Miami Marlins
Minor league teams had been known as the Miami Marlins for several decades, referencing the marlin, a popular sport fish. There were the Miami Marlins of the International League (1956–1960) and the Miami club of the Florida State League starting in 1962, who were known as the Miami Marlins during 1962-1970 and then again in 1982-1988.
When the major leagues expanded to the Miami area in 1993, the old nickname was revived, but the team was initially known as the Florida Marlins. By identifying with the entire state instead of the city, the name's alliterative quality was lost. However, the team officially adopted the Miami Marlins name on November 11, 2011. This was part of a funding agreement between the team and the city of Miami for the team's new stadium set to open in 2012.
Read more about this topic: History Of Baseball Team Nicknames, Miami, Florida