Picking Band Names

snail · #1 01-21-2009, 03:57 PM

I've been playing with my band for 6 months (they've been playing together for 2 years) and we still have not settled on a band name... I have come up with tons of ideas, so has the guitarist, but the other two don't like any of them.

I know we can't start playing shows and promoting ourselves until this is done... so I'm frustrated because nothing is moving forward because they're too damn picky...

How long did it take your band to settle on a name in the past? And how long is reasonable?

J. Crawford · #2 01-21-2009, 04:08 PM

www.bandnamemaker.com

Voila.

PBass101 · #3 01-21-2009, 04:10 PM

A name should be the easiest thing in the world, but I'm in the same boat as you. The other two guys in my band complain about us not having a name, but when it comes time to pow-wow over what it should be, I'll make suggestions, and they shoot 'em down. And then when I ask what they'd like, I get blank stares.

A band name doesn't have to mean anything, and IMO the best bands in history have had names that meant nothing at all. Many bands that try to have a "thoughtful" sounding name end up sounding pretty stupid. Just throw a few cool sounding words together that are easy to remember without being a mouthful for people to talk about, and you've got a good name.

MatticusMania · #4 01-21-2009, 04:13 PM

Simple. Get a band name before the whole band comes together.

I was posting in a non-serious thread about band names, had something to do with a bad called Bolt. I suggested a bunch of hilarious names. One name I threw out there was Ugly Ape. I ended up liking it. Told my drummer, and now we're called Ugly Ape. Got the rest of the band together and said "We're called Ugly Ape." It was all fairly simple.

mortemort · #5 01-21-2009, 04:14 PM

The Pay-TV Masturbaters
Sons of the Mother****ers

**funkybass4ever** · #6 01-21-2009, 04:29 PM

don't worry about your band name- as long as it is better than Red Jumpsuit Apparatus or Fall Out Boy you'll be fine

MatticusMania · #7 01-21-2009, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funkybass4ever

don't worry about your band name- as long as it is better than Red Jumpsuit Apparatus or Fall Out Boy you'll be fine

+1

Equin · #8 01-21-2009, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jordasch

www.bandnamemaker.com

Voila.

Hah, that thing is terrible. I suppose if you are lacking any creativity whatsoever however...

anthowl · #9 01-21-2009, 04:49 PM

..mkay..that band name generator is NOT to be trusted if it can come up with stuff like:

'Good Sex And The Resisting'

..does the word 'rape' come to mind?

rakirksey · #10 01-21-2009, 05:03 PM

It took my band a couple months before we had a name, but that was because we avoided the decision until forced since we had to get venues a name when we booked our first show.

I'd say if band members aren't contributing suggestions, they can't veto names either.

The one thing I've noticed with band names is that the ones you think of are rarely good. Most band names are a bit ridiculous once you think about it. You really just have to pick something that isn't completely horrible and move on from their. And really once you pick it ... people have good associations if you're a good band. They don't really think ... oh that's a bad name. Except for maybe "Hootie and the Blowfish" ...

Beyer160 · #11 01-21-2009, 05:12 PM

My strategy to break deadlocks is to come up with a really embarrassing name and insist on it- eventually the other band members will agree on something just to avoid being called "Dildo Baggins" or "Ranger Dan And His Big Dog Dick".

baalroo · #12 01-21-2009, 06:25 PM

Voting works pretty well. Everyone gets to choose one name, and then everyone ranks the names in order of preference. If there's 4 band members then they rank the names 1st through 4th. 1st choice gets 4 point, 2nd get 3, etc. Add up the points for each name and the one with the most points is the name.

It's important to make sure everyone agrees that the name that wins IS the name before the votes are counted, no takebacks. Use the winning name and move on, problem solved.

guitfiddle0409 · #13 01-21-2009, 06:54 PM

I hate the name of our band, but we're stuck with it due to bookings. Some douche lead singer we had a long time ago suggested it while the rest of the band was drunk and we went along with it. If only I could have that moment back.....

Kimpini · #14 01-21-2009, 07:23 PM

Concentrate less on finding a 'good name' and more on finding one that isn't stupid

Metal Matt · #15 01-21-2009, 07:29 PM

My band is a heavy, and loud stoner rock/doom band. Nothing but drums and bass. As cheesy as it sounds, I searched wikipedia for something like "personifications of death", and came across Mors, who was one of a few, Roman gods of death. Seemed fitting for our band, and I went to my drummer with it and he liked it. Simple, easy enough to remember, not absurdly long. I love the name, which probably has something more to do with this being my favorite thing I've ever done musically.

The band I was in before this was called "Show the White Feather". Hardcore/metal. I grew to hate the name quite a bit. It was chosen like two days before our first show. Through a twisting of the real meaning behind the phrase, it meant something along the lines of standing out against everything else, or some crap like that. Cool enough meaning, but the name was long, and was weak as hell. It never got changed because some of the other members thought it was a bad idea to change the name we'd established ourselves by.

My first band was called "Refuse to Lose" when I joined which was pretty fitting for a hardcore/punk band, but then it was changed to "Tomorrow After"... It made no damn sense at all, and didn't last long. A friend of ours removed some letters and switched some around and came up with "Romeretta". Pronounced... ROM-ER-RET-TA. Sounded cool, looked cool, didn't mean a damn thing and we where fine with that.

Sometimes figuring out band names sucks. I think a happy medium has to be found between the name not being something completely rediculous, but not being something too serious either. But, it depends on the band too.

Ronbeast · #16 01-21-2009, 07:31 PM

My first band names were :

sanitizing hand cream and the ravioli resistance,we were known by both of those names ...no joke lol

michelle_andree · #17 01-22-2009, 07:14 AM

It's a pretty frustrating exercise sometimes. I absolutely refuse to use the name of a song or album, I want something that is our's. But no matter what you come up with, just check Google and you will find another band that is already using the name.

Currently, our band's name is also used in Texas and it was their's first. We're on the east-coast of Canada so I don't think that's a big deal. Besides, the Texas band is Tex-Mex/Country, I think, we're K-A hard driving heavy classic rock/early metal. (And we own the domain name anyway)

Whiskey Jones!

Phalex · #18 01-22-2009, 07:29 AM

How about Invisible Robot Fish??

This guy is the recognized authority when it comes to naming bands: http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail16.html

Seriously, I hate naming bands. I'll take whatever everyone else doesn't hate as much as the previous suggestion.

fast44 · #19 01-22-2009, 07:43 AM

It doesnt have to be amazing-just stand out in some way so that people will have an easier time remembering. It doesn't have to be some genius title.

hell, the band im currently in is called "sleeping bag romance"

Kenny Allyn · #20 01-22-2009, 08:33 AM

You know you can just make up your own words that just sound right.

Couple of examples

EXXON ... story goes that the the former name Esso was offensive in some cultures

Then there is Hagen Daz the icecream guys no meaning it just sounds right.

A band used the name JUDGE CRATER around here in the late 80s (they are long since gone) always like that one. Has a nice sound and an ominous history behind it!

And do a domain name search ... having the internet domain name locked in, for a website is very important these days!

For example JUDGECRATER.COM is available!

... Do a Google on Judge Crater pretty cool name