One of the most hideous tasks of being in a band is coming up with a name.
Consider:
1. Everyone in the band has to be happy with it. Good luck with that. Many baby bands have broken up because they couldn’t agree on what to call themselves. Finding that consensus is torturous.
2. It has to be catchy, easy to remember and easy to spell. Your name is your brand, so it has to be something that captures the essence of the group’s sound and image without sounding too stupid or pretentious.
3. Can you get the domain name? Before the Internet, this never used to be a problem. But if you’re going to have a proper online presence, you need a proper Internet address. Oasis had to make due with Oasisinet.com (notice the extra “i” because a dating site already had Oasis.com and wasn’t about to give it up.)
4. It must lend itself to good graphic design. Hey, if you can’t make a cool logo from it, then you’re limiting your appeal. Nine Inch Nails, Linkin Park, Led Zeppelin and the lips-and-tongue logo of the Rolling Stones are all brilliant examples.
5. And, most importantly, it has to be unique and unused by anyone anywhere in the world currently or in the past.
