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!

Pair/Group (1–10)

I’m so desperate to see you that I’m shaking / Tremble on your own (then).

In series that depict conversations through text, the sharp retorts to words are what convey the fun.

In response to the famous phrase expressing longing for a loved one, “I miss you so much I’m trembling,” it throws back the cold line, “Then tremble on your own.” It feels like it’s voicing the comeback everyone has thought of to a widely known phrase.

The content also evokes an actual conversation scene, and it’s the kind of wording where the humor slowly wells up from the cold retort.

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Green Tea / Barley Tea / Oolong Tea (Tea Series)

It’s about taking the members who make up a group and matching them to a specific category as comparisons.

For example, if we compare this group to teas, we’d decide which tea each person would be likened to, assigning roles that fit each member’s personality.

The process of deciding based on their character and individuality is also important, and it seems like the process of choosing roles would be exciting as well.

By clearly conveying which series the theme is unified under, you can showcase the group’s closeness to others and emphasize the strength of your bond.

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Waiting for my prince ♡ He’s not coming, though! ★

These phrases depict a flashy appeal that doesn’t seem related to the event, followed by a biting comeback.

The dynamic—cuteness pushed to the forefront, then coolly cut down—makes it funny.

The contrast between the “♡” and the “★” is key, too: the sharp retort is forcibly brightened, showcasing the pair’s easygoing relationship.

It’s a phrase where it’s crucial to decide which lines to spotlight and from what angle and with what intensity to deliver the comeback.

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Please give me height / I’ll give you height

Both tall and short people may have their own insecurities.

These words convey a sense of empathy and mutual encouragement for those feelings.

People who wish they were a bit taller can hold up a sign saying “Please give me height,” while those who wouldn’t mind being a little shorter can say “I’ll give you some height,” so you can show that you understand each other’s feelings.

By expressing in words how well your thoughts align, you can highlight the connection and strength of the bond between you.

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Pairs/Groups (11–20)

Kinoko no Yama / Takenoko no Sato

Try using something that comes as a pair for your jersey names with a friend to feel that “two-as-one” team spirit! For those who love sweets, we recommend “Kinoko no Yama” and “Takenoko no Sato.” Since debates often arise over which side you’re on, these two snacks are commonly seen as a set! Discuss together and decide who will be the mushroom and who will be the bamboo shoot.

It’s a jersey name idea that’s playfully topical while also having a cute charm.

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Telepathy / Transmission of the mind

How about using the first and second halves of a four-character idiom as matching nicknames on your backs with friends? You can choose any idiom you like, but some of you might be thinking, “If we’re doing it anyway, I want words that have meaning and match with my friend.” In that case, we recommend “以心” and “伝心.” It’s a perfect phrase for friends who are truly in sync! When you take a photo that shows the names on your backs, be mindful of your positions so that it reads as “以心伝心.”

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Hane Keisuke

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Angel/Demon

There’s that “angel character” and “little devil character” vibe, right? On YOASOBI’s stage at the 2023 Red and White Song Battle (Kōhaku Uta Gassen), Kanna Hashimoto and Ano performed together, and people were buzzing about them as an angel and a devil.

So if you have a friend whose personality is the opposite of yours, try putting “angel” and “devil” in your back names.

It might feel more fitting to let the friends around you decide who’s the angel and who’s the devil rather than deciding it yourselves!

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Hane Keisuke

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