22:
list only former official band names that are significantly different from the eventual "famous" name. This list does not include former band names that have only minor differences, such as stylisation changes, with the band's final band name.
38:
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 they previously used (in chronological order).
1257:
1450:
47:
965:
1089:
1058:
993:
1408:
1349:
1125:
1003:
1224:
927:
1185:
881:
1262:
245:
125:
1285:
1159:
43:
665:
51:
312:
1482:
619:
1030:
1366:
1190:
1154:
801:
679:
189:
1413:
1393:
394:
18:
Many notable bands originally went by different names before their mainstream breakthrough. This
284:
1345:
1121:
999:
970:
253:
1455:
1094:
714:
745:
46:
and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by
527:
459:
161:
79:
1476:
1290:
932:
759:
651:
326:
261:
140:
26:
The bands listed here must be notable, can be from any genre of music, and includes
1035:
733:
591:
542:
436:
380:
298:
228:
27:
584:
Meggadeaths; The
Screaming Abdabs; Leonard’s Lodgers; The Spectrum Five; Tea Set
1229:
773:
728:
499:
408:
270:
175:
102:
576:
513:
1059:"Blondie: 25 Godlike Moments From One Of The World's Most Influential Bands"
831:
787:
605:
562:
423:
346:
482:
210:
117:
1394:"R.E.M.'s first ever show: Opening band at a birthday party in a church"
1435:
849:
1313:
633:
1451:"Starfish to Girl's Tyme: 12 famous bands with dodgy original names"
693:
1409:"Here's the story, from A to Z: how the Spice Girls made Wannabe"
360:
1371:
1318:
1063:
1225:"Revealed – what bands were called before they made it big"
816:
624:
966:"15 Original Band Names Before They Were Famous"
1179:
1177:
110:Johnny & the Moon Dogs, The Silver Beetles
1118:Life in Technicolor: A Celebration of Coldplay
1286:"25 Famous Bands' Less Famous Previous Names"
8:
1031:"The Quick 10: The Former Names of 10 Bands"
1218:
1216:
1214:
1212:
1210:
1208:
56:
1251:
1249:
1247:
1186:"Original Band Names of 51 Famous Groups"
1083:
1081:
995:The Bee Gees - Tales of the Brothers Gibb
928:"25 Worst Original Names of Famous Bands"
922:
920:
918:
916:
1149:
1147:
1145:
1143:
1141:
1139:
1137:
1024:
1022:
959:
957:
955:
953:
951:
914:
912:
910:
908:
906:
904:
902:
900:
898:
896:
892:
70:
67:
30:whose members do not play instruments.
1258:"The worst original Aussie band names"
1436:"They Might Be Giants full biography"
1342:Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana
7:
1256:Adams, Cameron (18 September 2015).
1029:Conrdat, Stacy (14 September 2009).
1116:Wild, Debs; Croft, Malcolm (2018).
964:Acuna, Kirsten (5 September 2012).
133:Wee Johnny Hayes and the Blue Cats
1155:"The 12 worst original band names"
1090:"The Top Ten: Original band names"
809:Circle Gets the Square; Dumptruck
535:Pen Cap Chew; Bliss; Ted Ed Fred.
14:
1367:"50 Geeky Facts About Pink Floyd"
1088:Rentoul, John (24 January 2016).
1057:Barker, Emily (3 February 2014).
1449:Denham, Jess (3 February 2016).
1284:Gray, Chris (9 February 2011).
20:list of original names of bands
1407:Vincent, Alice (8 July 2016).
1184:Billboard staff (7 May 2014).
1:
1365:Barker, Emily (9 July 2014).
1312:Barker, Emily (9 July 2014).
1120:. ECW Press. pp. 13–16.
882:List of band name etymologies
1344:. Doubleday. pp. 61–2.
1263:The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
666:Selena Gomez & the Scene
246:Creedence Clearwater Revival
1499:
806:El Grupo De Rock And Roll
638:It Crawled From The South
41:
1340:Azerrad, Michael (1994).
644:Negro Eyes; Cans of Piss
148:The Polka Tulk Blues Band
1223:Cicierega, Neil (2008).
992:Hughes, Andrew (2009).
680:Simon & Garfunkel
620:Red Hot Chili Peppers
203:B.O.N.E. Enterpri$ e
1314:"Lemon Demon (Info)"
802:They Might Be Giants
368:The Farriss Brothers
190:Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
166:Angel and the Snake
48:adding missing items
1414:The Daily Telegraph
68:Other former names
58:
504:Rocket Baby Dolls
57:
873:
872:
866:The High Numbers
444:The New Yardbirds
313:Empire of the Sun
197:The Band-Aid Boys
1490:
1468:
1467:
1465:
1463:
1446:
1440:
1439:
1432:
1426:
1425:
1423:
1421:
1404:
1398:
1397:
1390:
1384:
1383:
1381:
1379:
1362:
1356:
1355:
1337:
1331:
1330:
1328:
1326:
1309:
1303:
1302:
1300:
1298:
1281:
1275:
1274:
1272:
1270:
1253:
1242:
1241:
1239:
1237:
1220:
1203:
1202:
1200:
1198:
1181:
1172:
1171:
1169:
1167:
1151:
1132:
1131:
1113:
1107:
1106:
1104:
1102:
1085:
1076:
1075:
1073:
1071:
1054:
1048:
1047:
1045:
1043:
1026:
1017:
1016:
1014:
1012:
989:
983:
982:
980:
978:
971:Business Insider
961:
946:
945:
943:
941:
924:
863:
862:
861:
854:
853:
852:
750:Caesar and Cleo
746:Sonny & Cher
704:
703:
702:
567:Mookie Blaylock
553:
552:
551:
473:
472:
471:
464:
463:
462:
447:
446:
445:
399:Burn the Priest
371:
370:
369:
337:
336:
335:
258:
257:
256:
254:The Blue Velvets
200:
199:
198:
151:
150:
149:
130:
129:
128:
126:The Rattlesnakes
93:
92:
91:
84:
83:
82:
59:
52:reliable sources
1498:
1497:
1493:
1492:
1491:
1489:
1488:
1487:
1473:
1472:
1471:
1461:
1459:
1456:The Independent
1448:
1447:
1443:
1434:
1433:
1429:
1419:
1417:
1406:
1405:
1401:
1392:
1391:
1387:
1377:
1375:
1364:
1363:
1359:
1352:
1339:
1338:
1334:
1324:
1322:
1311:
1310:
1306:
1296:
1294:
1283:
1282:
1278:
1268:
1266:
1255:
1254:
1245:
1235:
1233:
1222:
1221:
1206:
1196:
1194:
1183:
1182:
1175:
1165:
1163:
1153:
1152:
1135:
1128:
1115:
1114:
1110:
1100:
1098:
1095:The Independent
1087:
1086:
1079:
1069:
1067:
1056:
1055:
1051:
1041:
1039:
1028:
1027:
1020:
1010:
1008:
1006:
991:
990:
986:
976:
974:
963:
962:
949:
939:
937:
926:
925:
894:
890:
878:
869:
859:
858:
857:
848:
847:
846:
700:
699:
698:
549:
548:
547:
518:Village Idiots
490:Kara's Flowers
469:
468:
467:
458:
457:
456:
443:
442:
441:
367:
366:
365:
351:Sweet Children
334:The Sex Maggots
333:
332:
331:
285:Destiny's Child
252:
251:
250:
221:Big Fat Noises
196:
195:
194:
147:
146:
145:
124:
123:
122:
90:The Pendletones
89:
88:
87:
78:
77:
76:
55:
36:
12:
11:
5:
1496:
1494:
1486:
1485:
1483:Lists of bands
1475:
1474:
1470:
1469:
1441:
1427:
1399:
1385:
1357:
1350:
1332:
1304:
1276:
1243:
1204:
1173:
1133:
1126:
1108:
1077:
1049:
1018:
1004:
984:
947:
936:. 22 July 2015
891:
889:
886:
885:
884:
877:
874:
871:
870:
867:
864:
855:
843:
842:
840:
837:
834:
828:
827:
825:
822:
819:
813:
812:
810:
807:
804:
798:
797:
795:
793:
790:
784:
783:
781:
779:
776:
770:
769:
767:
765:
762:
756:
755:
753:
751:
748:
742:
741:
739:
736:
731:
725:
724:
722:
720:
717:
711:
710:
708:
707:Ambrose Slade
705:
701:The N'Betweens
696:
690:
689:
687:
685:
684:Tom and Jerry
682:
676:
675:
673:
671:
668:
662:
661:
659:
657:
654:
648:
647:
645:
642:
641:Twisted Kites
639:
636:
630:
629:
627:
625:
622:
616:
615:
613:
611:
608:
602:
601:
599:
597:
594:
588:
587:
585:
582:
579:
573:
572:
570:
568:
565:
559:
558:
556:
554:
545:
539:
538:
536:
533:
530:
524:
523:
521:
519:
516:
510:
509:
507:
505:
502:
496:
495:
493:
491:
488:
485:
479:
478:
476:
474:
465:
460:The Libertines
453:
452:
450:
448:
439:
433:
432:
429:
426:
420:
419:
417:
414:
411:
405:
404:
402:
400:
397:
391:
390:
388:
386:
383:
377:
376:
374:
372:
363:
357:
356:
354:
352:
349:
343:
342:
340:
338:
329:
323:
322:
320:
318:
315:
309:
308:
306:
304:
301:
295:
294:
292:
290:
287:
281:
280:
278:
276:
273:
267:
266:
264:
259:
248:
242:
241:
239:
237:
236:Naked Toddler
234:
231:
225:
224:
222:
219:
216:
213:
207:
206:
204:
201:
192:
186:
185:
183:
181:
178:
172:
171:
169:
167:
164:
158:
157:
155:
152:
143:
137:
136:
134:
131:
120:
114:
113:
111:
108:
107:The Quarrymen
105:
99:
98:
96:
94:
85:
80:The Beach Boys
73:
72:
69:
66:
65:Original name
63:
35:
32:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1495:
1484:
1481:
1480:
1478:
1458:
1457:
1452:
1445:
1442:
1437:
1431:
1428:
1416:
1415:
1410:
1403:
1400:
1395:
1389:
1386:
1374:
1373:
1368:
1361:
1358:
1353:
1351:0-385-47199-8
1347:
1343:
1336:
1333:
1321:
1320:
1315:
1308:
1305:
1293:
1292:
1291:Houston Press
1287:
1280:
1277:
1265:
1264:
1259:
1252:
1250:
1248:
1244:
1232:
1231:
1226:
1219:
1217:
1215:
1213:
1211:
1209:
1205:
1193:
1192:
1187:
1180:
1178:
1174:
1162:
1161:
1156:
1150:
1148:
1146:
1144:
1142:
1140:
1138:
1134:
1129:
1127:9781787391093
1123:
1119:
1112:
1109:
1097:
1096:
1091:
1084:
1082:
1078:
1066:
1065:
1060:
1053:
1050:
1038:
1037:
1032:
1025:
1023:
1019:
1007:
1005:9780857120045
1001:
997:
996:
988:
985:
973:
972:
967:
960:
958:
956:
954:
952:
948:
935:
934:
933:Rolling Stone
929:
923:
921:
919:
917:
915:
913:
911:
909:
907:
905:
903:
901:
899:
897:
893:
887:
883:
880:
879:
875:
868:
865:
856:
851:
845:
844:
841:
838:
835:
833:
830:
829:
826:
823:
820:
818:
815:
814:
811:
808:
805:
803:
800:
799:
796:
794:
792:Shrinky Dinx
791:
789:
786:
785:
782:
780:
777:
775:
772:
771:
768:
766:
763:
761:
758:
757:
754:
752:
749:
747:
744:
743:
740:
737:
735:
732:
730:
727:
726:
723:
721:
718:
716:
713:
712:
709:
706:
697:
695:
692:
691:
688:
686:
683:
681:
678:
677:
674:
672:
669:
667:
664:
663:
660:
658:
655:
653:
652:Savage Garden
650:
649:
646:
643:
640:
637:
635:
632:
631:
628:
626:
623:
621:
618:
617:
614:
612:
609:
607:
604:
603:
600:
598:
595:
593:
590:
589:
586:
583:
580:
578:
575:
574:
571:
569:
566:
564:
561:
560:
557:
555:
546:
544:
541:
540:
537:
534:
531:
529:
526:
525:
522:
520:
517:
515:
512:
511:
508:
506:
503:
501:
498:
497:
494:
492:
489:
486:
484:
481:
480:
477:
475:
466:
461:
455:
454:
451:
449:
440:
438:
435:
434:
430:
427:
425:
422:
421:
418:
415:
412:
410:
407:
406:
403:
401:
398:
396:
393:
392:
389:
387:
384:
382:
379:
378:
375:
373:
364:
362:
359:
358:
355:
353:
350:
348:
345:
344:
341:
339:
330:
328:
327:Goo Goo Dolls
325:
324:
321:
319:
316:
314:
311:
310:
307:
305:
302:
300:
297:
296:
293:
291:
288:
286:
283:
282:
279:
277:
274:
272:
269:
268:
265:
263:
262:The Golliwogs
260:
255:
249:
247:
244:
243:
240:
238:
235:
233:Maddox Creed
232:
230:
227:
226:
223:
220:
217:
214:
212:
209:
208:
205:
202:
193:
191:
188:
187:
184:
182:
179:
177:
174:
173:
170:
168:
165:
163:
160:
159:
156:
153:
144:
142:
141:Black Sabbath
139:
138:
135:
132:
127:
121:
119:
116:
115:
112:
109:
106:
104:
101:
100:
97:
95:
86:
81:
75:
74:
64:
61:
60:
53:
49:
45:
40:
33:
31:
29:
24:
21:
16:
1460:. Retrieved
1454:
1444:
1430:
1418:. Retrieved
1412:
1402:
1388:
1376:. Retrieved
1370:
1360:
1341:
1335:
1323:. Retrieved
1317:
1307:
1295:. Retrieved
1289:
1279:
1267:. Retrieved
1261:
1234:. Retrieved
1228:
1195:. Retrieved
1189:
1164:. Retrieved
1158:
1117:
1111:
1099:. Retrieved
1093:
1068:. Retrieved
1062:
1052:
1040:. Retrieved
1036:Mental Floss
1034:
1009:. Retrieved
994:
987:
975:. Retrieved
969:
938:. Retrieved
931:
610:On a Friday
437:Led Zeppelin
428:Lemon's Joy
381:Joy Division
289:Girl's Tyme
275:Atomic Mass
44:dynamic list
37:
28:vocal groups
25:
19:
17:
15:
1230:Lemon Demon
1160:Planet Rock
860:The Detours
774:Spice Girls
764:Halfnelson
729:Snow Patrol
409:Lemon Demon
395:Lamb of God
317:Steelemore
271:Def Leppard
103:The Beatles
1236:2 December
1011:29 January
888:References
738:Polarbear
670:the Scene
577:Pink Floyd
514:Nickelback
470:The Strand
416:Deporitaz
413:Trapezoid
215:Pectoralz
42:This is a
1191:Billboard
832:Van Halen
824:The Hype
821:Feedback
788:Sugar Ray
606:Radiohead
563:Pearl Jam
532:Skid Row
424:Lemon Joy
347:Green Day
303:Mr. Soft
218:Starfish
1477:Category
1462:22 April
1420:20 April
1378:20 April
1325:20 April
1297:21 April
1269:22 April
1197:20 April
1166:20 April
1101:21 April
1070:20 April
1042:20 April
977:21 April
940:20 April
876:See also
839:Mammoth
836:Genesis
715:Slipknot
581:Sigma 6
550:The Rain
483:Maroon 5
211:Coldplay
180:Seymour
118:Bee Gees
850:The Who
528:Nirvana
487:Maroon
431:Etaž 3
385:Warsaw
162:Blondie
1348:
1124:
1002:
778:Touch
760:Sparks
656:Crush
634:R.E.M.
596:Smile
154:Earth
734:Shrug
719:Meld
694:Slade
592:Queen
543:Oasis
299:Elbow
229:Creed
62:Band
50:with
1464:2017
1422:2017
1380:2017
1346:ISBN
1327:2017
1299:2017
1271:2017
1238:2019
1199:2017
1168:2017
1122:ISBN
1103:2017
1072:2017
1044:2017
1013:2013
1000:ISBN
979:2017
942:2017
500:Muse
361:INXS
176:Blur
71:Ref
34:List
1372:NME
1319:NME
1064:NME
1479::
1453:.
1411:.
1369:.
1316:.
1288:.
1260:.
1246:^
1227:.
1207:^
1188:.
1176:^
1157:.
1136:^
1092:.
1080:^
1061:.
1033:.
1021:^
998:.
968:.
950:^
930:.
895:^
817:U2
1466:.
1438:.
1424:.
1396:.
1382:.
1354:.
1329:.
1301:.
1273:.
1240:.
1201:.
1170:.
1130:.
1105:.
1074:.
1046:.
1015:.
981:.
944:.
54:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.