The athletic teams representing Stanford University are officially named the "Cardinal" to honor the bold, vibrant crimson color that has historically represented the institution. Following the elimination of the former Indian mascot in the early 1970s, university leadership and student bodies debated various alternative nicknames and animal monograms. Ultimately, the administration decided that all athletic programs would be represented exclusively by the color rather than a traditional live animal or human mascot, though the playful Stanford Tree serves as an iconic unofficial band symbol.