the word "yankee" (slang for "american") and the "uncle sam" top hat, make up part of what they are all about. as with the more common use of the term "yankee", the team name is more often called "the yanks". their most commonly used "unofficial" nickname is "the bronx bombers", or simply "the bombers". this nickname was given to them by the press a long time ago. it refers to their ability to hit home runs a lot (a home run is sometimes called a "bomb"). a less used nickname is "the pinstripers", for their well-known uniform style.