Category 1: Toronto Names
No. 1: The Toronto Waterfall
We start with the weakest of our seven names, the Toronto Waterfall. The most distinctive physical landmark in the country of Canada is probably Niagara Falls, which is just a few miles around Lake Ontario from Toronto. Three waterfalls all converge in one place as the Niagara River drains Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, with the upper Horseshoe Falls the most powerful waterfall in North America. Toronto exists because of the major waterways in around the lake and this would be a nod to that history as well.
The theming would write itself, with blues and white as the color scheme and and a logo involving water flowing down from around a basketball being dunked through the basket. Using water-based phenomena is popular in sports, from the Los Angeles Lakers and Seattle Storm in progressional basketball to the Carolina Hurricanes, Alabama Crimson Tide and, most fittingly, the Colorado Rapids in other sports.
No. 2: The Toronto Borealis
If the most distinctive physical landmark in Canada is Niagara Falls, the most beautiful thing that Canada has to offer is probably the Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights. While visible from other countries, Canada is most well known for being the best place to see the lights, and millions of tourists seek out the aurora when they visit Canada each year.
This is a distinctive and unique name, and it will stand out in people's minds. The artwork would positively sing, with all manner of vivid colors and the opportunity for Canadian artists to go to work on the logo, uniforms and court designs.
The downside here is that the name itself is a bit of a mouthful, and thus would likely be shortened...to the "Bore." Rooting for the Toronto Bore doesn't sound like a lot of fun, and opposing fans and writers will use turn of phrase to bash the team quite easily.
A variation on this name could be the "Toronto Aurora" but it's incredibly difficult to pronounce. The "Toronto Northern Lights" would be simpler and have some "We the North" synergy but is not a very distinctive name. "Let's go Lights!" is not the best chant.
No. 3: The Toronto Underground
The Underground Railroad is well-known to American history, a network of secret routes and safe houses that allowed slaves to escape to freedom. What's not as commonly known is that the end point of that railroad was Canada in general, and for many it was Toronto in particular.
In fact, there is an Underground Railroad museum in Canada at Niagara Falls to highlight and memorialize the contributions of Canadians to help slaves get across the border and to freedom in Canada. Recognizing those heroic and compassionate people -- both those running the railroad and those traveling it -- would be an amazing tribute for a WNBA franchise to make.
Then add in that the name itself is extremely cool. It sounds like something secret, hidden, that only a privileged few get let in on. It's a bit long, without an obvious shortening, so the PR team would need to have a ready-made secondary name to provide fans. Even with that difficulty, it's the best option from the local Canadian names and wins the category.
Honorable Mentions: Toronto Bobcats; Toronto Beavers; Toronto Hogs; Toronto Tim Hortons
Winner: Toronto Underground