Why Do Music Artists Name Themselves After Animals?
Let’s Journey Through the Zoo of Sound
The other day, while hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains, I was meditating, and then a flash hit me — musical artists have often borrowed from nature. From the buzzing of insects to the primal roar of the jungle, the animal kingdom has consistently provided a vibrant wellspring of inspiration for a memorable moniker. What might initially seem like a simple naming convention often conceals a captivating story, a clever pun, or a deeply personal connection. This dive into the origins of iconic band and artist names reveals just how diverse and delightfully quirky these animal-inspired names can be.
The Original Critters and Their Progeny
The tendency for musicians to adopt animal-themed names often traces its roots back to early rock and roll. Before they became legends, The Beatles were just a glimmer in John Lennon's eye, influenced by an American band that chirped its way into history.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
The genesis of Buddy Holly and The Crickets' name was born out of both legal necessity and a touch of insect-inspired whimsy. Buddy Holly was already under contract for solo work, which meant he needed a distinct identity for his new band to release material. During a brainstorming session, drummer Jerry Allison reportedly proposed "The Crickets," reasoning that "they make a happy sound, they're a happy type of insect," a fitting description for their upbeat, pioneering rock and roll. This clever solution allowed them to record and ultimately set a peculiar precedent for future bands. The success of "The Crickets" inadvertently sparked a peculiar lineage, directly inspiring a cascade of animal-named bands that would indelibly shape music history.
The Beatles
Yes, their legendary name is indeed a brilliant play on words rooted in the insect world! A profound influence came from Buddy Holly and The Crickets, whom John Lennon deeply admired. Initially, Lennon and original bassist Stuart Sutcliffe considered a straightforward homage: "The Beetles." The actual stroke of genius, however, came from Lennon's love for wordplay. He tweaked the spelling from B-E-E-T-L-E-S to B-E-A-T-L-E-S. This subtle shift brilliantly incorporated "beat," a nod to the "beat music" genre thriving in Liverpool at the time, and the rhythmic pulse of rock and roll. Thus, "The Beatles" ingeniously evokes both the insect and the musical rhythm, forging one of the most iconic band names ever conceived.
The Monkees
The name was a deliberate and strategic choice by television show creators Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider, directly capitalizing on the immense popularity of animal-named bands, particularly The Beatles. Conceived as a fictional rock band for a TV series, designed to ride the wave of "Beatlemania" and their cinematic ventures, the creators were actively seeking an animal-themed name. Much like The Beatles' famous phonetic twist, "The Monkees" was a similarly playful misspelling of "monkeys," cleverly echoing the successful formula. It proved to be a shrewd and amusing choice, creating an instantly recognizable and marketable brand for both their show and their music.
The Buggles
Forever etched in history for "Video Killed the Radio Star" (the first music video aired on MTV), they derived their name as a clever pun on the colossal success of The Beatles. As band members Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes recounted, their initial thought was "The Bugs," inspired by the notion of mischievous "studio insects" that might create sounds. When a lighthearted jab surfaced—that "The Bugs" would never achieve the same stature as "The Beatles"—they embraced the humor. By transforming "Bugs" into "Buggles," they created a direct, playful homage to The Beatles while retaining the insect motif. This naming choice subtly blended rebellion and self-deprecating wit into their distinctive identity.
Unexpected Origins: From Strange Encounters to Childhood Nicknames
Beyond the direct influence of their predecessors, many artists found inspiration in the animal kingdom from astonishing sources, creating names that are as unique as their music.
Three Dog Night
The band plucked their evocative name from an ancient Australian expression. This saying quantifies the severity of a cold night by the number of dogs needed for warmth: a "three dog night" signifies utterly freezing conditions, demanding a cuddle with three canines to ward off the chill. Vocalist Danny Hutton's girlfriend suggested the name after reading an article about Aboriginal Australians using dogs for this purpose. It's a vivid metaphor for intensity, perfectly aligning with the band's powerful vocal harmonies.
Buffalo Springfield
The band got its name in a remarkably unpretentious, almost accidental manner: by simply spotting it emblazoned on a steamroller. While in Los Angeles, band members Stephen Stills and Richie Furay noticed a "Buffalo-Springfield Roller Company" machine parked outside their lodging. They found the name appealing and readily adopted it, dropping the hyphen to become the moniker for one of the 1960s' most influential folk-rock bands.
Cage the Elephant
The name stems from a particular and rather bizarre encounter involving lead singer Matt Shultz. In 2006, following a show, Shultz was approached by a man exhibiting signs of mental distress. The man embraced Shultz and repeatedly uttered the perplexing phrase: "You have to cage the elephant." This enigmatic declaration profoundly stuck with Shultz and the band, prompting them to adopt it as their unique moniker.
Hootie & The Blowfish
They acquired their name from the college nicknames of two of frontman Darius Rucker's close friends. Hootie was the moniker of a friend who wore large, round glasses, which made him resemble an owl, while The Blowfish referred to another friend characterized by his notably puffy cheeks. Rucker recalled the moment these two friends entered a party as he was brainstorming band names, and the combination instantly clicked. He found it memorable and amusing, even if he later admitted to being surprised by the widespread assumption that he was "Hootie."
Bad Bunny
His real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, and he got his stage name from a funny childhood incident. When he was a child, he was forced to wear a bunny costume for a school event, and he reportedly became quite angry, displaying a grumpy expression while wearing it. He later saw a picture of himself in that costume with that "bad" or annoyed look, and the photo stayed with him. When developing his artist persona, he combined the seemingly innocent image of a bunny with a "bad" or rebellious attitude, creating a playful and memorable name rooted in a funny personal memory.
Iconic Personas and Animal Traits
For many artists, choosing an animal name was a deliberate act of crafting an identity, reflecting desired traits or even a direct lineage within the music world.
Snoop Doggy Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. transformed into Snoop thanks to his mother! As a child, she affectionately nicknamed him "Snoopy" because she felt he resembled the beloved Peanuts cartoon character. As his rap career blossomed, he cleverly evolved this childhood moniker into "Snoop Doggy Dogg," embracing the "dog" theme prevalent in West Coast hip-hop at the time (shout out to the West Coast!), before eventually shortening it to the now iconic "Snoop Dogg."
Nate Dogg
Nathaniel Dwayne Hale adopted his stage name as a direct acknowledgment of his deep connection to Snoop Dogg and the broader "Dogg Pound" collective. The inclusion of "Dogg" in his name firmly rooted him within the West Coast G-funk sound and crew, solidifying a shared identity and musical lineage.
Bow Wow
Shad Gregory Moss received his initial stage name, Lil' Bow Wow, directly from none other than Snoop Doggy Dogg himself. In 1993, at just six years old, Shad delivered an impressive performance at a concert. Snoop, captivated by the young talent and recognizing a kindred spirit, invited him onstage and bestowed the nickname, saying, "He was a little me. Instead of naming him Lil' Dogg, I named him Lil' Bow Wow." He later shed the "Lil'" in 2002 as he matured, seeking to distance himself from his youthful image amid a proliferation of "Lil' rappers."
Pitbull
Armando Christian Pérez, known globally as Pitbull, deliberately chose his stage name to align with the core characteristics of the dog breed. He has consistently articulated that he selected "Pitbull" because these dogs "bite to lock," symbolizing his tenacity and unwavering determination to achieve and hold onto his goals. He also references their relentless drive – "the dog is too stupid to lose" – embodying resilience. Furthermore, the fact that pit bulls were outlawed in Dade County (Miami) resonated with him, reflecting a rebellious, underdog spirit and an identification with being underestimated yet proving undeniably powerful.
Adam Ant
Born Stuart Leslie Goddard, Adam Ant meticulously crafted his stage name as an act of personal reinvention and to embody specific traits. He chose "Adam" to signify himself as the "first man." The addition of "Ant" came from his belief that "if there's a nuclear explosion, the ants will survive," reflecting a desire for resilience and survival. First known as Adam and the Ants, this deliberate choice for symbolic reasons underscored his persona as a foundational and enduring figure in music.
A Vast Menagerie: Even More Animal-Inspired Artists
The artists detailed above represent just a fraction of the musical acts that have found inspiration in the animal kingdom. The sheer breadth of animal-themed names across genres is truly astonishing, each undoubtedly harboring its own unique and fascinating origin story. While we can't delve into every tale here, this alphabetical list serves as a testament to this enduring trend, a zoo of musical talent:
A Flock of Seagulls
Animal Collective
Arctic Monkeys
Band of Horses
Bear's Den
Blue Öyster Cult
Catfish and the Bottlemen
Cat Stevens
Counting Crows
Deerfhoof
Deerhunter
Def Leppard
Dinosaur Jr.
Doves
Eagles
Eels
Foxy Brown
Goat Girl
Gorillaz
Grizzly Bear
Houndmouth
Iron Butterfly
Josie & The Pussycats
Judah & The Lion
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Le Tigre
Owl City
Pantera
Phish
Ratt
Scorpions
Sheryl Crow
Squirrel Nut Zippers
Stray Cats
Tame Impala
The Animals
The Black Crowes
The Byrds
The Pussycat Dolls
The Turtles
The Wombats
TYGA
Whale
White Rabbit
Whitesnake
Wild Beasts
Wolf Alice
Wolfmother
Yelawolf
This eclectic collection powerfully illustrates that whether by serendipitous accident, playful inspiration, a clever linguistic twist, or a profound personal connection, the kingdom of animalia consistently proves to be a fertile and enduring source of creativity in the ever-evolving world of music. The bond between music and nature remains as strong as ever.
Who did I miss? Which of these animal-inspired naming stories resonates most with you, and why?