Saw a TikTok that mentioned this, so I asked AI which said this?
How did I not know this?!!?!
The short version: UCLA got the "Bruins" nickname because Cal essentially gave it to them.
Here's the story:
UCLA started as a branch of Cal
When UCLA was founded in 1919, it was officially the Southern Branch of the University of California. Because of that connection, UCLA wanted a mascot related to Cal's bear tradition.
Cal used both "Bears" and "Bruins"
Today we think of Cal as the Golden Bears, but in the early 1900s Berkeley students sometimes used both "Bears" and "Bruins." ("Bruin" is simply an old word for a bear.)
UCLA's mascot problem
UCLA experimented with several nicknames, including Cubs and Grizzlies. But there was a problem: another school already used "Grizzlies," creating confusion. UCLA needed a new permanent mascot.
Cal steps in
In 1926, student leaders at Berkeley offered the "Bruins" nickname to UCLA as a gesture of unity between the northern and southern UC campuses. UCLA's student government unanimously adopted it.
The result
* Cal became the Golden Bears.
* UCLA became the Bruins.
* Both schools kept bear-related identities, reflecting their common University of California roots.
For Cal fans, it's a fun bit of history: UCLA's mascot is literally part of the Cal bear family tree. That's why you'll sometimes hear people joke that the Bruins are Cal's "little brother" mascot-wisethe nickname came from Berkeley.
Cal: Golden Bears (1895)
UCLA: Bruins (adopted in 192627 after Berkeley offered the name)
So the reason both mascots are bears isn't a coincidencethey share the same University of California heritage.
How did I not know this?!!?!
The short version: UCLA got the "Bruins" nickname because Cal essentially gave it to them.
Here's the story:
UCLA started as a branch of Cal
When UCLA was founded in 1919, it was officially the Southern Branch of the University of California. Because of that connection, UCLA wanted a mascot related to Cal's bear tradition.
Cal used both "Bears" and "Bruins"
Today we think of Cal as the Golden Bears, but in the early 1900s Berkeley students sometimes used both "Bears" and "Bruins." ("Bruin" is simply an old word for a bear.)
UCLA's mascot problem
UCLA experimented with several nicknames, including Cubs and Grizzlies. But there was a problem: another school already used "Grizzlies," creating confusion. UCLA needed a new permanent mascot.
Cal steps in
In 1926, student leaders at Berkeley offered the "Bruins" nickname to UCLA as a gesture of unity between the northern and southern UC campuses. UCLA's student government unanimously adopted it.
The result
* Cal became the Golden Bears.
* UCLA became the Bruins.
* Both schools kept bear-related identities, reflecting their common University of California roots.
For Cal fans, it's a fun bit of history: UCLA's mascot is literally part of the Cal bear family tree. That's why you'll sometimes hear people joke that the Bruins are Cal's "little brother" mascot-wisethe nickname came from Berkeley.
Cal: Golden Bears (1895)
UCLA: Bruins (adopted in 192627 after Berkeley offered the name)
So the reason both mascots are bears isn't a coincidencethey share the same University of California heritage.
