What is in a name? This is a question that has been pondered for years. It could mean a standard to live up to. It could mean a less than stellar tradition. Or it could also make you laugh. And not in a disrespectful way.
College Football has a history of great names, but the 2023 batch is a really good list. Ranker.com has listed the 50 funniest names in college football from the 2022 season. I thought it’d be fun to take their list and build off it with college football’s best names for the 2023 season. There will be no discrimination here. Power 5 or MAC players, if your name is funny it stands on it’s own. Your conference’s television contract won’t gain you any preferential treatment. The barometer is making me laugh, not where you play or how good you are.
Some of the best names in college football that we lost from 2022 to 2023 include Tank Bigsby, Thunder Justice-Keck, and Boogie Knight. For what it’s worth Thunder Justice-Keck is an all-time name and should be signed by a CFL or XFL team based on the name alone.
Some of the highly rated prospects coming out of high school stick out early in the recruiting process. Whether it’s funny or just unique, a name that stands out seems to elevate to profile around a prospect. I’m looking at you, General Booty. The season is still a ways away, but let’s start looking at the best names in college football for the 2023 season.
Kool-Aid McKinstry (CB, Alabama)
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Not just a fun name. He is considered to be a top cornerback prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Storm Duck (CB, Louisville)
(Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
Originally he transferred to Penn State, but after Spring Ball he then transferred to Louisville.
Shitta Sillah (DE, Boston College)
(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Played one game last year, then had season ending surgery.
Boobie Curry (WR, Buffalo)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Made Sauce Gardener’s list for Sauciest names in college football. The Thai Curry sauce.
Major Burns (S, LSU)
(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
Third season with LSU. Major is majoring in Sports Administration.
Squirrel White (WR, Tennessee)
(Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Not his ‘real’ name. Nickname originated from his great grandmother, who called him “Squirrel” as an infant after he moved simultaneously with a squirrel in her garden.
Kavosiey Smoke (RB, Colorado)
(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Since everyone pronounces his first name wrong, he’d rather people just call him ‘smoke’.
Tiger Shanks (OL, UNLV)
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Tiger Shanks is Canadian. Has a sister named Maria.
Power Echols (LB, UNC)
(Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Living up to that name. Honorable Mention All-ACC (2022)
