Bank of America now want to rename the Fleet Center, apparently. One thing about the Fleet Center, soulless as it could be, was that the name of the bank seemed to fit (fleet = athletic). At least it wasn’t as monstrous a name as SBC Park. (Although, again, sometimes it’s just the way the companies’ names sound: Pac Bell Park had a nice ring to it.)

Boston.com has a list of readers’ suggestions, of which naturally Boston Garden is the most popular name (the compromise “Bank of America Garden” isn’t bad either - at least it acknowledges the roots). To that list I’d add:

The BoAston Garden (okay, that was awful)

The Bank of America Free Body Checking Arena (since the Bruins own the place)

I never did understand what use companies saw in getting naming rights. Has anyone ever felt more compelled to buy or use something because they heard it in a ballpark’s name? Maybe they should squeeze the whole tagline into the name: Bernie and Phyl’s Quality Comfort and Price Park.

Note to marketing types: I’m being facetious.