Coming up with a rad band name is harder than you might think. However, if you’re thinking of a name for your next musical project, you might not need to look any further than your fridge. Take example from some of your favourite bands and follow suit in their naming ideas.
When inspiration is motivated by hunger, it becomes a delicious-sounding combo.
1. Bread
Photo courtesy of Stickling’s Bakery Ltd.
This deliciously-named band apparently decided on their name when they got stuck in traffic behind a Wonder Bread truck. Though the band eventually broke up, 2 of the original members went on to play music under the name “Toast.”
2. Bowling For Soup
Photo by Caroline Grew
The band did not in fact, name themselves after their favourite hobby. Instead, they take their name from a similar, but more profanely-titled comedy act by Steve Martin.
3. Spice Girls
Photo courtesy of Quality Indian Food on Facebook
The English girl group was originally named “Touch” but ultimately received their globally-renowned name from one of the earliest tracks they recorded, Sugar and Spice. Unfortunately, the track has never been released to the public.
4. Neutral Milk Hotel
Photo courtesy by thekitchn.com
Jeff Mangum began this project as a solo gig under the moniker “Milk” and then “Ruby Bulbs” before settling on the final name.
5. Red Hot Chili Peppers
Photo by Kelly Logan
This best-selling band changed their name from “Tony Flow and the Majestic Masters of Mayhem” (of which none of the band members are named Tony Flow) to the RHCP we know and love today after experiencing the unexpected success of their first live show.
Fun fact: Bassist Flea has recently become a beekeeper and keeps an apiary lovingly named “Flea’s Bees” in his own backyard.
6. Jimmy Eat World
Photo by Pixabay
It might be a stretch, but depending on how you interpret the saying “the world is your oyster,” the world could be considered a food.
At first glance, you might think that the band name could be a strange cannabalistic reference to lead singer Jim Adkins, but it’s actually a reference to a crayon drawing by the guitarist’s youngest brother which depicted their middle brother, named Jim, swallowing the earth whole. The drawing was captioned “Jimmy eat world.”
7. Candy Hearts
Photo by Meredith Marcus
This up-and-coming band sounds just as sugary-sweet as they are named. Lead singer and guitarist Mariel Loveland also loves coffee so much that she wrote a song about it.
8. The Cranberries
Photo Courtesy of Petr Kratochvil
The group formerly known as “The Cranberry Saw Us” adjusted their somewhat quirky name after completing their lineup with vocalist Dolores O’Riordan.
9. The Smashing Pumpkins
Photo Courtesy of Alex Grichenko
Rumours of the origin of the band name vary, but it is certain that primary member Billy Corgan started the name as a joke that perhaps went too far, and that the name does not refer to the members’ favourite Halloween pastime. “Smashing” is meant to be read as an adjective rather than a verb in this context.
10. Cake
Photo by Emma Delaney
The etymology of this band name is more on the somber side than the saccharine. It alludes to how something can enter a person’s life in a treacherous manner similar to how mud would get caked onto a person’s shoes.
11. The Flying Burrito Brothers
Photo by Justine Nguyen
This country-rock band saw many incarnations throughout the years due to legal issues and member switch-ups. The group performed as “the Burrito Brothers,” “Burrito Deluxe,” and “the Burritos” at different points in their career.
12. The Black Eyed Peas
Photo courtesy of Toby Hudson
Before the solo acts and hiatuses, the socially-conscious hip-hop group chose a name that they felt reflected their soulful music.
13. Korn
Photo by Tiare Brown
This Grammy award-winning metal band initially rejected “Corn“, but guitarist James Shaffer managed to convince his bandmates when he revolutionized the name and changed it to “KoЯn”.