Why Do The Yankees Not Have Names On Their Jerseys?

There are several parts of jerseys worn by the New York Yankees that stick out to fans, including the iconic pinstripes and interlocking NY logo on the chest. However, one of the most interesting parts of the Yankees jerseys is not what is on them, but rather, what isn’t: player’s last names. Read on to learn more about why one of the most popular teams in all sports don’t have player names on their jerseys.

Yankees Jersey History

The New York Yankees were established in 1903, making them one of the oldest MLB teams. They started wearing the pinstripes at Yankee Stadium full time in 1915, and have ever since. The Yankees were the first team to make jersey numbers a permanent fixture on jerseys in 1929, and awarded jersey numbers based on batting order.

In the 1960s, most MLB teams were putting player’s last names on the back of jerseys, typically right above the number. However, the Yankees never decided to add player’s names on either of their two jerseys. This still holds true today, as both the home and away jerseys worn by the New York Yankees do not feature player’s last names.

The only time the Yankees ever wore jerseys with player’s names on the back was on MLB Player’s Weekend in 2017, when they wore jerseys with nicknames on the back as part of a league-wide celebration. Nicknames included “All Rise” for superstar slugger Aaron Judge and “Sir Didi” for shortstop Didi Gregorius.

Yankees Jersey Tradition

Many believe that the New York Yankees choose to not feature player’s names on jerseys due to the cherished design of jerseys worn by some of the best players of all time. The traditions held by the New York Yankees organization are beloved to fans and players alike. While third-party sellers do offer Yankees jerseys with player’s last names, most fans choose to purchase the authentic design. Some also say that the reasoning behind omitting player’s last names from the jerseys is to promote a team-first mentality.

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