I don't know who said the Fab Five. We were like, let's call ourselves the Fab Five, but then some baseball team had it or something, so that was out. Then Mykayla was like, 'Fierce! Let's be the Fierce Five!' And we're just like, 'Okay, yeah, that works.'"

On Twitter, Biles' coach, Aimee Boorman, suggested "Slay Squad" or "Phenomenal Five." In an interview before the team was announced, Shawn Johnson came up with "Gold Squad."

But it's probably best not to mess with a winning formula. When the five women collect their team golds exactly four weeks from today, they should name themselves. 

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