The team announced they would be called the Oakland Senors. The name was chosen via a contest sponsored by the Oakland Tribune and the Oakland Junior Chamber of Commerce. Ten thousand entries were submitted with seven of them choosing the name “Senors.” The winning entry was that of Helen Davis, an Oakland police officer, who received a trip for two to Acapulco as her prize. The members of the committee that chose the entry were team general manager Chet Soda, Chamber of Commerce member George Jacopetti, Junior Chamber of Commerce president Hal Price, Oakland City Council member Dan Marovich, and Alameda County Board of Supervisors Chair Francis Dunn.

Other nicknames that reached the finalist stage: Admirals, Lakers, Diablos, Sea Wolves, Metros, Gauchos, Nuggets, Dons, Coasters, Grandees, Sequoias, Missiles, Knights, Redwoods, Jets, Clippers, and Dolphins.

In an evening session, the Oakland City Council voted 4-1 in favor of a measure stating that body’s disapproval of the nickname.