LSU women’s basketball standout Angel Reese has earned herself a memorable nickname in sports: “Bayou Barbie.”

Standing tall at 6-foot-3, the star forward has truly embodied this moniker during the 2023-24 season, following her pivotal role in helping the Tigers secure their first national championship under Kim Mulkey. Reese’s impressive stats speak volumes, averaging 19.1 points, 13.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game, propelling LSU to a stellar 28-5 record, including a 13-3 run in SEC play.

Initially starting her college journey at Maryland from 2020-22, Reese made the move to LSU ahead of the 2022-23 season, where she made an immediate impact with averages of 23 points and 15.4 rebounds per game in her debut season. The nickname “Bayou Barbie” emerged after her transfer to LSU, drawing inspiration from the school’s location in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Reese’s on-court appearance, characterized by eyelash extensions and long pink nails, further solidified the nickname, originating from a Tigers fan.

“The name Bayou Barbie came from a fan in Baton Rouge. She just called me the Bayou Barbie, and my mom heard it and we just ran with it,” Reese told Sports Illustrated in May 2023. “I mean, it kind of fits me. I’m in Baton Rouge, which is the bayou, and then the Barbie part is my nails, lashes, hair [which are] always done on the court, so yeah, it went together.”

Despite Reese’s attempt to trademark the “Bayou Barbie” nickname during her junior season, her request was denied by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in November, as reported by On3.com. Facing the ownership of the Barbie trademark by the toy company Mattel, Reese, guided by her NIL agent Darren Heitner, opted not to pursue a legal battle and ultimately abandoned the trademark application.

“We discussed internally and determined that it was in Angel’s best interest to not unnecessarily instigate Mattel,” Heitner, who filed the trademark paperwork on Reese’s behalf, told On3. “While initially it seemed worthy to obtain the registration, Angel has pivoted away from selling Bayou Barbie merchandise. As such, the appropriate business decision was made to simply let the application abandon.”

LSU’s Angel Reese explains why she’s dropping ‘Bayoυ Barbie’ as she heads to WNBA

As Reese transitions to the WNBA after being selected by the Chicago Sky as the No. 7 overall pick, she expressed openness to adopting a new nickname reflective of her new journey in Chicago. Soliciting suggestions from fans on social media, Reese acknowledged the importance of a marketable nickname in her professional career.

Reese said in a social мedia post that she’s open to sυggestions on what her new nicknaмe shoυld be in Chicago. “i need a new naмe now that i’м in chicago lol soмething cυte that is catchy like Bayoυ Barbie,” Reese said in her post on X.

It also мakes financial sense for Reese to coмe υp with a мarketable nicknaмe now that she’s in the WNBA. She tried to get a tradeмark for “Bayoυ Barbie” dυring her tiмe at LSU, bυt her application was denied in October by the U.S. Patent and Tradeмark Office. Reese had an opportυnity to appeal the rυling, bυt the 6-foot-3 forward chose not to.

Despite the setback with “Bayou Barbie,” Reese remains poised for success, with fans offering creative ideas for her next nickname, including Chief Reese, Chi-Reese, Breezy Blue, and Chi-Town Angel.