Last year the university picked TMU Bold as the new athletics team name, and a new falcon mascot to represent the university. This year a community poll collected suggestions for the mascot’s name and now it’s time to vote on the shortlist. 

The mascot will debut at the Men’s Hockey Homecoming Game on September 22, 2023. To prepare for the introduction of the falcon, all students, faculty and staff are invited to vote on the shortlist to help determine the mascot’s name from August 28 to September 5!

The shortlist

Drawing from over 1200 submissions of name ideas, three names were shortlisted. Each name aligns with the community-informed parameters established in the earlier rounds of community engagement, is unique in the sector and suits a falcon mascot. 

1. Frankie

An alliterative option, Frankie is a legitimately gender-neutral name with many avenues for storytelling. Tracking its origins, to be frank is to be free – to think boldly, to be open-minded, to seek and tell the truth. What better way to capture our unapologetically bold mindset?

Marking our commitment to write the next chapter, this is a name that subtly references the manner in which our previous mascot failed to acknowledge the lived experience of our Indigenous community members. As we’re being frank about our past, this is a name that marks a turning point for our institution – all the while sounding friendly, familiar and accessible.

Full name: Frankie B. Bold

2. Sky

Not every great mascot needs an alliterative name. So, meet Sky, a mascot who represents big thinking, new beginnings, and who views things from many perspectives. Falcons, of course, occupy the sky, which opens various opportunities to reference perches, nests, and the acrobatic manoeuvres of flight. Take, for instance, the basketball court at the MAC. The balcony there is called “The Lookout,” which immediately makes sense as our mascot’s natural domain. 

This is a name that’s short, easy to say and remember, and that connects with nature. For the TMU Bold, the Sky’s the limit.

Full name: Sky B. Bold

3. Talon

The best names do many things at once. Take Talon, for instance. On the one hand you have reference to the claws of our mascot, which suggest the hunt and battle, terms that often inform our descriptions of athletic competition. In this sense, it’s a mascot name that reminds others that we are most surely made of grit. 

Thanks to its gentle rhyme with falcon, however, Talon also hits another register that’s more cute than it is intimidating. Talon the falcon spends most of its time with its claws drawn in so as to give students and their fans high fives. This falcon can be fierce but it’s also fluffy and adorable.

Full name: Talon B. Bold

Participate for a chance to win!

From August 28 - September 5, all community members with @torontomu.ca credentials are invited to vote from the community-generated shortlist for the name of TMU’s new falcon mascot!  

To vote, complete the  (google form) Mascot Name Vote Google Form (external link) . All participants will have the option to enter a draw to win one of five TMU Bold t-shirts. 

For more information about the process that led to the new mascot, please visit the Next Chapter website.