{"id":12445,"date":"2019-04-25T14:11:22","date_gmt":"2019-04-25T19:11:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/?p=12445"},"modified":"2026-01-16T16:22:50","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T21:22:50","slug":"band-name-ideas-that-will-make-you-stand-out-on-google","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/band-name-ideas-that-will-make-you-stand-out-on-google\/","title":{"rendered":"Band Name Ideas to Stand Out on Google"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Tips for Creating Memorable, Searchable Band Names That Boost Your Online Presence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hypothetical band names get bandied about all the time in a musician\u2019s social spaces. How many times have you been in a conversation where someone strings together an odd combination of words, and another person blurts out, \u201cThat\u2019d be a great band name!\u201d? But how do you pick one you really want to live with for the lifespan of your band? And how do you pick one that sets you apart from the crowd? And, perhaps most importantly, how do you pick one that people will easily find when they type the name into a search engine? It\u2019s all about the SEO, baby!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s been a rash of bands that give themselves totally generic names, almost thumbing their virtual noses at the increasing necessity of standing out online. Take for example the inspiration for Panic! At the Disco, which took their name from another band\u2019s lyrics (not the Smiths\u2019 \u201cPanic,\u201d but from the more exclamatory \u201cPanic!\u201d by an indie band with a generic moniker that is almost a commentary on searching online to find your band\u2019s name: Name Taken). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For some, it\u2019s quite straightforward: Vampire Weekend comes from a film project by lead singer Ezra Koenig. The Chainsmokers got their name from their favorite extracurricular activity. Band member Alex Pall told ABC News, \u201cI enjoyed smoking weed and you know it was just like such a ‘yeah the domain’s open.’ I don’t have to have any like underscores.”
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And check out this one: 2 Chainz originally went by the name Tity Boi because he was a breastfed only child. He reportedly changed it to 2Chainz in homage to his love of jewelry and in order to be more \u201cfamily friendly.\u201d
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If you find yourself having to come up with a name, take a few lessons from these successful acts\u2019 stories as you consider what you want people to call you onstage. And consider these guidelines:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Avoid Generic Band Names<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You know what SEO means, right? Search Engine Optimization<\/em>: Optimize your band name for the search engines! Don\u2019t pick something ungoogleable!

Sure, there are a bajillion exceptions to this rule. There\u2019s the band Girls, and there\u2019s Women, Tennis, Future, and Real Estate. Heck, there\u2019s even an Oklahoma band called Various Artists<\/a>. But as you\u2019re starting out, one of the keys to building up a following is making it as easy as possible for new fans to find and follow you online after they\u2019ve caught your act. So avoid choosing a single everyday word for your band name. And if you want a single-word band name, swing the other way by choosing something less common. Take for example: Oxford, England-based Foals. They were reportedly named as such after a friend commented that they looked “like a bunch of foals, like stinky, smelly.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Don\u2019t Get Too Creative with Your Spelling<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Again, it\u2019s about being easy to find online. So, sure, misspelling on purpose didn\u2019t hurt Linkin Park \u2014 which was a riff on the name of a Santa Monica park near the studio where they recorded. And it didn\u2019t make any trouble for Lorde. Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor gave herself that name due to her fascination with aristocracy, adding the \u201ce\u201d to make it more \u201cfeminine.\u201d The Weeknd\u2019s Abel Tesfaye misspelled his name simply to avoid getting mistaken\/sued by Canadian band the Weekend. But overall it\u2019s best to keep your band name out of Wyld Stallyns territory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take 21 Pilots, for example: they don\u2019t get into funky spelling but the name stands out for specificity of their number. The name is a reference to All My Sons<\/em> by Arthur Miller, a play in which a man commits suicide after sending faulty airplane parts, which in turn causes 21 pilots to die in flight. Bleak stuff, yes, but also memorable stuff.
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3. Don\u2019t Riff on Another Band\u2019s Name<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Okay sure, it\u2019s understandable if you\u2019re so inspired that you want to name your band Lizzo\u2019s Daughter because the \u201cJuice\u201d singer is your jam. However, marrying yourself to the legacy of another artist will seal an association you\u2019ll never be able to escape, whether or not you continue to embrace Lizzo as your central inspiration for years beyond or not. Instead, try taking inspiration from how your favorite artists approached naming themselves. Father John Misty\u2019s Josh Tillman said he chose his stage name after thinking of his favorite singers: \u201cAll my favorite singers have kind of showbiz names, like Nina Simone or Serge Gainsbourg or [Josh] Groban,\u201d he said, mentioning the last one in jest. But even the \u201cGod\u2019s Favorite Customer\u201d artist ended up having regrets. He remarked that he \u201clooks more like a \u2018Dr. Fun\u2019\u2026 I regret every day of my life not going by \u2018Dr Fun.\u2019 I\u2019d be on Good Morning America<\/em> right now.\u201d
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4. Use More Than One Word in Your Band Name<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is another way to increase the likelihood that you\u2019re found online when someone searches for you after they\u2019ve caught your act. For example, Mike Hadreas\u2019 moniker Perfume Genius could\u2019ve been Perfume. But thankfully, the Seattle artist added to it, without overdoing it. \u201cIt was just some random gibberish my friend came up with while we were watching the movie Perfume<\/em>, starring Ben Whishaw,\u201d he told Into the Gloss<\/em> in 2017. \u201cI\u2019m kind of glad\u2014I think I would have picked something really pretentious if I would have thought about it too much.\u201d
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5. Do Your Research<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You love the band name you\u2019ve come up with, and\u2014amazingly\u2014all your bandmates agree on it, too. But before you commit, make sure that the domain name is free and that the name isn\u2019t already taken on sites like Bandcamp and Soundcloud. Belcalis Almanzar named herself after Bacardi rum. But the rapper who became Cardi B learned her lesson when she first attempted performing under a famous name that was already taken. \u201cYou know what, my sister\u2019s name is Hennessy, so everybody used to call me Bacardi,\u201d she told Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show<\/em>. \u201cThen it was my Instagram name, Bacardi, Bacardi B. But for some reason, my Instagram kept getting deleted, and you know what, I think it was Bacardi that had something to do with it. So I just shortened it to Cardi B.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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