Another musical group that is almost as unique as its name, System of a Down have brought heavy metal to the masses. The name was put together from several things, the primary source being a poem written by band member Daron Malakian.
He wrote a poem with the line “Victims of a Down,” and the band was ready to go with that name and call it good, until bassist Shavo Odadjian convinced them to change the first word to “System” in order to be filed closer to their favorite band, Slayer, in music stores. We’re not sure if this change helped, but it’s still a nice name.
U2
Few bands have reached the international heights of U2, despite the band not having a bassist. The Irish band has been part of study playlists, weddings, and funerals, but the name came from somewhere rather random.
They performed a few times under names like The Larry Mullen Band, Feedback, and The Hype. But the name they eventually adopted — and is now known around the world — came from an American U-2 spy plane that crashed in Russia in 1960. It resulted in the American pilot, Francis Gary Powers, being held prisoner on charges of espionage. Why exactly Bono and the rest chose this name, though, remains to be seen.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
The memorable name of this rock band came from three different sources, one for each of the unrelated words. The first word, chosen by Tom Fogerty, came from his friend Credence Nuball. The middle word was part of an advertisement for Olympia beer, a brewing company based in Washington, which boasted its use of crystal clear water in its beer.
The final word came from the simple fact that the band members were all reuniting after being apart. Their friendship was part of the revival after a three-year hiatus because of military duties, and music fans everywhere are glad that they came together again.
Fall Out Boy
Many people know the Simpsons, of course, but it still might be difficult to get where this band got its name. Fallout Boy was the name of the sidekick for Radioactive Man, a comic book hero popular within the "Simpsons" universe.
The character's name debuted in a 1991 episode, and the band took it, adding a break in the first word to differentiate it from the character. The band paid tribute to the show that inspired their name by recording a cover of the show's theme song. It's the perfect kind of name for a pop-punk band, and they rode the name to great success.
The Velvet Underground
Just like The Doors, The Velvet Underground took their name from the title of a book. Michael Leigh penned "The Velvet Underground" about the sexual revolution that was taking place in the 1960s.
The book was published in 1963, and the band came about in 1965. They liked the name because it seemed to evoke the image of an underground cinema. It was just the kind of thing that a psychedelic band in the sixties wanted for their image.