Generate original band names by genre. Pick your style, add an optional keyword, and get 10 names built from genre-specific word pools and real naming templates.
Press Enter to generate
Every word generator you need, all free
Coming up with a band name can be challenging and time-consuming. It should sound like a band, not a corporate brand. It should be catchy but not corny. It has to have that it factor. Of course, talent is a must, but the right band name matters for marketing.
The name should fit a genre. Something that sticks with potential fans. Simple enough to be memorable. Think 'Guns N' Roses', something that's simple but with a story to tell.
Just pick a genre, add a keyword (optional), and you'll get 10 names for your band created from genre-specific word pools and from naming patterns that real bands actually use. So, the output already looks like a valid band name before you even think about making any changes.
So when you choose a genre and press ‘generate’, the results aren’t just random combinations of words; they are a combination of naming conventions that most real bands use.
There's also a keyword field where you can input words relevant to the band, for example, the name of a town or city where the members are from, a constant phrase that is said at the end of every practice, anything really. These words will then be woven into the generated band names.
Using the band name generator is very simple and takes about 30 seconds. Just choose the appropriate genre from the dropdown menu (or select "Any Genre" if you want to get a wide variety of possible band names). Type in a keyword in the text field below the genre menu (this is optional, as you can simply hit "Generate Band Names" and get 10 different possibilities without typing in anything). Click "Generate Band Names" and, within seconds, 10 possible band names will be displayed.
You can copy each name with a single click of the copy button next to it. If you'd rather mull something over, press the heart icon to add it to your list of Saved Names. You can generate as many new lists of names as you want.
Before you do anything else, go check Google for the exact words of your preferred band name and see if there's another band already using the same name. Do this before you get attached to any of them. Same for checking the band name on Spotify. (And test the social media handles for your preferred band name too.)
The band name generator has two main components: naming templates and genre-specific word pools. The naming templates represent band-name structures (i.e., "The [Adj] [Nouns]", "[Name] and the [Nouns]", "[Noun] of [Noun]", etc.). Each genre has its own pool of words, including adjectives, nouns, plural nouns, places, and proper names. All of the words within a genre's word pool were chosen for their sonic character.
The engine then fills the chosen template with words from the current genre's word pool. If a keyword has been entered, it will attempt to place it in approximately four of the resulting band names. If "Any Genre" has been chosen, the generator will draw from the pools of all twelve genres and spit out a batch of ten different band names each time the page is reloaded. There's no server to speak of, so feel free to hit the Generate Button as many times as you'd like.
Of course, no single rule applies to all band names but the names that work usually have a few of the following qualities.
Bands should have easy-to-remember band names. This can come from a strong sound. Some good band names contain words with clear consonants that make a 'popping' sound, or a strong rhythm. Read the name out loud and see if it sounds good in a sentence, i.e. 'Have you heard of Neon Wolves?'
It also has to be pronounceable by strangers and not be a real pain for people to refer to you in conversations, look up your records, or search for your name on Spotify, etc. Misspelling words is clever, but only if it's also intuitive to the spelling of the word. Unusual phonetics can make for a poor band name, no matter how good you are.
The band name is also a search query. Very generic names will get lost among hundreds of thousands of similar results. Very unusual names will not get any results at all. The aim is to find a name that can be optimized for Google in such a way that you end up on the first page of results for the band name, ideally with no other band listed.
The name also serves as your band's printed logo for posters, T-shirts, CD covers, etc. So, shorter names work better for printing on T-shirts, and names with a distinct shape in print create a stronger visual identity. Examine how the name looks written out in full.
Don't create a band name that locks you into your current music. When you change styles, a band name like "Death Punk Ragers" doesn't fit well with acoustic folk. Add some abstraction to your band name.
The style of band names found within genres is well known. So, when viewing band name suggestions on this site, viewers can easily judge whether a name fits a certain genre.
Rock band names are typically physical and evoke the open road. Think: roads, machines, weather, and geography. Examples of rock band names would be 'Broken Highway' and 'Thunder and Iron'. Something that looks a bit worn and has been scrawled on a tour van in years past would be ideal. Anything too glossy or mainstream sounding is also terrible.
The dark, metal name goes for mythic and is composed of words like "obsidian", "void" or "eternal". What works for a weapon or a battle standard also works for a metal band. These names are part of the metal vocabulary and therefore also obvious choices for a metal band.
Indie band names are often very small and highly specific to the name of an item of common, everyday wear or some item that you might find in your home or in the post. These names are typically written out in an 'underline' hand, such as for a poem title, rather than as some superhero name.
The Hip-hop genre is all about standing out and showing who you are. Think street cred. Wu-Tang Clan, Run DMC, or Public Enemy. Short, easy to remember. Before choosing a name, say it out loud. Does it stick? Will fans remember it? Imagine the announcer introducing your band and the crowd reaction.
A folk band name might reference the natural world or some aspect of the earth that is solid and rooted. Trees, streams, fire, candles, a hollow, these kinds of images are perfect for poster work hand-painted on plywood to be stuck up on barns. Avoid anything too 'made' or 'slick'.
Jazz: Use words that suggest a certain feeling. We call these words suggestive. Suggested words are often indicative of the quarter in which the band plays. Midnight, smoke, alleys, and quarters can all be suggested by a band name. Use short, elegant words instead of long words that are seldom used outside of elaborate written communications.
The time to start researching your band name has come to a close. Follow these steps to make sure the name you choose is perfect for you.
Type your band name into Google, with the exact words being searched (i.e., "Broken Color" in quotes). Check the top half of the first page of results. If a band with the same name as yours has dominated that space, then scrap your name, it's far too much hard work to compete with somebody else's Search Visibility for their own band name.
Search Spotify by the name of your band. Do results appear for that band name? Even if you are a more established band than one that lists under the name you're considering, having them listed first on your band name's page will render your work invisible for most of your fans, and it will automatically be the preferred choice in all artist pages to which your band's name appears.
Check the social media handles: Search for @[yourname] on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Ideally, you'll want the same handle across all of them. If the exact name is taken but you can find a close variation (e.g., you can't get @[bandname] but @[bandnameband] is available), then it may be worth you holding onto that as well for obvious reasons.
Check for domain name availability. Ideally, a band would want the .com version of their band name, but someone has often already snagged it. In that case, consider .band, .music, or other suitable alternatives, and make sure to see who owns the .com version, even if it's an old defunct band, to ensure that your fans don't get sent to the wrong site.
Check if the name is trademarked. Search the USPTO database (for US music) or an equivalent in your country. If other bands use it, look for another name. You don’t want to end up being a copycat or getting sued because you used something that already has a trademark. This is a critical step, and getting it right is critical.
Show your friends and family. Ask for their feedback. How does it sound? Is it catchy? Have them write your band name and see if they can recall it.
The names generated are safe to use commercially (on band, album, merchandise, etc), but you must do your own due diligence to check if another has used the name within the Music Industry, searching on Google, Spotify, etc as well as carrying out a quick search on the USPTO site (and country equivalent) for Trademark.
Type in the word you want to be included in the results in the "Include a word" field before you click on Generate. The word will appear in the results about 4 times in random positions.
You can include a specific word by typing it in the "Include a word" field before generating more names. This word will appear in about 4 out of 10 generated names in different parts of the name. The word rotates randomly across all name templates. If you leave this field blank, all of the results will be completely random.
Yes. Once you select a genre, the band name will be generated from the associated word pool. Therefore, all the band names in the batch will be "of a type". For example, all the names will read like rock names or metal names, etc. If you select "Any Genre," then the generator will select from the word pools of all 12 genres to provide greater variety in the names.
No. The results are generated by a template that selects from a list of words curated to form the basis of possible band names for each genre, then plugs them into a template to create the band name. So everything generated is a sensible, pronounceable, and grammatically correct band name. Not a half-word in sight, as is so often the case with 'AI generators'.
There's no limit to the number of times you can generate more band names. The generator is a never-ending repository of potential band names that you can browse at your leisure. If a band name stops you in your tracks, then you've found the perfect name for your band.
Yes. You can save band names by clicking the heart icon next to a name in the batch. Saved band names will appear below the generated list, and you can copy the whole list of saved names by clicking "Copy all" and pasting them into a note or chat with your band. These saved names exist only in the browser tab you are currently viewing and will be deleted if you close the tab or reload the page, so they won't help you track band names you want to come back to later.