Worst Original Band Names
Sometimes coming up with a name is the hardest part.
A lot of bands experimented with different names for themselves before they made their final decision. Some of the original names aren’t too bad, but you can sure see why they changed them.
Find out what these 14 classic rock bands once called themselves and why they changed their names to begin with.
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The Beatles
Before the 1960s, they were calling themselves The Quarrymen, but changed the name around 1960, to Beetles, an insect name, inspired by Buddy Holly and the Crickets. Eventually, they changed the spelling to Beatles, because after all, they played the beats.
Black Sabbath
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They were originally Polka Tulk Blues Band (shortened to Polka Tulk), then the line-up changed and the band became Earth. Earth didn’t want to be confused with another band in the UK , so, the band was renamed once more, after a 1963 film titled, Black Sabbath.
Blue Öyster Cult
Strangely enough, BOC was once Soft White Underbelly. The band’s manager wanted the band to be the Black Sabbath of the U.S., so they became Blue Öyster Cult – named after a group of aliens in a poem.
Chicago
Their name was once a bit longer, originally, Chicago Transit Authority, however, the CTA in Chicago was not pleased and threaten with legal action, so they simply became, Chicago.
Def Leppard
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They originally called themselves Atomic Mass, but changed their name to Def Leppard, which was named from their vocalist’s school project where he created imaginary band names; “Deaf Leopard” was the original spelling.
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Doobie Brothers
At first, the band was called Pud. Eventually, they added more members and acquired the name Doobie Brothers by suggestion based on their use of marijuana.
Guns N’ Roses
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Tracii Guns and Axl Rose combined their bands, LA Guns and Hollywood Rose to create Guns N’ Roses. Tracii Guns was, of course, eventually replaced with Slash.
KISS
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Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley were in a band together called Wicked Lester. They left to form their own band and met Peter Criss who was in a band called Lips – Stanley came up with KISS from there and it stuck.
Led Zeppelin
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It’s not very creative or original, but Jimmy Page wanted his new band after The Yardbirds to be, The New Yardbirds. However, the band decided they didn’t like that idea, so Page got a cease-and-desist letter. A couple months later, they had a new name, Led Zeppelin, because they apparently joked about how they would go down like a lead balloon. Boy, were they wrong!
Pink Floyd
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Like a lot of other bands, they had a number of names before landing on one. One of their names was The Tea Set, but after discovering their opener for a gig had the name Tea Set, the band decided on a new name right then and there, calling themselves Pink Floyd – after two blues musicians, Pink Anderson and Floyd Council.
Queen
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The band was named Smile, after a college project by their first singer and bassist, Tim Staffell. When Freddie Mercury joined, he changed everything, including their name, and so they became known as Queen.
(Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images)
U2
Originally, The Larry Mullen Band, that was until Bono joined the band and took charge. They called themselves The Hype, but were told it was a lame name, so, they became U2.
Van Halen
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At first, their name was Genesis. once they learned about an American band by that name already, they changed it to Mammoth.They were a cover band briefly and went by the name Rat Salad. When David Lee Roth joined, he suggested they name their band after Alex and Eddie’s last name, Van Halen, because he thought it sounded cool – which goes to show, Van Halen would not be “Van Halen” without David Lee Roth.
The Who
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Roger Daltrey started a band called Detours in 1959, with John Entwistle, Harry Wilson, Colin Dawson and Pete Townshend. Five years later, the guys came across a band called Johnny Devlin and the Detours. Instantly, they wanted to change their name to something more original. They joked about different names like: “No One,” “the Group” and “the Hair,” eventually, Roger Daltrey got the idea to call themselves The Who.
Angie Krueger is a journalist who enjoys eating to Classic Rock music. She also enjoys listening to it.
