Tribal symbols & totems can be considered when mascots. Mascots come besides popular using a military, both in a big shell like the United States Marine Corps bulldog, or on the shell of single units. Nations can besides stand mascots, like a eagle, the symbol of Imperial Rome, the United States and Nazi Germany, or a bulldog and the lion like the symbol of Britain; even a continent potty have a mascot, like the condor symbolizing South America.

Yale bulldog logo, showing its bulldog mascot, Handsome Dan The mascot is non universally an beast or even individual; for instance, Stanford University's mascot is a colour (cardinal), and its band's mascot is a tree.

In the United States, there has been disceptation surrounding a bit of mascot options, especially people of person characters. Mascots according to Native Western tribes stand proven particularly contentious, when several argue that it be offensive exploitations of an laden race. But, such debates are non unique to Native Western mascots: Alfred University, a school of astir 2,000 students within American New York State has the "Saxon" when its mascot. Its representation occurs as charging knight in armor. Intended to symbolize strength and courage, others protest that the Saxon is chauvinism and rape.

Etymology of the term

Around 1880, French composer Edmond Audran wrote a popular comical operetta called "La Mascotte", French slang derived from the Provençal word "masco", meaning witch. It wwhen therefore popular that it was translated into English as "The Mascot", creating an English word for even an fauna, human, or tool which will bring skillful luck.