The Real Story Behind These 15 Weird Band Names

Why do some bands have such ridiculous names? Were they simply chosen at random, or is there some deep and philosophical meaning behind them?

The group’s name is essential, and many go through different options before making the final choice. It’s important to get it right, as music fans want to identify with artists who they consider to be “cool” and a classy title is part of that package.

Each band on this list obtained their names from different sources. Over the years, we’ve come to take their choices for granted, but each could be considered as weird and more than a little mysterious.

Duran Duran

As one of the lead acts in the new romantic movement, Duran Duran needed a name that would truly stand out. Their choice was in place even before singer Simon Le Bon joined, as original members Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, and Stephen Duffy founded the group in 1978.

Duran Duran is taken from the film Barbarella: More specifically, Rhodes, Taylor, and Duffy used the character Doctor Durand Durand as the inspiration for their iconic new act.

Bowling for Soup

Band leader Jarret Reddick once said in an interview that the name Bowling for Soup was drawn out of a hat. He claimed that the group was trying to match activity with everyday food, and they could have been called Fishing for Pizza.

Reddick was, however, fishing with a red herring as bait. There are several theories, but the official version is that the name derives from a Steve Martin comedy routine.

The Teardrop Explodes

1980s indie band The Teardrop Explodes featured Julian Cope as its frontman. Cope is known for bizarre antics and outlandish clothes, and it’s only fitting that his previous group featured a weird title.

The name comes from a caption in a Marvel comic. The strip had no relevance to the band at the time; they simply thought it sounded cool, and we have to agree.

Def Leppard

When singer Joe Elliott joined this UK metal band, they were known as Atomic Mass. As the new frontman, he suggested a name change, based on a title that he’d developed in school.

It’s said that the other members were less enthusiastic about Elliott’s original suggestion of Deaf Leopard. Although grammatically correct, this idea was twisted to become Def Leppard. It’s also suggested that the new name was used as it sounded less like a punk band and more like Led Zeppelin.

Led Zeppelin

While speaking of Led Zeppelin, it’s worth taking a moment to confirm how this band got its name. Looking back over fifty years later, it’s easy to associate the term “Led” with the heavy metal movement, but the real reason is more mundane.

After the band members got together in 1968, other musicians joked that they might go down like a “lead balloon.” The group turned this into a positive, and the mighty Led Zeppelin was born.

Lynyrd Skynyrd

It’s a well-known story, but as this is one of the weirdest band names around, it’s worth repeating. Brilliant country rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd took inspiration from High School P.E. teacher Leonard Skinner.

A lesser-known fact is that this name spawned a UK band that formed as part of the Oi movement. It’s easy to see where the group Leonard Skinhead got their name from, and it’s an amusing aside to the main story here.

My Chemical Romance

Bassist Mikey Way claims the credit for his band’s name. While dreaming of rock stardom, he had to settle for a job at Barnes and Noble, the globally recognized bookstore.

Way came across a book by Irvine Welsh, titled Ecstacy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance, He thought the name My Chemical Romance was a good fit for his group, and he successfully got his bandmates, including brother Gerard, to agree.

Weezer

It’s interesting to see how the truth can get in the way of a good story. One theory relating to the band Weezer suggests it was a nickname given by classmates to Rivers Cuomo because he suffered from asthma.

As Rivers himself confirmed, it was a childhood nickname, but it was created by his father, and based on the character “Wheezer” from a 1922 series of short films known as Our Gang.

Blink-182

The band was originally called Blink, and it’s said that the name was chosen at random. There’s nothing interesting in that tale, but the addition of the suffix 182 carries a touch of mystery.

Having been threatened with litigation by a techno band, also known as Blink, the band changed their name to Blink-182 in the mid-90s. One suggestion is that the suffix is also meaningless, while another story claims it is related to the number of times Al Pacino’s character swears in the movie Scarface.

Fall Out Boy

The name Fall Out Boy derives from a character in The Simpsons. A sidekick of Radioactive Man, he makes only brief appearances, but it was enough to attract the attention of this band from Wilmette, Illinois.

It’s claimed that the group name could have been as short-lived as the cartoon character. Pete Wentz tried to use a different option at a later show before an audience member reminded them that they were Fall Out Boy. The name stuck from that point.

Shed 7

Is there a mystical reason why this British indie band called themselves Shed 7? Perhaps the shed in question was a fictional portal into other realms?

Well, no: The group took their name from an actual shed located near York Railway Station in the UK. Away from the main line, over in the sidings, it was labeled “Shed 7” and history was made in a rather underwhelming way.

The Killers

There have been many great fictional bands over the course of music history. Some, like Spinal Tap, even release original material to make an assault on the charts. In the case of The Killers, fiction even became reality.

The group took their name from the imaginary band featured in New Order’s video to the song “Crystal.” This was a killer tune, and it inspired another killer band.

Frightened Rabbit

If you’ve ever come across Scottish Indie rock band Frightened Rabbit before, you’ll be shocked to discover that guitarist and singer Scott Hutchison was a shy and retiring child. In his early years, he was given the nickname “Frightened Rabbit,” and it seemed a good fit for his band.

Sadly, Hutchison’s stage persona may have masked his true personality. He took his own life in 2018, and the band felt they couldn’t go on without him.

Simple Minds

Many bands derive their name from other artist’s songs, and that was the case for Simple Minds. This long-running Scottish band has enjoyed success on both sides of the Atlantic, after starting out as a punk band in the 1970s.

Originally called Johnny and the Self-Abusers, the group probably realized they wouldn’t get far without a name change. David Bowie’s track “Jean Genie,” and its line “so simple-minded, he can’t drive his module” provided the inspiration.

Stiff Little Fingers

Sometimes it’s fine to have a name that confronts. Northern Irish punk band Stiff Little Fingers have stayed true to their roots, and still play their 1970s and 1980s classic to enthusiastic audiences.

Their name comes from a song by fellow punk unit The Vibrators. The tune is actually called “Stiff Little Fingers,” and it was an ideal choice for a band committed to the punk movement.