Our cougar mascot is always around campus showing Kean pride and cheering for our sports teams. Many may have wondered what their name must be? Ken? Roary?

According to a video recently released by Kean University our cougar doesn’t have a name yet. Kean University is excited to share this experience with our community and is now taking suggestions on a offical name for our cougar mascot.

This opportunity is opened to all students, faculty, alumni and staff with a prize given to a lucky winner. All participants with ideas should send their requests through this form by Monday, Jan. 31.

The form was sent to all students via email through Kean News. It consists of participants inputting their information and sharing three name ideas, preferably gender neutral because our mascot represents Kean students.

Our faculty members and students here at Kean are looking forward to the cougar finally having a name.

Director of the Miron Student Center Kerrin Lyles stated “When I saw the president’s Instagram post about naming the cougar I was very excited, I think it is about time that we give our cougar a name that people can identify with. The cougar naming campaign is a great way to get our current students and alumni involved. We tried this about 10 years ago but didn’t get much traction at the time. I am hoping that people will have fun with it. I am very interested in seeing all of the creative names that people come up with.

Lyles also stated he would name the cougar “Keenan” or “Kenny” because “those names are a play on the university’s name and flow together pretty well.”

Sophmore and biology health major Deshawn Kellman said “Based on the current circumstances of the pandemic, I feel that giving students an initiative to create something as a community will create more spirit within the university.”

Participants must consider that our cougar is fierce, yet supportive so all names must be appropriate and extra points if it is unisex. Winners will receive a free sweatshirt with a shoutout on Kean University’s Instagram page with the mascot themself.

Most importantly, don’t forget to have fun and be creative with the names considering this will be Kean University’s mascot's official name.

Sophmore class president and criminal justice major, Jeremiah Monteiro shared his input and stated “I think it is well deserved and it has been a long time coming, I am happy our cougar is getting an official name.”

Well-deserved Indeed!