The Patriots are named for a regional historical reference to the American Revolution, reflecting the branding chosen when the team was formed in the Boston area and later moved to Foxborough to represent a broader New England region.

• Origin of the name: The franchise was founded in 1959 in Boston and the name “Patriots” was selected to honor the colonial Patriots who fought for independence during the Revolutionary War.

• Why the broader label “New England”: After relocating to Foxborough in 1971, the team adopted the New England Patriots to represent the wider New England region, not just Boston, Massachusetts.

• Naming process context: A panel of local sports journalists helped narrow the choice to “Patriots,” after considering other options; the name was officially adopted in 1960 as Boston Patriots and later revised to New England Patriots in 1971.

Context and details

• The team’s original logo and branding were tied to colonial-era imagery and symbols, aligning with the theme of independence that the name evokes.

• The name shift to New England was primarily geographic branding to broaden appeal across the broader regional fan base as the franchise sought growth beyond the city of Boston.

If you’d like, I can pull more primary sources or summarize official team histories to provide precise dates and quotes.