There are a lot of aspiring artists that hope to make it big one day. Musically-driven people form bands, make music and expect that their music videos would someday become so popular that fans would use Youtube to MP3 Shark to save copies on their audio players. If you belong to
such a group, you know that a band name is as important as the songs that you will create.
Here are a few tips on how to come up with a name for your band:
1. Base it on Genre
Your type of music is a common start to coming up with your brand identity. Rock can either be a piece of stone, a music genre, or your band’s name. Using a generic name will have higher chances of duplicates, meaning your band name wouldn’t be unique. You can:
●Add a random word after the genre, like Rock Traffic or Pop Soda
● Search for synonyms for your music type, say Rock Wobble or Made of Stone
● Use antonyms to form oxymorons like Rock Water, Solid Liquid, or Screaming Silence
2. One Long Word
Tread carefully when choosing one-word band names since there’s a possibility that duplicates will arise and the chances decline the longer the word gets. The problem with long words is that it is either hard to pronounce or hard to remember. Take Flurochloridone for example. It’s a long and somewhat unique band name, but people may have challenges saying it, all the more while chanting or shouting it out.
If you do choose a long word, consider abbreviating it or using its acronym for people to remember it quickly. Triskaidekaphobia can be “Triskee,” “Tri Skee,” or “Trikaide.” It may be a play on a long word, but it is part of the creative process of forming a band. Make sure that you know what the chosen word means.
3. Use a Name Generator
The Internet is full of name generators, from companies to baby names. You can use these generators to come up with a band name. Prepare to spend some time with the random generators until you find a name that will suit you. You can also use a popular social media method:
● color of your shirt plus the last thing you ate
● color + food + nearest object
Some will sound funny, but it is often catchy: Green Chip Glasses. Can you hear your fans roaring “GCG!” over and over again?
4. Member Names
The first letter or letters of each of your band members can be used to form your group name. Say you have Mark, Adam, Bryan, and Oscar. Combinations can be done in a variety of ways:
● The first letter of each members’ first name.
● The first letter of each members’ last name.
● The first few letters of each members’ first name.
● The first few letters of each members’ last name.
● The first letter of each members’ moniker.
You may immediately say MABO or you can do MaAd BrOs or Madambryo which doesn’t just sound unique, but quite catchy as well. The combinations above are just some of them. There are more possibilities once you add creativity and craziness into play. You can even use monikers purely like Supe, Fly, Ice, and Bash to come up with SupeFly IceBash.
5. Use Alternate Spelling
Another common yet debatable approach to creating a band name is through spelling variations. To do this, you take an existing band name and change how it is spelled. For example:
● MegaDebt
● Von John Bovick
● Rave Against the Murine
● Mash Buzz 20
This method is considered debatable due to the unpredictability of people’s responses, especially from the well-established and popular bands that such names would come from. Some artists would be cool and be flattered by the gesture. Some would be irritated because they feel disrespected, more so if the copycat plays terrible.
6. Go Natural
Use the names of everyday things, colors, animals, vehicles; basically, everything that the world offers. Here are some examples to get you started:
● Calm the Storm
● Scotch Tape Headset
● Lavender Teal
● Fairy Light Fidget
● Lounge Chair Canine
● Coaster Blinds Jam
● Low Batt Strummers
The possibilities are endless. It may not make sense, but it’s up to the group on how you would present it to your audience. The band name may have nothing to do with the type of music that you play or your band’s personality, but how you deliver your music is what will make your name stick.
Conclusion
Remember that there is pressure involved in picking a band name. Frustrations and disagreements may arise but know that it is all part of the process. You don’t have to come up with a title immediately. Start with your music. Practice and play a few small gigs and graciously accept feedback. People will gab about you, and you may find a suitable name from one of your followers.
