The athletic teams of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga are known as the Mocs due to a historical evolution from their original nickname, the "Moccasins," which was tied geographically to the nearby Moccasin Bend of the Tennessee River. Decades later, the university officially shortened the name to "Mocs" and transitioned its branding away from older, controversial Native American imagery. Today, the name embraces a dual meaning honoring the northern mockingbird—the fierce state bird of Tennessee—alongside the city's proud railroad heritage.