President Obama understands the concerns of those who find the Washington Redskins’ name offensive, and said he would consider changing the name if he were the owner.

“I don’t know whether our attachment to a particular name should override the real legitimate concerns that people have about these things,” the president told the Associated Press in an interview on Friday. President Obama said that Redskins name offends “a sizeable group of people.”

In the most recent poll on the subject, conducted by YouGov, 78 percent of respondents do not find the name offensive, and just 16 percent do. The president did say he doesn’t believe the Redskins and their fans are trying to offend American Indians with the name.

A plaintiff in the case to bar the team from having trademark protection over the name praised President Obama for his statements. “What a prudent and wise use of the bully pulpit,” she said. “I am so glad that he said that and I hope that people hear a reasoned response from the president and will pay attention to this issue.”