It seems that there really are only a few ways people do it. One word, maybe “the” or a plural of. Two words generally set up with a noun as the basis (animal, thing, place, etc) and some sort of modifier or addition. Already existing terms or phrases(Snail Mail, Slackjaw). Or something ridiculous, like the band with an acronym of various bad words with a bunch of x’s in between each letter, or like the broken penis orchestra. Another way is to make it punny or rhyme or be nice to say so that it isn’t off putting. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. Bananarama. Symbols or using non written ones like the band that is !!!, but pronounced in some specific vocals I believe. So, is there not some other, actually appealing approach. Obviously it’s hard to get away from using words and it remaining appealing. I get why mashing an adjective over a noun works. Electric Wizard is a solid band name. I get how one word works and hits well. Beatles, strokes, smiths. Especially just using a regular everyday word. Cough, Heart, Poison, Tool. But I wouldn’t click on a band with Morse code, then a colon followed by three random words in girl boss font. No matter how good that bluegrass band was, i don’t know if I’d get over a ridiculous name. Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard somehow works. But four regular words pushes it, even if they made a coherent phrase. Is there any other way, or is it kinda just that. It’s either ridiculous or one of the two or maybe three standards?

Edit: other categories: -using names of historical figures, celebrities, and characters. Using them as puns as well.

Comments

Splyce123 t1_jec9tc7 wrote on March 30, 2023 at 11:29 PM

#2,505,805

"And You Will Know us by The Trail of Dead"

And it's "The Beatles", "The Strokes" and "The Smiths".

PhireDawn OP t1_jeca104 wrote on March 30, 2023 at 11:30 PM

#2,505,844

Replying to Splyce123 (#2,505,805)

And that isn’t from something? That’s not a reference or did they come up with that? Cause I didn’t really think about just using a album type of name of the band.

Splyce123 t1_jecapzr wrote on March 30, 2023 at 11:35 PM

#2,506,012

Replying to PhireDawn (#2,505,844)

According to the band it's either a phrase from a Mayan ritual chant, or a joke.

kev_mcallister t1_jecat7u wrote on March 30, 2023 at 11:36 PM

#2,506,032

Someone & the Somethings

PhireDawn OP t1_jecb3bq wrote on March 30, 2023 at 11:38 PM

#2,506,105

Replying to kev_mcallister (#2,506,032)

Technically in the range of ridiculous and kinda in the range of using one word and masking another, but I like it.

kev_mcallister t1_jecbgv1 wrote on March 30, 2023 at 11:41 PM

#2,506,193

Replying to PhireDawn (#2,506,105)

I once had a few hours road trip where we tried to name all of these that we could think of. It just keeps going.

death_by_chocolate t1_jecbvm7 wrote on March 30, 2023 at 11:44 PM

#2,506,315

It's gotta stand out in print, be something drunk folks remember, and fit on the marquee.

Tumblebug_bumpercars t1_jecc0k6 wrote on March 30, 2023 at 11:45 PM

#2,506,357

Take the name of a historical figure: Franz Ferdinand, Jethro Tull, Crazy Horse.

ieya404 t1_jecc4ku wrote on March 30, 2023 at 11:46 PM

#2,506,388

Replying to Splyce123 (#2,505,805)

OP did say

> One word, maybe “the” or a plural of.

Which I at least interpreted to mean that a single-word name might well include 'The' at the start too?

PhireDawn OP t1_jecc6me wrote on March 30, 2023 at 11:46 PM

#2,506,404

Replying to death_by_chocolate (#2,506,315)

Also it’s gotta sound cool, for high people. You’ll remember bezelbong, bongzilla, bong ripper, primitive Man, Black Sabbath, Weedeater. Punchy and evocative

PhireDawn OP t1_jeccd2c wrote on March 30, 2023 at 11:47 PM

#2,506,455

Replying to Tumblebug_bumpercars (#2,506,357)

Adjacent to taking a phrase, but I forgot about that and using that same thing to make puns out of the names. I know characters and names of figures, celebrators and historical, get used in puns and respellings

Gonzostewie t1_jeceuck wrote on March 31, 2023 at 12:06 AM

#2,507,102

You just pick a name that everyone can agree on. It really is that simple.

The Beatles played "beat music" which is what they called rock n roll in late 50s Britain. The Rolling Stones are named after a Muddy Waters song.

Led Zeppelin was an inside joke between musicians describing shitty gigs. "How'd the show go last night?" Oh we went over like a lead zeppelin. Totally dead.

Three Dog Night describes how cold it is based on how many dogs you had to cuddle with to stay warm.

The Band were rehearsing at Big Pink, their house in Woodstock, waiting for Bob Dylan to recover from a motorcycle accident. Every time they went into town to get food or whatever, the locals would say "Are you guys in the band?" because they could hear them working on their own songs. Yes we're The Band.

The MC5 were from Detroit, The Motor City and there were 5 of them.

DevinBelow t1_jeceyic wrote on March 31, 2023 at 12:06 AM

#2,507,129

I like the way the Grateful Dead came up with their name (one of my bands did this too). Which is to take a book and just randomly leaf through and pick a word or phrase. The randomness of this can lead to word combinations you just wouldn't think to come up with.