Finding A Great Stage Name

[henning]

So I have been wrapping my head around this for ages and for me finding a great stage name or band name is one of the hardest things to do. I would like to start a thread about finding or creating awesome unique names that stand out from generic uninspired names (and by uninspired I mean something like "The Lunatic Dolls", "Blue Tree House" or "Dudes From Pluto" - apology to bands actually calling themselves that).

 

Just a few examples of names that I personally find unique, catchy or beautiful (independent from the actual music): N.E.R.D., A$AP Rocky (ASAP = always strive and prosper), Lana Del Rey (she came up with it hanging with her Cuban friends), Pretty Lights, Grimes, Jay-Z (developed from his nickname "jazzy").

 

Of course in general the name should describe your music or should be somehow related to yourself or to your lifestyle. No death metal band is gonna call itself The Maybe Maybe's and no Bluegrass band will call itself The Raging Hell Warriors. So the name kind of depends on the genre. However some names seem to fit incredibly well because they are memorable, easy to say, fit the concept and are unique on top of that. I tried to come up with a list of possible name searching approaches:

• Use your own name (or the name of the lead singer, or the drummer's name so he doesn't get mad)
• Use a stylized form of your own name (e.g. Marshall Mathers -> MM -> M & M -> Eminem)
• Use suffixes and prefixes with your own name or a derivative of that (e.g. all the Lil's and Big's in Hip Hop music)
• Single nouns, verbs or adjectives (e.g. Knots, Sunken, Blur)
• Verb + noun or adjective + noun (e.g. Spinning Wheels, Flying Cars)
  • Multiple adjectives/verbs/nouns (e.g. Sleeping White Ghosts, Crazy Bass Players)
• Include Numbers (e.g. High 5, 6 Strings, 4 against 1)
• Add a "the, a, le, les etc." in front of everything
• Actual sentences (e.g. We Don't Care About Your Opinion)
• Completely random strings that are possible to pronounce (e.g. Fendojendo)
• Mix languages (e.g. Rock Maison)
• There may be more...

I would love to hear your ideas for finding an awesome name or names you think sound great.

Edited August 1, 2013 by henning

[artistmonster]

Its  basically depends on the type of songs you always perform.

For soft songs = The Soft Returns.

[Savannah]

Crap, perhaps my death metal band, The Maybe Maybes, should change its name. Though our drummer, Maybe Maybe, won't be pleased. I'm gonna be way excited when you come up with something.

[macmanmatty]

I great stage name is Al Coholic and for a band  you could be Al Coholic and the drunks featuring Ben Drinkin, Ivanna Beer, Sam Ashed,  DR. unk,  and willy drunk

[Kel]

When I lived in Sydney there was a band called The Zarzoff Brothers.

 

I can't remember all their names but the lead singer (I think) was called Bluey!  The others also had names that sounded amusing with their Zurname!

 

There was a bluegrass band in the 90's called The Far Gone Beauties. (say it quickly!) and they specialised in playing rock songs in a bluegrass style.

 

Both of these bands are examples of using a play on words. Jon English tours with a band called The Foster Brothers, because they all drink Fosters Lager on stage. (Nobody here in Australia drinks it, it's awful, that's why we export it!)

 

Lee Kernaghan is currently touring with The Wolfe Brothers who all grew up on or near Wolfe Street. Parkway Drive get their name from the street they grew up in too.

 

I wouldn't worry about your name, the music is much more important.

 

Kel

[Savannah]

When I lived in Sydney there was a band called The Zarzoff Brothers.

 

I can't remember all their names but the lead singer (I think) was called Bluey!  The others also had names that sounded amusing with their Zurname!

 

There was a bluegrass band in the 90's called The Far Gone Beauties. (say it quickly!) and they specialised in playing rock songs in a bluegrass style.

 

Both of these bands are examples of using a play on words. Jon English tours with a band called The Foster Brothers, because they all drink Fosters Lager on stage. (Nobody here in Australia drinks it, it's awful, that's why we export it!)

 

Lee Kernaghan is currently touring with The Wolfe Brothers who all grew up on or near Wolfe Street. Parkway Drive get their name from the street they grew up in too.

 

I wouldn't worry about your name, the music is much more important.

 

Kel

 

I don't get the joke regarding The Fargone Beauties, and I totally want to. What am I supposed to be hearing? Tell.

[Kel]

If you say it out loud you'll hear it... "Fu***n' Beauties" 

 

An Australian idiom expressing extreme pleasure.

 

K

[Savannah]

Oh, okay. That's rather disappointing. I was thinking it's cleverer than that.