When it comes to team names, sports can get very strange. The San Diego Padres, for instance, are named with the Spanish word for “Father.” The Houston Texans serve as an eternal reminder that yes, Houston is indeed located in Texas. Let’s not even get into putting the words “Utah” and “Jazz” together. However, if you thought that the names couldn’t get more interesting then you haven’t heard of these minor league baseball team names.

Minor League Baseball Team Names

Welcome to the world of minor league baseball. Here’s a biscuit. Have fun.

El Paso Chihuahuas

The first on this list of odd, wacky and downright weird minor league baseball team names is a breed of very small dog. Specifically, a chihuahua. The El Paso Chihuahuas.

The Chihuahuas, the Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Fathers – er, Padres – began in 2014 and was chosen in a “Name the Team” contest. Chihuahuas beat out the Aardvarks, Sun Dogs, Buckaroos and Desert Gators. The name was met with a lot of hate from some fans.

But, face it, though they may be tiny, chihuahuas are fierce. If their loud, ferocious yapping won’t strike fear into the hearts of the enemy, nothing will. Besides, chihuahuas fit the regional flavor of El Paso perfectly. It’s so close to Juarez, Mexico, that they might as well be the same city, so a breed of dog generally accepted as coming from Mexico is only fitting.

Savannah Bananas

While there are chihuahuas in El Paso, there are, in fact, no bananas grown in Savannah. So why is their minor league baseball team called the Savannah Bananas?

The name was chosen in yet another “Name the Team” contest just because, well, it’s fun to say. There’s no arguing with that. Besides, though bananas aren’t grown in Savannah, they can still be found there – in the local grocery store. And that’s one tough-looking banana.

Albuquerque Isotopes

Isotopes are atoms of an element with a different number of neutrons. Interesting choice for a team name. Also, the team’s logo – depicting an atom, but with baseballs as electrons and a letter “A” as the nucleus – is extremely cool.

However, there is much more to their name than just “science is awesome.”

In an episode of “The Simpsons,” the Springfield baseball team, also called the Isotopes, almost moved to Albuquerque. Though the threatened move of the fictional team never came to fruition, the Albuquerque Isotopes reflect what could’ve been.

Akron RubberDucks

And so we move from dogs to fruit to cartoons to…ducks.

Once called the Akron Aeros – not a bad name, itself – the team changed to the Akron RubberDucks in 2013. Though an image of a small yellow bathtub toy immediately comes to mind, the RubberDucks tries to be a bit cooler than that.

The team sports a logo of a snarling black duck with tire treads. The “rubber” part of the name refers to Akron’s longstanding nickname as “The Rubber Capital of the World.” It’s still home to Goodyear headquarters. The duck part is just, well, fun.

At least it’s memorable. The RubberDucks may not exactly be intimidating, but it’s not the kind of thing you’re going to forget anytime soon.

Hartford Yard Goats

Speaking of things you won’t soon forget: How about a goat sitting out in the yard for no apparent reason? That’s the image that springs to mind when you hear the name “Hartford Yard Goats.” As it turns out, though, that’s not the meaning behind the name at all.

A “yard goat” is part of train terminology, referring to “an engine that switches a train to get it ready for another locomotive to take over.” However, the team clearly follows the motif of an actual goat. Perhaps it’s just be too awkward for people to dress up as trains.

Batavia Muckdogs

If a train is an awkward thing to name your team after, the Batavia Muckdogs are partially named after something even more awkward: Dirt.

Batavia, New York, is famous for its “mucklands” – areas of fertile soil, perfect for growing onions. Legend has it, ferocious dogs live in the mucklands, so Batavia chose to name its baseball team after dogs that live in the dirt.

Hey, for all we know, the mucklands are haunted by roving bands of wild chihuahuas. Wouldn’t that be terrifying?

Fort Wayne TinCaps

It’s gets even better in Indiana. The mascot of the Fort Wayne TinCaps? It’s an apple with a pot on its head.

The name is a reference to Johnny Appleseed, who was buried in Fort Wayne. Though there’s no proof that he actually wore a pot on his head, he did in the 1948 Disney movie of his life, so the TinCaps it is.

Montgomery Biscuits

As hilarious as these other names are, there’s one moniker that stands out above the rest. They are the one, the only, Montgomery Biscuits.

That’s right. Biscuits, as in the baked good. This name was, like many others on this list, submitted by a fan and chosen in a contest. Pretty much everyone can agree that “Biscuits” is an awful name for a baseball team. That’s why it’s so great.

The team has taken this glorious title to heart. They even sell biscuits at the stadium and occasionally launch them into the crowd. Because who needs T-shirts when you can shoot food into the stands, instead?

These names are just a few in the wild world of minor league baseball. From the Lansing Lugnuts and the Biloxi Shuckers to the Normal Cornbelters, minor league baseball is filled with some of the quirkiest, funniest and most creative names in all of sports.