Why Is Georgia Known As the Bulldogs? A Look at UGA's Mascot History

What's in a name? For a sports team, a great deal. Let's use the Georgia Bulldogs as an example of that. If you're a college sports fan, the program—and its iconic mascot Uga— are pervasive figures in popular culture. Especially when it comes to football, the red and black loom large.

But have you ever wondered where the bulldog name comes from? What does a pet have to do with the University of Georgia?

Let's take a trip back in time and try to understand the origins of Georgia's lovable mascot.

Georgia May Be Called the Bulldogs Because of Yale

When sports fans think of connections between colleges, that's usually in terms of a rivalry. In this case, though, there was something more benign at play.

"Many old-timers say Georgia acquired the nickname, Bulldogs, because of the strong ties with Yale, whose nickname is Bulldogs," the University of Georgia's website explains. "Georgia's first president, Abraham Baldwin, was a Yale man and the early buildings on campus were designed from blueprints of the same building at Yale."

That may be a good story, but there could be an alternative explanation.

"But on November 3, 1920, Morgan Blake of The Atlanta Journal wrote about school nicknames and said, 'The Georgia Bulldogs' would sound good because there is a certain dignity about a bulldog, as well as ferocity,'" the write-up continues. "After a 0-0 tie with Virginia in Charlottesville on November 6, 1920, Atlanta Constitution writer Cliff Wheatley used the name 'Bulldogs' in his story five times. The name has been used ever since."

The last part of that blurb is certainly true. Whether the inspiration came from Yale, the school's collective character, or some other source, it stuck and became part of the college sports landscape.

When Did Georgia Become the Bulldogs?

Believe it or not, there was a time when UGA's football team took to the gridiron without their canine nickname.

As explained by the school's library, the football program was born in 1892. During those early contests, their mascot was a goat "decorated with a blanket emblazoned with 'UG' across its back with and a hat with red and black ribbons." It only lasted a few games, though.

Georgia also started out without an official nickname. "During these early years, the U of G teams had no official mascot or nickname, usually being known as 'The Red and Black,' but also being referred to at various times and in various accounts as 'The Varsities,' 'The Athenians,' 'The Georgians,' and, in at least one newspaper account, 'The Huskies,'" the library explanation noted.

In 1920, the "Bulldogs" nickname was formally adopted, providing a uniform identity that still exists today.

There's Also a Long Line of Live Bulldogs Named UGA

For Georgia, bulldogs are more than just a nickname. There's also a live canine, known as Uga after the school's abbreviation, who's a key part of the game-day experience.

As laid out on an athletics department website titled "History of the UGA Mascot," other bulldogs existed, but Uga I stepped onto the stage in 1956. To this day, the mascot bulldog is descended from that original canine, and they both take on the "Uga" name and receive the mascot's famous spiked collar when it's time to step into the spotlight.

The school is currently up to Uga XI, who's taking over for the 2023 campaign. Uga X retired, and the current pooch took the leash during the spring.

And lest you think that the dog is only put to work, there are some perks to the job. Besides the fame—which may or may not be everyone's cup of tea—Uga also has an air-conditioned doghouse, receives a varsity letter, and is ultimately buried in Sanford Stadium.

How Did Uga the Live Bulldog Come To Be?

So now that you know more about Uga himself, how did this particular family of bulldogs become connected with Georgia football? Rather than some grand explanation, it was simply a case of being in the right place at the right time.

As CBS News explained in 2014, Sonny Seiler, a Georgia law student, had recently gotten married and received a white bulldog puppy as a gift.

"We took him to the Sigma Chi fraternity house before the first home game," Seiler remembered. "[His late wife,] Cecelia had made a shirt for him to wear out of a child's T-shirt and sewed a 'G' on the front made from felt. We took him over there never intending to take him to the game. But after several iced teas—you know how that goes— everybody's just, 'Let's take him to the game!'"

As the story goes, that bulldog was then asked to become the official mascot and renamed Uga.

Does Uga the Bulldog Get Paid?

While Uga the mascot receives plenty of perks, he isn't directly compensated for his work. (What would a dog do with money, anyway?) But, what about the Seiler family?

In the CBS News story, it's explained that "the Seiler family has considered it an honor to share, unpaid, their family pets with the university."

Not Everyone Loves Uga, Though

While the bulldogs are a part of the Georgia football experience, it's not universally beloved. As you might expect, PETA has repeatedly called on the university to stop trotting out a live animal on game day.

"As the back-to-back national champion, can't UGA find in its heart to honestly examine the impact of its promotion of deformed dogs and call time on its outdated, live-animal mascot program?" PETA said in a statement in January 2023." PETA is calling on [Georgia president] Jere Morehead to be a peach and replace poor Uga with a human mascot who can support the team in a winning way."

The school, however, was unmoved.

"We are proud of our beloved mascot and grateful for the excellent care provided by Uga's devoted owners, the Seiler family," athletic director Josh Brooks said.