Why is Olympique in front of Lyon and Marseille?

[Catfish]

Just curious...hey I'm new.

[FrenchFlair]

Well... it's a good question.. but i'm afraid the answer will be a little bit disapointing.

Why some politicians or foundators choosed AC for the name of a club, or F.C. or S.C.

Its just a choice... In France choosing a symbolic names for a club is not really used as US sport clubs or English clubs. (look at Danish or some Dutsch names.. lol)

But we have got some exceptions.
FC Nantes players are called Canaries because they are yellow! .. its often a question of colours. Our national team is called Les Bleus... yes! we are not very imaginative in this case (and what about the name of our biggest stadium : Stade de France!) ... ok its a real symbole now, after World Cup 98 and our victory, but it makes laugh a lot of people when it has been selected after ... a big national contest!!! :-))

Other excptions?
- OGC Nice is called Les Aiglons (Eaglets) ... why? take a look at logo of the club!
- Marseille players are often called Les minots (kids in Marseille popular language) but more emotional than official
- Lille players are called Les Dogues (Mastiffs.... look at logo) .. i dont actually know why but i can find if some wants lol
- Bordeaux is called Girondins... because the geographic department where Bordeaux takes place is called Gironde, which is the name of the river too...
thats all for L1 clubs ... but there is other exemples in other leagues

now... why Olympique!!!!
i will answer for Lyon's case
Olympique Lyonnais is officially born as professionnal club in 1950 with its new name.
It has been selected by Albert Trillat, great surgerist who proposed red and blue colors for jerseys too (historical colors of the town)
Before there were other attempt to create professionnal trough AS Villeurbanne and the L.O.U SC(Lyon Olympique Universitaire Sporting Club... called only LOU)
The 4 first football clubs in Lyon in 1917 was L.O.U., C.S. Terreaux, A.S. Lyonnaise et F.C.L.

here is for brief history of Lyon's clubs.

Olympique de Marseille may have been selected in same way i think i have no sharp information.... but i think Olympique must have been symbolic enough a this time for club names.... perhaps because of creation of CIO by Pierre de Coubertin in 1984 and rebirth of olympic games

[magic38]

Originally posted by FrenchFlair

- Lille players are called Les Dogues (Mastiffs.... look at logo) .. i dont actually know why but i can find if some wants lol

It has something to do with the fact that the wife of one of the chairman of the club loved that kind of dogs.

[Adrian P.]

But they also have a mastiff in their logo.