Alex ‘A-Rod’ Rodriguez may be a household name in 2022, but there was a time when he was just another youngster from Miami. Making his debut with the Seattle Mariners, Rodriguez wasn’t A-Rod until he was christened, so in his first season in the majors. The superstar revealed in an interview how exactly he chanced upon the moniker. And the story involves a brash young shortstop, an iconic announcer, and just some good luck.

Like most nicknames, A-Rod seems more iconic than Alex Rodriguez. Names have an effect. And ‘A-Rod’ was certainly a more feared entity for pitchers than was Alex Rodriguez. Its roots lie in days when Rodriguez was still donning the Mariners uniform. Chanced upon by legendary announcer Dave Niehaus, many will ask if it really was that impactful. But for Rodriguez, it was his brand. In fact, the athlete seems to have liked it so much he has even named his primary commercial operation A-Rod Corp.

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Alex ‘A-Rod’ Rodriguez explains how he got his name

Answering questions on the internet anonymously for GQ Sports, A-Rod recalled the story of how he really became A-Rod and left behind the Alex Rodriguez everyone had known. And while it may seem almost inseparable from him now, the name was once present only in the voice of legendary announcer Dave Niehaus.

Recalling that now a memorable day, Rodriguez takes fans back to when he was just an 18-year-old rookie in Seattle. As an inexperienced player making his debut in the big leagues, Rodriguez was an impact player for the Mariners. And in one game he remembers Niehaus announcing him differently. “And A-Rod with a double!” called the announcer as Rodriguez managed a hit.

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And while that may have been the beginning, it certainly went on to be much bigger from there. The prospect of continuing with the name excited Niehaus. Enough for him to approach Rodriguez with it. Rodriguez, taking us back to the day, recalls how.

“Hey Alex, I called you last night ‘A-Rod’, and it kinda sounds good. It has a sticking point to it. Do you mind if I call you A-Rod?”, he asked. Said Rodriguez, “Dave, I’m 18 years old, I’ve been called worse. Let’s go with it!”

Niehaus has since passed, but Rodriguez will remain ever grateful for helping him create his brand. As with most nicknames, while created by accident, this one looks like it will be around for a long time. As Rodriguez likes to put it, “And it stuck for 25 years. So Dave Niehaus, if you’re hearing us, thank you!”

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But what do you think? Is there a better nickname out there for Rodriguez? Or do you think he has already seen the best iteration of his nickname?