- Sport: Basketball
- Accolades: 6 NBA championships, 5 MVP awards
- Years Active: 1984–2003
Michael Jordan earned the nickname "Air Jordan" due to his extraordinary leaping ability and acrobatic slam dunks that seemed to defy gravity.
- Sport: Football
- Accolades: 6-time Pro Bowler, 3-time All-Pro
- Years Active: 2007–2015
Calvin Johnson earned the nickname "Megatron" from his Detroit Lions teammate Roy Williams who likened Johnson's imposing physical presence and dominant playing style to the towering Transformers character. Johnson set the NFL single-season record for receiving yards in 2012 with 1,964 yards.
- Sport: Basketball
- Accolades: 5 NBA championships, 3 MVP awards
- Years Active: 1979–1991, 1996
Earvin Johnson earned the nickname "Magic" after a sportswriter witnessed his exceptional basketball skills during a high school game where he recorded a triple-double.
- Sport: Hockey
- Accolades: 4 Stanley Cups, most career points in NHL history
- Years Active: 1978–1999
Wayne Gretzky earned the nickname "The Great One" due to his unparalleled skill, numerous records, and significant impact on the sport of hockey, making him widely regarded as the greatest hockey player of all time. He holds the record for most career points in the NHL with 2,857, and scored more assists than any other player has total points.
- Sport: Boxing
- Accolades: 3-time World Heavyweight Champion, Olympic gold medalist
- Years Active: 1960–1981
Muhammad Ali earned the nickname "The Greatest" due to his exceptional boxing skills, charismatic personality, and his profound impact both inside and outside the ring. His activism and opposition to the Vietnam War led to his boxing license being suspended for several years.
- Sport: Baseball
- Accolades: 7 World Series titles, 2-time All-Star
- Years Active: 1914–1935
Babe Ruth earned the nickname "The Great Bambino" due to his Italian heritage and his larger-than-life persona, which captivated baseball fans and made him a legendary figure in the sport.
- Sport: Basketball
- Accolades: NCAA all-time leading scorer, 5-time NBA All-Star
- Years Active: 1970–1980
"Pistol" Pete Maravich earned his nickname due to his unique shooting style, where he would shoot the basketball from his side, resembling a gunslinger pulling a pistol from a holster. Maravich still holds the record for most points scored in NCAA Division I men's basketball history, averaging 44.2 points per game.
- Sport: Golf
- Accolades: 18 major championships, 73 PGA Tour wins
- Years Active: 1961–2005
Jack Nicklaus earned the nickname "The Golden Bear" due to his blonde hair, stocky build, and aggressive playing style, which reminded Australian sportswriter Don Lawrence of a golden bear.
- Sport: Baseball
- Accolades: 2-time MVP, 7-time All-Star, 6 World Series titles
- Years Active: 1923–1939
Lou Gehrig earned the nickname "The Iron Horse" due to his incredible durability and stamina, exemplified by his record-setting streak of 2,130 consecutive games played. That record stood for 56 years until it was broken by Cal Ripken, Jr. in 1995.
- Sport: Baseball
- Accolades: 1 World Series title, 24x All-Star, NL Rookie of the Year, 12 consecutive Golden Glove awards
- Years Active: 1948, 1951-1973
Willie Mays earned the nickname "The Say Hey Kid" because of his enthusiastic and friendly demeanor, often greeting people with a cheerful "Say hey!"
- Sport: Basketball
- Accolades: 3-time ABA MVP, 1-time NBA MVP, 16-time All-Star
- Years Active: 1971-1987
Julius Erving earned the nickname "Dr. J" from a high school friend who called him "Doctor" for his precise and surgical-like basketball skills. Erving is credited with popularizing the slam dunk and played a key role in merging the ABA and the NBA to create the modern version of the National Basketball Association.
- Sport: Basketball
- Accolades: 2-time MVP, 14-time All-Star
- Years Active: 1985–2004
Karl Malone earned the nickname "The Mailman" because of his consistent and reliable performance on the basketball court, always delivering for his team. He scored the second-most points in NBA history during his career, playing primarily for the Utah Jazz alongside John Stockton.
- Sport: Baseball
- Accolades: 5-time Cy Young Award winner, World Series MVP
- Years Active: 1988–2009
Randy Johnson earned the nickname "The Big Unit" after a collision with his much smaller teammate during batting practice, which highlighted his towering 6'10" stature. He set the MLB record for oldest pitcher to record a perfect game in 2004 at the age of 40 year old.
- Sport: Baseball
- Accolades: 7-time Cy Young Award winner, 2-time World Series champion
- Years Active: 1984–2007
Roger Clemens earned the nickname "The Rocket" due to his powerful fastball and dominant pitching style that consistently overwhelmed batters. Clemens struck out 20 batters in a single game twice, and he won more Cy Young Awards than any other pitcher in MLB history. He certainly has the pitching receipts to back up his nickname.
- Sport: Football & Baseball
- Accolades: 2-time Super Bowl champion, 8-time Pro Bowler, 1 World Series appearance
- Years Active: 1989–2005
Deion Sanders had concurrent careers as a professional football and baseball player. He played 9 year in the MLB and 14 years in the NFL. He earned the nickname "Primetime" for his electrifying performances and charismatic personality both on and off the field, making him a standout in the world of sports. He is the only athlete to have played in both a Super Bowl and a World Series.
- Sport: Basketball
- Accolades: 1-time MVP, 12-time All-Star
- Years Active: 1960–1974
Oscar Robertson earned the nickname "The Big O" due to his outstanding all-around play and dominant presence on the basketball court, particularly noted for his ability to score, rebound, and assist at an elite level. It obviously references his first name. He was the first NBA player in history to average a triple-double for an entire season.
- Sport: Baseball
- Accolades: 1-time MVP, 25-time All-Star, 755 career home runs
- Years Active: 1954–1976
Hank Aaron earned the nickname "Hammerin' Hank" due to his powerful hitting ability, consistently delivering home runs and solidifying his reputation as one of baseball's greatest sluggers. Broke Babe Ruth's all-time home run record in 1974 and finished his career with 755 home runs (still 2nd on the all-time career ranking).
- Sport: Baseball
- Accolades: 5-time World Series champion, 2-time World Series MVP
- Years Active: 1967–1987
Reggie Jackson earned the nickname "Mr. October" for his exceptional performance in Major League Baseball's postseason (held during the month of October), particularly his clutch hitting in the World Series. He hit 3 consecutive home runs on 3 consecutive at-bats during the 1977 World Series.
- Sport: Basketball
- Accolades: 1 NBA Championship, 9x NBA All-Star, 2-time Olympic Basketball Gold Medalist
- Years Active: 1990-2007
Judging by the nickname, you may be surprised that Gary Payton is a basketball player since gloves aren't part of the game. But the reference was to Payton's defensive skill and the seeming magnetism of the basketball toward his hands. Payton earned the nickname "The Glove" during the 1993 Western Conference Finals when his cousin called to praise his exceptional defensive skills, likening his ability to guard opponents to a baseball glove catching a ball.
- Sport: Baseball
- Accolades: 7 World Series titles, 2-time All-Star
- Years Active: 1914–1935
Babe Ruth earned the nickname "The Sultan of Swat" due to his extraordinary home run-hitting prowess, which revolutionized the game of baseball in the early 20th century.
- Sport: Basketball
- Accolades: 4-time NBA scoring champion, 12-time All-Star
- Years Active: 1972–1990
George Gervin earned the nickname "The Iceman" due to his cool demeanor on the court, his finger roll shot, and his ability to score effortlessly under pressure.
- Sport: Basketball
- Accolades: 2-time NBA champion, 2-time Finals MVP, 12-time All-Star
- Years Active: 1984–2002
Hakeem Olajuwon earned the nickname "The Dream" due to his effortless and graceful playing style on the basketball court, making even the most difficult moves look easy. It also rhymes with his first name which makes it that much more fun to say and easy to roll off the tongue.
- Sport: Boxing
- Accolades: 5-time World Champion in different weight classes
- Years Active: 1977–2006
Thomas Hearns earned the nickname "The Hitman" due to his devastating punching power and ability to deliver knockout blows in the boxing ring. He was the first boxer in history to win world titles in 5 different weight classes.
- Sport: Baseball
- Accolades: 3-time World Series champion, 10-time All-Star
- Years Active: 1997–2016
David Ortiz earned the nickname "Big Papi" because of his habit of calling people "Papi" when he couldn't remember their names. The added qualifier of "Big" referenced his larger-than-life presence both on and off the baseball field. He played a crucial role in breaking the Boston Red Sox's 86-year World Series drought in 2004.
- Sport: Basketball
- Accolades: 11-time All-Star, 4-time scoring champion
- Years Active: 1996-2010
Allen Iverson earned the nickname "The Answer" because he was seen as the solution to the Philadelphia 76ers' struggles and was expected to lead the team to success. Iverson led the team to the NBA finals in 2001; however, they lost to the LA Lakers. Despite his relatively small stature for a basketball player, he is one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history.
- Sport: Wrestling
- Accolades: 8-time WWE Champion, 2-time Intercontinental Champion, WWE Hall of Fame
- Years Active: 1996-2004, 2011-2019, 2023-present
When he first entered professional wrestling in the WWE (then the WWF) in 1996, he initially used the name "Rocky Maivia" as a tribute to his father, Rocky Johnson, and his grandfather, Peter Maivia, both of whom were professional wrestlers. However, the "Rocky Maivia" persona didn’t resonate well with fans initially. In response, Johnson reinvented himself, adopting the more aggressive and charismatic persona "The Rock." The nickname reflected his tough, unshakable demeanor.
