why is it called pickleball

The name "pickleball" originates from the term "pickle boat," used in rowing crew where a boat was crewed by leftover rowers from other boats. Joan Pritchard, wife of co-inventor Joel Pritchard, coined the name because the game combined elements of different sports, much like a pickle boat is made up of a mix of rowers. Although a popular story suggests the game was named after the Pritchard family's dog named Pickles, the dog was actually born after the game was already named. The Pritchard family confirmed that the dog was named after the game, not the other way around. Another less common theory is that the game was named "pickleball" because the creator enjoyed hitting shots that put opponents "in a pickle," or a tough situation, but the "pickle boat" origin is the most widely accepted.