Some people might be dumbfounded why some universities founded by religious organizations dare to use the terms “devils” or “demons” as their monikers and mascots in athletic endeavors. For obvious reasons, these names sound inappropriate for educational institutions. However, some have deeper meanings hidden in its history.
Duke University is one of these “devil” universities, famous for its Blue Devils. Its sports logo features the capital letter “D” in blue text with a very scheming devil at the middle that resembles The Joker character found in a deck of playing card.
Although the Blue Devils logo is one of the famous icons today, its history is virtually forgotten. According to Duke University’s Archives, the name was inspired by the French soldiers popularly known as the “les Diables Bleus” or Blue Devils. This group is distinguished for its courage, strength, unique military training and catchy blue uniform with beret and cape.
In 1921, the student newspaper launched a campaign to create a catchy name for the university and use its school color of dark blue as part of the guidelines. Blue Devils emerged the popular choice against other monikers such as Blue Titans, Blue Eagles, Polar Bears, Royal Blazes, or Blue Warriors. Surprisingly, this chosen name did not encounter any trouble or opposition even from the school administration.
