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.
Bee Gees
For more than half a decade, we moved and grooved to the three brothers (Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb). They were called the Kings of Disco, and even though disco may be dead, this band still rocks.
Many believe that the band's name stands for “Brothers Gibb,” but it turns out not to be the case. Instead, the name comes from Barry and the brothers' friend Bill Goode, a speedway promoter and racecar driver in Brisbane, Australia. Why did they pick such a name? We may never know. Robin and Maurice have both passed away, heading to the big disco joint in the sky.
The Rolling Stones
Originally composed of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, and Ian Stewart, these stones have been rocking the world for more than sixty years. Three of the founding members still remain. Where did the name come from though – the name that millions around the world connect with classic British rock?
Richards has claimed that the group got put on the spot by a reporter during a call with Jazz News, and when asked for a name, they had to come up with one fast. On the ground rested a Muddy Water LP, and the name of the single was “Rollin' Stone.”
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.
System of a Down
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.