The Houston Dynamo, officially Houston Dynamo FC since November 2020, is a Major League Soccer club based in Houston, Texas. The club’s visual identity has undergone two distinct phases: an original shield-style crest used from 2006 through the 2020 season, and a hexagonal badge introduced ahead of the 2021 campaign.
Design and History
The club’s first crest was unveiled in March 2006, when the team announced it would replace its original “1836” nickname with “Dynamo.” The original 1836 name was dropped after criticism from Hispanic community members over its connection to the year Texas gained independence from Mexico. The new logo maintained the black, orange, white and blue color scheme of the earlier concept.[1]
The original Dynamo crest was a shield featuring the word “HOUSTON” at the top, a soccer ball design in the middle, the stylized word “DYNAMO” below, and a depiction of a sun with a star at its center, with rays emanating upward through the shield.[2] The star element was likely a nod to the Houston, Texas flag or the earlier “Houston 1836” crest concept, and the design retained the soccer ball with a star in the middle from that earlier logo.[3]
On November 16, 2020, the club announced a comprehensive rebrand, adopting the name Houston Dynamo FC and unveiling a new primary badge for the 2021 season. The new crest was created in collaboration with Houston-based marketing and creative agency 9thWonder, a process that spanned nearly two years.[4]
The current badge features an orange interlocking “HD” monogram on a black hexagonal background, with the word “HOUSTON” given more prominence than the team name below it.[5] The club expanded its color palette with the addition of Championship Silver, commemorating its back-to-back MLS Cup titles and other trophies, while Electric Orange remained the primary color.[4]
Meaning and Symbolism
The hexagonal shape of the current crest carries multiple layers of meaning. Hexagons are meant to reflect strength, stability and unity, as they are strongest when arranged together. The six-sided design also nods to the club’s inaugural year in 2006 and the six wards that made up the original layout of Houston.[5]
The channels within the interlocking “HD” monogram represent the Bayou City’s waterways, Houston’s bayou system, which the club describes as “in many ways the lifeblood of the city.”[4] A lightning bolt appears at the bottom of the Dynamo crest, noting the city’s status as the “Energy Capital of the World.”[6]
For the club’s 20th MLS season in 2025, a commemorative crest was introduced featuring a starburst “drawn from the heart of the original crest,” which represents the energy of the team, fans and city.[7]
Typography and Design
Both the Dynamo and Dash crests share similar font styles that give “HOUSTON” more prominence than either team name, serving as a continual reminder that the club plays for and represents the city.[5] The hexagonal shape carries over to the Dynamo Academy, youth affiliate clubs and Houston Sports Park, creating a unified visual system across the organization.[4]
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