Picking a name for a new professional sports team is tricky. You want to do something creative, but also tie into the fabric of the city. Cleveland’s new WNBA team tried to do that when they unveiled their name as the Sirens. And according to those we surveyed, they were successful.
Earlier this week, we asked people to grade the name of the Sirens. Almost two-thirds of those surveyed gave the new team name either an “A” or “B” grade, with 39% giving it an “A.”
It’s worth pointing out that 21% gave the Sirens name a “D” or an “F” grade.
Doing something new and creative is a risk. Resurrecting a name like the Rockers or one that ties closely into the Cleveland Cavaliers would’ve been safer. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that there were a number of people who didn’t like the bold choice.
Overall, it’s hard to criticize the Cleveland WNBA team for their brand rollout. They’ve done an excellent job of messaging their position and explaining why they went in this direction. They’ve made it clear that they want to be their own team, separate from the Cavs. And they’ve done that in an interesting and creative way.
“We don’t want to be the Lady Cavaliers.”
— Jeremy O’Brien (@thejeremyobrien) August 4, 2026
Cleveland Sirens exec Allison Howard explains why the city’s new #WNBA franchise chose to go a different direction from the Cavs brand and colors. pic.twitter.com/tDwzvKfcQa
The Sirens will start playing at the start of the 2028 season.
The Cavs open up their regular season in just about two months. FanDuel currently gives them the sixth-highest odds to win the Eastern Conference at +1000. They’re behind the New York Knicks (+300), Philadelphia 76ers (+400), Boston Celtics (+500), Detroit Pistons (+800), and Toronto Raptors (+1000).