From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli, the Marine Corps has made a name for itself as it fought in every clime and place. Along the way, individual Marines and units have picked up plenty of nicknames for themselves. They earned personal nicknames based on their warrior spirit, earned a moniker for their deadly countenance, and the Corps itself has been nicknamed out of honor, fear, or both.
On the eve of the Marine Corps’ 250th birthday, we wanted to submit our choices for the best nicknames for America’s finest fighting force.
1. Leatherneck
Who/What: The United States Marine Corps
When It Was Given: Late 1700s–early 1800s
Why It Was Given: Early Marines wore stiff, high leather collars as part of their uniform. These collars protected against sword slashes and kept the posture “military straight.” Sailors and soldiers started calling Marines “Leathernecks.”
Related: 11 Legendary Heroes of the U.S. Marine Corps
Why It’s Badass:
The name is very old-school and harkens back to a time when Marines were swashbuckling swordsmen as well as riflemen. It gives off two images: The first is that of a Marine on a ship standing tall and proud in battle because of his “leatherneck,” and the other is that awesome “GI Joe” action figure that 80s kids were lucky to play with.
2.Devil Dog (Teufelhund)
Who/What: The United States Marine Corps
When It Was Given: World War I, Battle of Belleau Wood (1918)
Why It Was Given: German troops reportedly described the Marines who charged through machine-gun fire at Belleau Wood as “Teufel Hunden” or “Devil Dogs.” Whether or not the translation was perfect German didn’t matter; the name stuck instantly.
Why It’s Badass:
The best compliments come from your enemies. And in a war as brutal as the First World War, this nickname trumps the others. The idea of a hound that comes out of hell and unleashes itself on its enemy can still motivate anyone. There is a reason this nickname has stuck, even after plenty of SNCOs have “devildogged” unlike junior Marines for decades.
3. Jarhead
Who/What: Modern Marines
When It Was Given: Around World War II
Why It Was Given: The Marine Corps’ distinct “high-and-tight” haircut and the stiff collar of the dress blues made their heads look like they were popping out of a jar. Sailors and other service members started using it jokingly.
Why It’s Badass:
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. If you are a Marine, you know that the worst insults come from the people you love most because it toughens you up. And the best way to show that an insult doesn’t work is to wear it like a badge of honor. If you served in the Marines, you might have had an insulting nickname. But like Jarhead, you probably wore it proudly.
4. The Magnificent Bastards of 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines (2/4)
Ep 80: 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines "The Magnificent Bastards" Part Two, USMC Vietnam War / Recon Jack
Who/What: 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines
When It Was Given: Vietnam War (1960s)
Why It Was Given: Lieutenant Colonel J.H. “Jim” Coffee called his men “The Magnificent Bastards” after their relentless fighting spirit in brutal conditions. The name captured both their ferocity and their grit.
Why It’s Badass:
The oxymoronic nature of the name makes it all worthwhile. Let’s be honest. No one wants to be called a bastard. But a Magnificent Bastard has a nice ring to it. Many Marines have felt that they are treated like the bastards of the United States military. But to be called magnificent shows that, despite the odds against you, you can hold your own… that is magnificent indeed.
5. The Death Rattlers: VMFA-323
Who/What: Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 323
When It Was Given: World War II (1943)
Why It Was Given: The squadron painted rattlesnakes on their F4U Corsairs’ cowls and started
calling themselves “Death Rattlers.”
Why It’s Badass:
The death rattle is a sound you never want to hear. When you do hear it, you hope you will forget it, but never, ever do. That made this nickname a double whammy. Not only did it give you the mental image of a deadly rattle snake about to strike at you, but also the mental image that you would hear the death rattle of your comrades after they got done with you.
6. The Raiders: Marine Raiders/MARSOC
Who/What: Marine Raiders (WWII) / Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC)
When It Was Given: 1942 (revived 2014)
Why It Was Given: The original Marine Raiders were elite WWII commandos trained for stealth amphibious operations behind enemy lines. When MARSOC was established, the Corps restored the Raider name to honor that lineage.
Why It’s Badass:
Operator? That’s cool, I guess. SEAL? Sounds cute. Raider… need I say more? Ok, I will. When you think of commandos, you shouldn’t be thinking of people directing phone calls or an animal at an aquarium. You should be thinking of something evil, fearsome, and deadly. And what nickname would embody that more than a Raider? (Okay, except for the football team)
7. The Legendary “Chesty” Puller
Who/What: Lt. Gen. Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller
When It Was Given: 1920s, early in his Marine career
Why It Was Given: His barrel chest and booming command voice—combined with a chest literally full of medals—made the nickname inevitable.
Why It’s Badass:
A lot of Marines have earned awards. A lot of Marines have had an incredible command aura. A lot of Marines have been badasses. Every single one of them is compared to Chesty Puller. Just like Willie Mays set the mold for the five-tool baseball player, Chesty set the mold for every single Marine that has followed him. We all get compared to him, and we all fall short.
8. “Manila John” Basilone
Who/What: Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines
When It Was Given: During WWII (Philippine and Guadalcanal campaigns)
Why It Was Given: Basilone had served in the Philippines before the war and was known as “Manila John” among his fellow Marines.
Why It’s Badass: A nickname earned from his time in the Army, Basilone brought a lot of experience when the United States entered World War II. That experience turned into valor when he earned the Medal of Honor at Guadalcanal and then the Navy Cross at Iwo Jima,hhis where he gave his life for our country.
9. “Brute” Krulak
Who/What: Lt. Gen. Victor H. “Brute” Krulak
When It Was Given: 1930s, while at the U.S. Naval Academy
Why It Was Given: The name started as a joke — he was small, wiry, and anything but “brutish.” But his fierce intellect and unrelenting drive made “Brute” fitting in the end.
Why It’s Badass:
All brawn and no brains has been thrown at a lot of Marines over the years. General Krulak proved that the brain can be just as powerful as brawn. Not only did he prove himself on the battlefield with strength, but his brain led to innovations. His idea for a retractable ramp door for a boat was adopted by Andrew Higgins and used for Higgins Boats at Normandy and the Pacific Island invasions.
10. “Smokin’ Al” Gray
Who/What: Gen. Alfred M. Gray, 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps
When It Was Given: 1980s
Why It Was Given: Gray was rarely seen without a cigar—in the field, in meetings, even in uniform.
Why It’s Badass:
Smoking is bad for your health. Being smoked by General Al Gray was even more hazardous than that. Al Gray smoked everywhere but also made sure to smoke bodies wherever he went. From straightening up Marines to holding them to the highest standards to smoking the bodies of our enemies, Al Gray earned the nickname “Smokin’ Al.”
11. “Frozen Chosin” Marines
Who/What: U.S. Marines (Korean War, Chosin Reservoir, 1950)
When It Was Given: Winter 1950 by Chinese and North Korean troops
Why It Was Given: Outnumbered 10-to-1, the Marines fought out of an encirclement and certain defeat while also freezing to death.
Why It’s Badass:
One of the Marine Corps’ finest moments came when they should have lost badly. Surrounded by hundreds of thousands of Communist Chinese and North Korean troops at the Chosin Reservoir, the Marines sucked it up and fought their way out, all while practically freezing to death. Their courage and tenacity earned them the respect and fear of their opponents.
12. “The Few, The Proud”
Marines Commercial 1988 – The Few, The Proud
Who/What: The entire United States Marine Corps
When It Was Given: 1977, through a legendary recruiting campaign
Why It Was Given: To capture what every Marine already knew—that only a select few earn the title.
Why It’s Badass:
Because it transcends time and war. “The Few, The Proud, The Marines” became the defining motto of service. It’s not about exclusivity—it’s about standards. The Corps has fewer people, but more heart per capita than any organization on Earth.
