New Orleans Hornets to change nickname to Pelicans, according to report
The New Orleans Hornets are expected to become the New Orleans Pelicans, perhaps as early as the 2013-14 season, according to a Yahoo! Sports report.
Yahoo! Sports, citing numerous sources, reports the team also considered Krewe and Brass as potential nicknames.
The Hornets have planned to change their name since New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson, who also owns the rights to the Pelicans nickname, bought the team in April.
Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan said in November he'd be interested in bringing the Hornets name back to Charlotte.
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8711940/new-orleans-hornets-change-nickname-pelicans-according-report
Charlotte may want Hornets name
If the Hornets nickname becomes available, Charlotte might be interested in getting it back.
The Hornets moved to New Orleans from Charlotte in 2002, and when Tom Benson bought the team earlier this year he said that he would like to change the name to something more fitting of Louisiana. Before Wednesday's game, his wife, Gayle, reiterated that idea and added that the franchise also would like to change the team colors from teal and purple to red, gold and navy blue.
Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan was asked if he'd be interested in bringing the Hornets name back to Charlotte.
"It's definitely an interest down the road, but right now it's the New Orleans Hornets," Jordan told the Charlotte Observer. "We would definitely entertain the opportunity. That's as much as we can say right now. We've heard the community ask the question, and we would listen."
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8693974/michael-jordan-open-hornets-name-back-charlotte
= new reply since forum marked as read
though the present AAA team kept the name Zephyrs, after a train that runs through its former home of Denver. Also, the New Orleans Brass was a short-lived hockey team that filled the arena until the Hornets arrived.
After the traitorous Utah Jazz* bailed on NOLA and didn't even have the decency to change the name, I proposed to a fellow hoops fan that we get an expansion team and name it the New Orleans Tabernacle Choir. 
Another waterfowl team, the Oregon Ducks, will be playing in the Fiesta Bowl.
(P.S. They changed it to just "Anaheim Ducks" after Disney sold the team.)
