Let your individuality shine! Recommended back-name ideas for class T-shirts at the sports festival

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

In the lead-up to sports day, it’s common for classes and friends to get matching T-shirts, right?

What kind of words do you put on the back of those T-shirts?

In this article, we’ve gathered recommended phrases for the back of sports day T-shirts—what we call “back names.”

We’ll introduce them in four categories: nicknames/titles, self-deprecating jokes, phrases that form a single saying when two or more people stand together, names of your faves, and famous quotes.

Find your favorite back-name phrase and make it a sports day to remember!

Nicknames and self-deprecating jokes (11–20)

XX-type guy (girl)

You often see expressions like “XX-kei danshi” or “XX-kei joshi” in online news, right? How about trying those out? Fill in the XX freely to match each person’s personality or preferences.

Words of about two kanji characters fit nicely—for example, “sōshoku-kei danshi” (herbivore-type guy).

If possible, you can also make it longer, like “bunkasai daisuki-kei joshi” (culture-festival-loving girl).

Using words people haven’t heard much will likely make a stronger impact.

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Pairs/Groups (11–20)

Next, we’ll introduce nickname ideas that only work when two or more people wear them together! We’ve gathered words that become funny when worn by multiple people—some are set up like a conversation, while others assign similar phrases to each person.

It’s great for matching with friends or wearing as a couple.

For this type of nickname, snappy, back-and-forth phrases—like a comedy duo’s setup and punchline—tend to be even funnier.

They only become a complete piece when you’re together with someone, so they’re perfect for photos, too!

Pair/Group (1–10)

Love it / I know

How about using text that feels like everyday casual conversation to show off your relationship? One person throws out a line and the other replies—so the meaning comes across when the two are paired together.

For example, responding to “I love you” with “I know.” Even though the reply might seem cold, it actually invites a laugh.

That kind of cool retort to a straightforward declaration works as a playful gag, while also conveying the relaxed, comfortable dynamic between the two of you.

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kappamaki

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I swore I’d become happy. I don’t care about the age gap! ♡

How about appealing your cuteness with phrases that evoke love? If the two of your phrases are connected, your feelings for each other will come through in the words, clearly showcasing your relationship.

If you can’t come up with your own phrases, quoting lyrics from your favorite love song could be a good idea.

Wearing a long sentence on your back will also effectively express your worldview and the strength of your feelings.

Using a love phrase that conveys determination will help show your enthusiasm for the event as well.

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50% off ◯◯

This phrase uses “50% cut,” which is often used for calories or sugar, to describe members’ personal traits.

For someone short, you could say “Height 50% cut,” and for someone with a quiet voice, “Volume 50% cut,” lightly expressing one’s complexes.

By framing a complex with a snappy phrase, you may start to feel that you’re fine as you are and even grow more positive.

If you adopt labels that others point out, the negative image can become stronger, so it might be important to come up with your own phrases.

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kappamaki

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my friend’s nickname

In sports, it’s standard to include a name and jersey number, but for events like school sports days or cultural festivals, you might want a more easygoing vibe.

In that case, we recommend a design with a nickname printed above the number.

A nickname written in hiragana gives off a laid-back feel and conveys a relaxed attitude toward the event.

You can use your own nickname, or wear each other’s with someone important to you to highlight your mutual trust.

To make it clear you’re a pair, it would help to add a shared accent besides just the text and number.

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kappamaki

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Circuit OFF, Circuit ON

Wear phrases that clearly show you’re a pair, and make your relationship stand out.

It’s a good idea to use a shared word and then line up contrasting terms like “ON” and “OFF” to signal that it’s a pair phrase.

Even if “circuit on” and “circuit off” seem puzzling at first glance, they can feel like a private code between the two of you, projecting trust.

With a slightly twisted expression that draws attention, you can embed your mutual trust within it—a simple-looking yet sophisticated call-and-response style phrase.

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Total stranger. A white lover.

It’s a witty exchange that lines up two words that wouldn’t normally be related, giving the impression they form a pair.

It’s a clever combination that spotlights the similarity in sound and visual impression between “aka no tanin” (a complete stranger, literally “a red stranger”) and “Shiroi Koibito” (a famous confectionery brand, literally “white lovers”).

If you also force a reason—like saying the auspicious red-and-white imagery expresses enthusiasm for the event—then even words that are actually unrelated can be made to look like they carry deeper meaning.

The phrase feels as if the two are a matched set, evoking the idea of a bond between them.

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