Why are they named the New England Patriots?

Answer 1

Because team owner Billy Sullivan wanted a stadium in Boston and was refused; he looked to Rockingham, New Hampshire for a site for a stadium, then writer Ron Hobson, whose father ran a horse track near Foxboro, MA, convinced all involved to build a stadium on land near the horse track. The stadium was quickly built and it opened in August 1971. With the decision to move to a new stadium, Sullivan wanted to change the team name to reflect the region as opposed to just Boston; he initially chose the name Bay State Patriots (February 1971), but when it was belatedly realized the press would use the shorthand BS Patriots, the name was changed (March 1971) to New England Patriots.

Answer 2

The name was chosen in 1960 by a fan vote.

Answer 3

The name Patriots was used after a fan vote.

Answer 4

They were, from 1961 when they entered the AFL, until 1971, the year after the AFL-NFL merger, when they relocated the team from Boston to Foxborough.