I’m at my wits end on this one. I hate picking band names (as you end up being stuck with that identity for a long time), but I’m recording a CD and trying to get some word of mouth going around San Antonio. I can’t call venues and say, “I have a group, here’s our demo . . . no, we don’t have a name yet.” Talk about frustrating, all I want to do is play and write music!

So here’s the question. Anybody got a great band name out there that they’d be willing to let me use? Our style is kind of pop-folk (because the acoustic guitar and focal harmonies are the main focus of most songs), though sometimes we edge into rock. Most of the lyrics are personal stories or ideas and have a spiritual context, but I’m not looking specifically for a religiously themed band named. Just something that doesn’t sound cheesy. The motif I like most is the “storyteller”, as that’s kind of how I see the lyrics and style, but no names in that vein seem to jump out at me.

Anyway, we need not limit this thread to band names that fit my description (as heavy metal band names are always the most fun to come up with); this could be a fun thread even if I don’t get anything useful. I’m sure, however, that you guys could at least come up with something better than JOI (Jesus On the Inside!), which someone suggested. I think that one caused me physical pain!

You're asking other people for band names?? That's half the fun! My friends and I came up with no less than 300 band names ourselves. I'll post the list here if I can find it.

We ended up with "The Slow Nerves" (from a Flaming Lips song).

?? That's half the fun!

Maybe for other people, which is why I'm asking! I've also come up with a thousand different names, but they don't really fit our style. Plus, it's getting exceedingly difficult to find ones that aren't taken.

I've recalled several conversations when something was said and some would say "you know, that'd be a great band name!", but I can't remember a single one now.

I'd like to see your list though, it might be a fun read.

If I ever started a band, I'd name it "Lumber Party".

We'd dress up like lumberjacks, and do Husquavarna solos.

If you do pick a band name, make sure it starts with "The". You can't get a band going nowadays without starting with "The." The Strokes, The Hives, The Vines, The The. See what I mean?

I knew a band in college called 'Lumber Trunk'.

-Zeke

If you do pick a band name, make sure it starts with "The". You can't get a band going nowadays without starting with "The." The Strokes, The Hives, The Vines, The The. See what I mean?

This trend replaces the trend of several years ago, when you had to include some random integer in your band's name. (Blink 182, Matchbox 20, 7 Mary 3, Eve 6, etc.)

I'm usually pretty good at generating band names, but folk/pop (or pop/folk?) is a genre that doesn't lend itself to much creativity in that regard. Seems to me many acts that fall into that category are either solo artists or have not-so-creative names like "The [insert name of lead singer here] Band."

7 Mary 3

I think they're awful, but I always thought that was a great band name. It was Jon's unit number on CHiPs. Ponch was 7 Mary 4.

I'm a fan of obscure pop-culture references like that.

The rest of those band names I don't get.

You could always pull out the old thesaurus and come up with variations on storyteller. This works well especially when combined with a random adjective, preferably with some assonance about it, as below:

The Mistaken Minstral
The Battlin' Bards
The Wayward Wanderers

etc. As a fun side project, you can code up a quick Random Bandname Generator script, and see what it comes out with.

Or you could go the entire other way from "The" and end up with a phrase for your band name.

They Might Be Giants
And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead
Godspeed Ye Black Emperor
Rage Against The Machine

etc. As a fun side project, you can code up a quick Random Bandname Generator script, and see what it comes out with.

Like these?

http://www.elsewhere.org/cgi-bin/bandname

http://www.irz.com/robin/bandnameprogram/

http://www.joescafe.com/bands/bands.cgi

http://bandnamemaker.shapebyforce.com/

http://members.aol.com/Valdes379/EmoGame.html

"The [insert name of lead singer here] Band."

Hmmm, not quite going for "The FerretBoy Band!"

My inability to pick names is evident in my handle, which is simply my old fraternity nickname (or a shortened version of it). I had no idea when I logged in here I'd be sticking around much.

I'm not sure the Folk/ pop is the best way to describe our style either, but it's hard to say. I'm terrible with that sort of stuff. I suppose we'd fall into a similar category to "Jar's of Clay" (which I like as a band name), though we don't sound much like them. Still, lot's of harmony and acoustic guitar stuff.

While searching for something, I stumbled across the best deejay name ever:

DJ Salinger

Hah!

I have always thought that "harmonic dissonance" would make a great band name. (Taken from the lyrics of As The World, by Echolyn.)

You could always pull out the old thesaurus and come up with variations on storyteller.

Actually did this the other night but came up with little. Might not have used the right thesaurus, though, as "Minstral" didn't come up and I like it.

This works well especially when combined with a random adjective, preferably with some assonance about it

Hadn’t thought about this at all, but you came up with three better ideas than I've had since I started thinking about it (see, I'm really not good at this). Now to think of some good adjectives . . .

Like these?

Oh, I might waste away my Monday morning clicking on those . . .

Oh, I might waste away my Monday morning clicking on those . . .

You're welcome.

Let us know what you come up with.

This trend replaces the trend of several years ago, when you had to include some random integer in your band's name. (Blink 182, Matchbox 20, 7 Mary 3, Eve 6, etc.)

Or, with the (C)Rap Metal bands, you have to include 'mud'. (Mudvayne, Puddle Of Mud, Stereomud)

Also, the greatest band name ever has been taken

harmonic dissonance

That is good; makes me wish I was in a rock band!

"harmonic resonance" would better fit our style though . . . (if the monitors are working properly, that is!)

If you want to go with a musical theme, you could always use something like:

C Flat
Fortissimo!
The Chord Changes

You could always bend in the geek reference and call yourselves C# Shooters.

-Zeke

Nice touch! I like that... Great alternative name!

Drinking is also a good theme - Tankards and Troubadours.

My friends and I always had this fantasy of starting a band and calling ourselves either:

My dog ate my stroke-book
or
Bacne (Back Acne)

Don't think they would really fly for a spiritual based band.

harmonic dissonance

"harmonic resonance" would better fit our style though

Heh, one of my musician friends used to say: "There's no such thing as wrong notes. Only naive dissonance."

A different musician friend of mine said that he had an idea for a band name. What he wanted to do was be the producer/promoter for an all-girl pop group, and he would name it "Venus Envy".

For a time, there was a local all-girl band called "Dickless..."

My favorite local band name recently was 'Bumping Uglies'.

-Zeke

We have a ``Patty Hurst Shifter''.

Perpetual Motion
The Mechanical Pencils
Bulb
The Double Clickers
Fiberoptic
Dyslixec
Kcuf
Qwerty
Absolute Zero - name of first album: Negative Four Hundred Fifty-Nine Point Five Degrees Farenheit.
Snot Booger - best for a punk rock band. Snot Shot would also be feasible.
The Stickers
Automatic Fish Sandwich

hmmm.. That's all I got for now. too bad The Atomic Bitchwax II is already taken. That would have been my top choice.

EDIT: edited to add Snot Shot.

My friends and I always wanted to start a band called "The Muskateers." We even did up our first album cover and everything. Album was to be called "From the pasture." (That album title would make more sense if you saw the cover, and hung around us for a little while. ) Of course, we never did anything other than that. I think I even still have the graphics from the album somewhere. Anyway, not that it has anything to do with you looking for a name, we all just thought it was a clever name. This was about 5 years ago. For some reason, it doesn't seem as kewl now.

Absolute Zero - name of first album: Negative Four Hundred Fifty-Nine Point Five Degrees Farenheit.

And the much-anticipated sophomore effort, "Really Fucking Cold."

Edit: Seems that one's taken...
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=3:43:20|PM&sql=Br20e4j473wal