'We are the suns of the Gold Coast sky'

Gold Coast's home, away and clash strips, along with the club song, were also revealed ahead of the new franchise's 2011 entry into the AFL.

Chief executive Travis Auld said settling on the nickname was not a tough decision in the end.

"When the name Suns came up it was just so damn obvious," he said.

"It's a fantastic name for our new football club.

"It represent all our values - relentless, dependable, community, bold and fresh - and it has a sense of the great elements of the Gold Coast.

"The sun is why people come here."

Auld said Stingrays and Sharks were other options discussed, but ruled out for various commercial reasons.

"If you call yourself the Sharks you can't have a clothing range in Australia, because Greg Norman owns the rights to do it," Auld said.

"More than 100 names came to our attention over the past year or so, but we thought Suns was clearly the one to go for."

Gold Coast's home strip is similar to that being worn in the VFL this season. Predominantly red, the guernsey has had yellow panels added down the sides.

Boom recruit Karmichael Hunt, who crossed from a successful rugby league career to join the club, was glowing of the design.

"It's all come out well for me," he said. "I think it looks sensational."

The away strip is also red and yellow, but features a wave arching up across the chest. The shorts are white.

"We want to take a bit of the Gold Coast away with us each time we travel," Auld said.

"And the kids seem to love that one."

However, Gold Coast's clash strip is largely white with blue trim and a blue wave. It will be worn in away matches against Adelaide, the Brisbane Lions, Essendon and Melbourne.

The club song is based on a submission from the GC17 bid process almost two years ago.

A Victorian by the name of Ross Arundale wrote the original lyrics and even recorded a demo version.

Since then the players and staff have had their input, as has noted musician and footy fan Greg Champion.

In the final product, the tune composed by Arundale remains largely intact but the words have changed.

Auld said the players were encouraged to contribute to the lyrics.

"We said to [them], 'Help us come up with something that’s a real footy song'," he said.

"They all sat in a room, putting the words on the whiteboard and singing the different versions until they found one they liked.

"We think it’s a beauty."

Gold Coast's club song
We are the suns of the Gold Coast sky
We are the one in the red, gold and blue
We are the mighty Gold Coast Suns
We play to win the flag for you

Fight! Fight! Fight! Till we hold up the cup
Run, run, run all the way
We are the suns of the Gold Coast sky
We’re the team who never say die!