Sports teams’ names are typically rooted in their geographic location. For example, the Los Angeles Lakers, who formerly called Minnesota home, are now located outside of a body of water.
Texas, the home of longhorns and ranches (at least in popular culture), is where the Dallas Cowboys play. Football follows a similar pattern, with Location United or City dominating the pitch.
What about Aston Villa, though? That sounds more like a football team that belongs in Spain than it does in Birmingham.
History has the answer, as it does for most things. In light of that, let’s take a trip down memory lane and discover how Aston Villa came to be known by its distinctive moniker.
Aston Villa Comes From a Literal Villa
In North America, teams like the New York Yankees boast a rich history. English soccer clubs, however, trace their heritage a great deal further back.
Villa was established in 1874, according to a Birmingham Live article. The Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel cricket team members desired a winter sport to participate in. They made the decision to start a football team after watching a rugby match and finding it to be too physical. They met at the top of Heathfield Road in Aston, beneath a gas lamp.”
Although that provides some context, the origins of the words “Aston” and “Villa” in the club’s name go even farther back.
“Well, the area of Lozells where Villa Road, Lozells Road and Heathfield Road joined was known as ‘Aston Villa’ – so-called after a large Georgian house of that same name, which stood at the junction of Lozells Road and Heathfield Road,” according to the club’s website.
When it was founded in 1850, the previously mentioned Aston Villa Wesleyan Chapel borrowed that local name. Furthermore, the name transcended sports boundaries when the rugby team began playing football.
Aston Villa Has Some Curb Appeal
And while uniqueness can sometimes be isolating, there are benefits to standing out from the crowd. In Aston Villa’s case, the club name has resonated with at least one notable fan.
Tom Hanks, for example, has shared the story of a promotional trip to England, during which he heard the day’s soccer scores being recounted on TV. Amid a mass of United and City names, the Birmingham-based club stood out.
In 2012, he said, “Then, all of a sudden, Aston Villa came up,” according to the official club website. “I thought – what a lovely name.”
But in a 2019 interview with James Cordon, the actor provided a little more information.
“And I thought, ‘Aston Villa,’ what a beautiful place to go on vacation! “Aston Villa is a stunning villa with a stunning port of Aston below you just need to open the French doors,” Hanks remarked. And as it happens, Birmingham is the location. That is not problematic, nor is Birmingham problematic. But I assure you, this is not a town for the faint of heart. I’ve been an ardent supporter of Aston Villa ever since.”
But the name’s appeal goes beyond Hanks. The club website cites “Famed journalist Richard Whitehead thinks it’s ‘heartstoppingly lovely.'” Elsewhere, “Former skipper Johnny Dixon only accepted a trial because of it. While best-selling author Lee Child think [sic] it makes us sound like a ‘swaggering bunch of pirates.'”
Although it can sound cynical, branding is an important part in the increasingly global sports world. And, on that front, Aston Villa probably has a leg up on the competition.
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