List of original names of bands

Many notable bands originally went by different names before becoming successful.[1] This list of original names of bands lists former official band names, some of them are significantly different from the eventual current names. This list does not include former band names that have only minor differences, such as stylisation changes, with the band's final name.

## List

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This is a sortable list, ordered alphabetically, starting with the name that the band is best known as, followed by the band's original name, and any other names that they previously used in a chronological order.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Current name  | Former name  | Other former names  | References  | Notes  | Origin

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40 Below Summer | 6 Degrees Of Degradation  | Mid-Green Pimp Machine, Urethra Franklin  |  |  | United states of America
Acroma | No Release  |  |  |  | United states of America
Age of Days | Age Of Daze  |  |  |  | Canada
The Agonist | Tempest  |  |  |  | Canada
Alice In Chains | Alice N' Chains  | Diamond Lie  |  |  | United states of America
Amaranthe | Avalanche  |  |  |  | Sweden
American Head Charge | Flux  | Gestapo Pussy Ranch, Warsaw Ghetto Pussy  |  |  | United states of America
Amon Amarth | Scum  |  |  |  | Sweden
The Angels | The Moonshine Jug And String Band  | The Keystone Angels, Angel City, The Angels From Angel City  |  |  | Australia
Arghoslent | Pogrom  |  |  |  | United states of America
Atrocity | Instigators  |  |  |  | Germany
Audioslave | Civilian  |  |  |  | United states of America
Audiovent | Papa's Dojo  | Vent  |  |  | United states of America
Avatar | Lost Soul  |  |  |  | Sweden
Axium | Red Eye  |  |  |  | United states of America
As I Lay Dying | Against The Mark  | Life Once Lost  |  |  | United states of America
The Beach Boys | The Pendletones |  | [1] |  | United states of America
Bad Brains | Mind Power  | Soul Brains  |  |  | United states of America
Beartooth | Noise  |  |  |  | United states of America
The Beatles | The Quarrymen  | Johnny & The Moon Dogs, The Silver Beetles  |  |  | England
Bee Gees | The Rattlesnakes | Wee Johnny Hayes And The Blue Cats  | [2][3] |  | England
Black Sabbath | The Polka Tulk Blues Band | Earth  | [1] |  | England
Bleeker | Bleeker Ridge  |  |  |  | Canada
Blink-182 | Duck Tape  | Figure 8, Blink  |  |  | United states of America
The Blinded | Stigmata  | Blinded Colony  |  |  | Sweden
Bloodhound Gang | Bang Chamber 8  |  |  |  | United states of America
Blood Stain Child | Visionquest  |  |  |  | Japan
Blondie | Angel And The Snake  |  | [4][5] |  | United states of America
Blur | Seymour  |  | [6] |  | England
Bone Thugs-n-Harmony | The Band-Aid Boys | B.O.N.E. Enterpri$e  | [1] |  | United states of America
Bowling for Soup | Rubberneck  |  |  |  | United states of America
Breaking Point | Broken  |  |  |  | United states of America
Brides of Destruction | Cockstar  | Motordog  |  |  | United states of America
Bullet for My Valentine | Jeff Killed John  |  |  |  | Wales
Burn Season | Smakt Down  |  |  |  | United states of America
Bush | Bush With Gavin Rossdale  | Future Primitive  |  |  | England
The Calling | Generation Gap  | Next Door  |  |  | United states of America
Carcass | Disattack  |  |  |  | England
Ceremonial Oath | Desecrator  |  |  |  | Sweden
The Chicks | Dixie Chicks  |  |  |  | United states of America
Children of Bodom | Inearthed  |  |  |  | Finland
The Cure | Malice  | Easy Cure  |  |  | England
Coal Chamber | She's In Pain  |  |  |  | United states of America
Code Orange | Code Orange Kids  |  |  |  | United states of America
Cold | Grundig  | Diablo  |  |  | United states of America
Coldplay | Pectoralz  | Starfish, Big Fat Noises  | [7] |  | England
Creed | Mattox Creed  | Naked Toddler  | [1] |  | United states of America
Crossfade | The Nothing  | Sugerdaddy Superstar  |  |  | United states of America
Creedence Clearwater Revival | The Blue Velvets | Tommy Fogerty And The Blue Velvets, Vision, The Golliwogs | [8] |  | United states of America
The Cult | Death Cult  |  |  |  | England
Damageplan | New-Found Power  |  |  |  | United states of America
Dark Age | Dyer's Eve  |  |  |  | Germany
Dark New Day | Dark Blue  |  |  |  | United states of America
Dark Tranquillity | Septic Broiler  |  |  |  | Sweden
Daron Malakian and Scars on Broadway | Scars on Broadway  |  |  |  | United states of America
Death | Mantas  |  |  |  | United states of America
Decyfer Down | Allysonhymn  | Decyfer  |  |  | United states of America
Def Leppard | Atomic Mass  | Accracy, Chemical Reactor  | [1] |  | England
Depeche Mode | Composition Of Sound  |  |  |  | England
Depswa | Carcinogen  |  |  |  | United states of America
Destiny's Child | Girl's Tyme  |  | [9] |  | United states of America
Detonation | Infernal Dream  |  |  |  | The Netherlands
DevilDriver | Deathride  |  |  |  | United states of America
The Dillinger Escape Plan | Arcane  |  |  |  | United states of America
Dishwalla | Life Talking  | Dish  |  |  | United states of America
Disturbed | Brawl  |  |  |  | United states of America
Dog Fashion Disco | Hug The Retard  |  |  |  | United states of America
doubleDrive | MK Ultra  |  |  |  | United states of America
Downset | Social Justice  |  |  |  | United states of America
Dust for Life | Bacchanal  |  |  |  | United states of America
Elbow | Mr. Soft  | Soft  | [10] |  | England
Empire of the Sun | Steelemore  |  | [11] |  | Australia
Enter Shikari | Hybryd  | Shikari Sound System, Jonny And The Snipers  |  |  | England
Eve 6 | Yakoo  | Eleventeen  |  |  | United states of America
Faith No More | Sharp Young Men  | Faith No Man  |  |  | United states of America
Fear Factory | Ulceration  | Fear The Factor  |  |  | United states of America
Feeder | Reel  | Renegades  |  |  | Wales
Finger Eleven | Stone Soul Picnic  | Rainbow Butt Monkeys  |  |  | Canada
Flyleaf | Passerby  |  |  |  | United states of America
Foje | Sunki Muzika  |  |  |  | Lithuania
Foo Fighters | The Holy Shits  | Dee Gees, The Churn Ups  |  |  | United states of America
Fuel | Reel Too Real  | Small The Joy, Re-fueled  |  |  | United states of America
Full Devil Jacket | Voodoo Hippies  |  |  |  | United states of America
Full Scale | Full Scale Deflection  | Full Scale Revolution  |  |  | Australia
Future Leaders of the World | Machina  |  |  |  | United states of America
Godsmack | The Scam  |  |  |  | United states of America
Gojira | Godzilla  |  |  |  | France
Goo Goo Dolls | The Sex Maggots |  | [2][10] |  | United states of America
Green Apple Quick Step | Inspector Luv  |  |  |  | United states of America
Green Day | Sweet Children  |  | [1] |  | United states of America
Hollywood Undead | The Kids  |  |  |  | United states of America
Ill Niño | El Niño  |  |  |  | United states of America
InMe | Drowned  |  |  |  | England
INXS | The Farriss Brothers |  | [11] |  | Australia
Joy Division | Stiff Kittens  | Warsaw  | [12] |  | England
Kilgore | Regicide  | Smudge, Stain, Kilgore Smudge  |  |  | United states of America
Kutless | Call Box  |  |  |  | United states of America
Lacuna Coil | Sleep Of Right  | Ethereal  |  |  | Italy
Lamb of God | Burn The Priest  |  | [1] |  | United states of America
Lemon Demon | Trapezoid  | Deporitaz  | [13] |  | United states of America
Lemon Joy | Этаж 3  | Lemon's Joy  |  |  | Lithuania
Led Zeppelin | The New Yardbirds |  | [9] |  | England
The Libertines | The Strand |  | [10] |  | England
Lifer | Bloodmouth  | Driver, Strangers With Candy  |  |  | United states of America
Light the Torch | Devil You Know  |  |  |  | United states of America
Linkin Park | Xero  | Hybrid Theory  | [14][15] |  | United states of America
Live | Public Affection  |  |  |  | United states of America
Mango | Man-Go  |  |  |  | Lithuania
Marilyn Manson | Marilyn Manson & The Spooky Kids  |  |  |  | United states of America
Maroon 5 | Kara's Flowers  | Maroon  | [1] |  | United states of America
Mind Funk | Mind Fuck  |  |  |  | United states of America
Modern Day Zero | Mesh  | Mesh STL  |  |  | United states of America
Motionless in White | One Way Ticket  | When Breathing Stops  |  |  | United states of America
Mother Love Bone | Lords Of The Wasteland  |  |  |  | United states of America
Mt. Helium | The Apex Theory  |  |  |  | United states of America
Muse | Rocket Baby Dolls  |  | [8] |  | England
Nickelback | Village Idiots  |  | [8] |  | Canada
Nirvana | Skid Row  | Pen Cap Chew, Bliss, Ted Ed Fred  | [8][16] |  | United states of America
Nonpoint | Nonpoint Factor  |  |  |  | United states of America
Norma Jean | Luti-Kriss  |  |  |  | United states of America
Oasis | The Rain |  | [10] |  | England
Odd Crew | Каскадьори  |  |  |  | Bulgaria
Passenger | Cliff  |  |  |  | Sweden
Pearl Jam | Mookie Blaylock  |  | [1] |  | United states of America
Pink Floyd | Sigma 6  | Meggadeaths, The Screaming Abdabs, Leonard’s Lodgers, The Spectrum Five, Tea Set  | [17][8] |  | England
Queen | Smile  |  |  |  | England
Queens of the Stone Age | Gamma Ray  |  |  |  | United states of America
Radiohead | On A Friday  |  | [1] |  | England
Red Hot Chili Peppers | Tony Flow And The Miraculously Majestic Masters Of Mayhem  |  | [1] |  | United states of America
R.E.M. | Hornets Attack Victor Mature  | Bingo Hand Job, It Crawled From The South, Twisted Kites, Negro Eyes, Cans Of Piss  | [18] |  | England
Rondo  | Brolių Tautkų Grupė  | Provincija  |  |  | Lithuania
The Roots | Radio Activity  | Black To The Future, The Square Roots  | [19] |  | United states of America
Savage Garden | Crush  |  | [11] |  | Australia
Scars Of Life  | Redefined  |  |  |  | United states of America
Selena Gomez & the Scene | The Scene  |  |  |  | United states of America
Seether | Saron Gas  |  |  |  | South Africa
Shihad | Exit  | Pacifier  |  |  | New Zealand
Sevendust | Rumble Fish  | Crawlspace  |  |  | United states of America
Silverchair | Innocent Criminals  | The George Costanza Trio, Short Elvis  |  |  | Australia
Simon & Garfunkel | Tom And Jerry  |  | [1] |  | United states of America
System of a Down | Soil  |  |  |  | United states of America
Skid Row | Skip Rope  |  |  |  | United states of America
Slade | The N' Betweens | Ambrose Slade  | [6] |  | England
Slipknot | Pygsystem  | Meld  | [10] |  | United states of America
Smile Empty Soul | Hecklers Veto  |  |  |  | United states of America
Snow Patrol | Shrug  | Polar Bear  | [2][10] |  | Scotland
Sonny & Cher | Caesar And Cleo  |  | [4] |  | United states of America
Sparks | Halfnelson  |  |  |  | United states of America
Spice Girls | Touch  |  | [20] |  | England
Static-X | Drill  | Static  |  |  | United states of America
Status Quo | Scorpions  | The Paladins, The Spectres, Traffic Jam  |  |  | England
Stereophonics | Tragic Love Company  |  | [21] |  | Wales
Stone Sour | Super Ego  | Closure  |  |  | United states of America
Stone Temple Pilots | Swing  | Mighty Joe Young, Shirleys Temple's Pussy  |  |  | United states of America
Sugar Ray | Shrinky Dinx  |  | [1] |  | United states of America
Sum 41 | Kaspir  | Pain For Pleasure  |  |  | Canada
Switchfoot | Chip Up  |  |  |  | United states of America
Tantric | C-14  |  |  |  | United states of America
They Might Be Giants | El Grupo De Rock And Roll  |  | [22] |  | United states of America
Three Days Grace | Groundswell  |  |  |  | Canada
Tiamat | Treblinka  |  |  |  | Sweden
Trust Company | 41 Down  |  |  |  | United states of America
Unified Theory | Luma  |  |  |  | United states of America
U2 | Feedback  | The Hype  | [8][2] |  | Ireland
Van Halen | Genesis  | Mammoth  | [8] |  | United states of America
Within Temptation | The Portal  |  |  |  | The Netherlands
Winterville | The Others  | The Keytones  |  |  | England
The Who | The Detours | The High Numbers  | [2]
[23] |  | England
Young the Giant | The Jakes  |  | [24][25][24] |  | United states of America

## Other topics

[edit]

* List of band name etymologies

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "25 Worst Original Names of Famous Bands". Rolling Stone. 22 July 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
2. ^ a b c d e Acuna, Kirsten (5 September 2012). "15 Original Band Names Before They Were Famous". Business Insider. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
3. ^ Hughes, Andrew (2009). The Bee Gees - Tales of the Brothers Gibb. ISBN 9780857120045. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
4. ^ a b Conrdat, Stacy (14 September 2009). "The Quick 10: The Former Names of 10 Bands". Mental Floss. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
5. ^ Barker, Emily (3 February 2014). "Blondie: 25 Godlike Moments From One Of The World's Most Influential Bands". NME. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
6. ^ a b Rentoul, John (24 January 2016). "The Top Ten: Original band names". The Independent. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
7. ^ Wild, Debs; Croft, Malcolm (2018). Life in Technicolor: A Celebration of Coldplay. ECW Press. pp. 13–16\. ISBN 9781787391093.13-16&rft.pub=ECW+Press&rft.date=2018&rft.isbn=9781787391093&rft.aulast=Wild&rft.aufirst=Debs&rft.au=Croft,+Malcolm&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:List+of+original+names+of+bands" class="Z3988">
8. ^ a b c d e f g "The 12 worst original band names". Planet Rock. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
9. ^ a b Billboard staff (7 May 2014). "Original Band Names of 51 Famous Groups". Billboard. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
10. ^ a b c d e f Cicierega, Neil (2008). "Revealed – what bands were called before they made it big". Lemon Demon. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
11. ^ a b c Adams, Cameron (18 September 2015). "The worst original Aussie band names". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney). Retrieved 22 April 2017.
12. ^ Gray, Chris (9 February 2011). "25 Famous Bands' Less Famous Previous". Houston Press. Retrieved 21 April 2017. `{{cite web}}`: Text "Names" ignored (help)
13. ^ Barker, Emily (9 July 2014). "Lemon Demon (Info)". NME. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
14. ^ Cite error: The named reference `HTLP` was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
15. ^ Ragogna, Mike (July 25, 2012). "A Conversation With Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda, Plus Chatting With VideofyMe's Oskar Glauser and The Villains and Ben Arthur Exclusives". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on November 21, 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
16. ^ Azerrad, Michael (1994). Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana. Doubleday. pp. 61–2\. ISBN 0-385-47199-8.61-2&rft.pub=Doubleday&rft.date=1994&rft.isbn=0-385-47199-8&rft.aulast=Azerrad&rft.aufirst=Michael&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:List+of+original+names+of+bands" class="Z3988">
17. ^ Barker, Emily (9 July 2014). "50 Geeky Facts About Pink Floyd". NME. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
18. ^ "R.E.M.'s first ever show: Opening band at a birthday party in a church".
19. ^ Thompson, Ahmir 'Questlove'; Greenman, Ben (2013). "Chapter 9". Mo' Meta Blues: The World According to Questlove. Hachette Book Group. p. 88.
20. ^ Vincent, Alice (8 July 2016). "Here's the story, from A to Z: how the Spice Girls made Wannabe". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
21. ^ Marks (2009), p. 38
22. ^ "They Might Be Giants full biography".
23. ^ Denham, Jess (3 February 2016). "Starfish to Girl's Tyme: 12 famous bands with dodgy original names". The Independent. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
24. ^ a b Owen-Turner, Arrissia (2009-12-09). "Newport Beach's the Jakes Change Their Name to..." OC Weekly. Retrieved 2010-11-21.
25. ^ Owen-Turner, Arrissia (2010-01-07). "The Band Formerly Known as the Jakes Take the Stage as Young the Giant". OC Weekly. Retrieved 2010-11-21.