Are you looking for a catchy name for your band? The name can often mean the difference between success and failure, which is why it is a very important choice. When you are famous, the story of the origin of the name may even become a legend. So find the perfect one!
Steps
Method 1 of 3: The Characteristics of a Beautiful Name
Step 1. Choose a short name
Think about it: How many famous bands do you know with names longer than three words? Not many. So follow this rule: no more than three words.
- People will need to be able to pronounce and spell the band name correctly. Above all, they will have to be able to remember it.
- Can the name be shortened easily? It can be useful for merchandising purposes. This is one of the reasons why Nine Inch Nails chose their name.
- Consider the merchandise. The name you choose will appear on all products related to the band, from album covers to t-shirts. Don't overlook this particular.
Step 2. Choose a name suitable for search engines
Today, it is imperative that your name be easy to find on the internet. All too common names - such as Girls - would be lost among the millions of rumors about girls ("girls" in English).
- For this reason, your band name shouldn't be a common word or phrase. A band called Harmony or Black wouldn't be easy to find with an internet search. Some commonly named bands - like the Eagles or Kansas - were founded before the internet existed.
- Choosing a name with an unusual spelling could be confusing to people searching for your band on the internet. So don't choose too original a handwriting.
- Avoid special symbols, such as the umlaut. You may confuse the search engines and people won't know how to type the band name.
- Choosing a name consisting of more than one word increases the chances of it appearing in the search results (if you opt for only one word, the name must be really unusual).
Step 3. Avoid terms with very negative connotations
You don't have to be too provocative. As the Viet Cong have learned, if you go too far in choosing the name, it will be difficult to get evenings.
- The meaning of your name shouldn't instigate immoral behavior. There was a Scottish band called Dogs Die in Hot Cars. It wouldn't give a positive image for your band, however original or controversial it may be.
- Avoid pointing out tragedies or human suffering in the band name. Also, if it were a curse, some radios would not be able to pronounce it.
Step 4. Find an original name
Avoid trivial names that were in trend a long time ago.
- Adding a number to the name is no longer fashionable. Boys II Men today would be a trivial name.
- Avoid acronyms. Think NSYNC. Names with an exclamation point at the end are also discounted.
- Adding an extra "d" or "t" to the end of the name is not a good idea. Avoid it. Think "Ratt."
Step 5. Create an original style for your band
What sets the band apart? What sensations do you want to arouse? What does your band represent? What is your audience? Understanding the essence of the group early on can help you find a name.
- The band name should be consistent with the style and genre of music. A pop music band shouldn't pick a punk name. People would be disappointed if the group name made promises you can't keep.
- If you understand what your audience will be, you can choose a name that will be appreciated by those who will listen to you. Green Day chose their name, which refers to the consumption of marijuana, because the band was trying to attract a specific audience, made up of young rebels.
Method 2 of 3: Choose a Name
Step 1. Find words that have meaning to you
Combine them with others maybe. Your favorite treat? The name of your high school girlfriend? The name of your hometown? These are all words that you could use as a name for a band or as a home base.
- A name that has an important meaning can be useful for advertising purposes. Your band name must have an interesting history, like Led Zeppelin. Keith Moon of The Who, after listening to one of their concerts, said they would collapse like a "lead airship". They kept the idea but changed the spelling.
- Make a list of your favorite people, things, and places. Do it without thinking too much. You might find a nice name in the list (especially if you combine a few words).
Step 2. Use a reference to pop culture or literature
Names like this can have a major impact. A famous example is the Veruca Salt, who got their name from the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
- Mikey Way worked at Barnes and Noble and saw the book Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance (ed. It. Ecstasy) by Irvine Welsh, from which he took inspiration for the name My Chemical Romance. Good Charlotte also chose their name from the book of the same name. Matthew Sanders took the name Avenged Sevenfold from the Book of Genesis of the Bible.
- There was a band called Natalie Portman's Shaved Head, but they ended up changing their name. Choosing a name inspired by a famous person is almost never a good idea; an even more serious mistake is to take inspiration from an outdated and unfashionable reference.
- Use lyrics from a song. The name Panic At The Disco was inspired by the song "Panic" by Name Taken, while All Time Low got their name from the song "Head On Collision" by New Found Glory.
Step 3. Find inspiration from common objects or products:
flowers, food, sewing machines. Whatever you have in the house. You will find many common items with interesting names.
- Malcolm and Angus Young "found" their band name on the back of a sewing machine: AC / DC (which means "alternating current / direct current" in English).
- Food names can also be suitable for a band. Think Black-eyed Peas or Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Step 4. Choose a random name
There are many ways to do this. Some bands just scroll through the dictionary. That's what REM, Pixies, Incubus, Grateful Dead, Evanescence and Outkast have done. Apoptygma Berzerk also chose their name this way, combining two random words.
- Use a band name generator. Some internet sites will combine two random words to generate a list of names. The downside to this system is that it doesn't take advantage of your creativity. Furthermore, the name will have no meaning.
- Random names can still inspire well-chosen couples. A creative casual name can be more unique. Some of the best band names combine two words that have nothing in common. Think Pearl Jam.
- You can also try to think of all the words you like. Then you can merge them or create a new word from them (like Nickelback).
Step 5. Use your name (or initials)
This is always a way to go, especially if your band has a front man. For example, Dave Matthews Band is a name based on the lead singer of the group and it works great.
- This choice involves a risk. If the front man were to change, it would be difficult to continue with the same name. Van Halen is an example. The other problem with this choice is that the band members might feel jealous of the front man.
- If you decide to use your name, add something to make it more interesting. Or just use the surname.
Step 6. Make up a word
You can create a new word, which is a combination of parts of others. Maybe this new term (or phrase) could have an important meaning to you.
- Metallica is one example. Drummer Lars Ulrich came up with the name with a metal magazine in mind.
- You can create new words by changing the spelling of common terms, such as Korn.
- Some bands combine part of their hometown name with other words. However, if you choose the name of a place that you are not attached to, you may attract dislikes.
- You can choose a name that recalls a neighborhood in your city. Some examples are Soundgarden, Linkin Park, Hawthorne Heights, Alter Bridge, or Cypress Hill.
Method 3 of 3: The Final Choice
Step 1. Make sure your name is not already in use
It would be a nightmare to choose a name already used by another band.
- You can check on ASCAP, BMI, SIAE and BandName.com, which allows you to register your name.
- Search the name on Google. Look for other bands among the results. This may sound like a trivial piece of advice, but many people don't remember doing it.
- To find inspiration, study the meanings of the names of the most important bands in the history of music.
Step 2. Determine if the domain name is available
The domain name is the part of the URL before.com. You might decide to choose a different name if you couldn't create a website with the exact name of the band.
- You can check the sites that sell domain names. You will know if the name is available and the cost of research is often very low. You can find many internet sites that offer this service.
- Having a domain name gives your site more credibility and users will be able to visit it at the same address even when the hosting service changes. By purchasing your own domain name, you will also prevent opponents and competitors from stealing it.
Step 3. Find more than one name for your band
Try them all to find the best one.
- Show the list of names to people you know, from different socio-economic backgrounds, but who fall within your potential audience.
- Don't ask people what name they prefer; ask what they think of each of them.
Step 4. Register your band name
If you want to make sure that no one can steal the name you have chosen, you should register it with the SIAE. If another band steals your name, it would be a disaster.
- In the event of a dispute, the band that can prove that they registered the name first would have the legal right to use it. Registering your name is not mandatory, but you should do it to avoid problems. If in doubt, consult a lawyer.
- You can register your name with the SIAE.
Advice
- Make sure you choose a name that the audience will be able to scream out loud!
- There are exceptions to every rule. Think of the name Nirvana. It was very successful. Your music can speak for itself and breaking the rules may be the best choice.
- Choose a creative name.
- Don't start your name with "The" or an article. This practice is also too widespread and a name without an article will be more original.
- Don't pick a funny name to pronounce, like Goo Goo Dolls.
- Don't choose names that are too "deep" or "dreamlike", like The Other Side of Nowhere.
- Don't use words already used by other bands. For example, avoid the word wolf, which is already used by many groups. Choose a unique name.
