Guess the Band's Name Origin (1)

About This Quiz

What’s the deal?

We give you a random slice of real life (a movie, a street sign, your grandma’s favorite book—whatever).

Four band names pop up. Tap the one that actually borrowed it.

Wrong answers look legit, but they won’t bite.

Sources shuffle every round, so everyone gets a lane they know.

See what weird facts actually stick.

START QUIZ

1/19

Named for the mythic river that separates the living world from the underworld in Greek legend?

[C] Styx | Greeks sailed this mythical river toward afterlife. Chicago rockers thought underworld geography suited their theatrical ambitions and synthesizer journeys.

2/19

Describes the dire money situation the British group was in when they formed?

[B] Dire Straits | Mark Knopfler's band started penniless. Financial desperation became their name, though guitar virtuosity quickly changed their economic forecast considerably.

3/19

A spelling twist on Santa Monica's 'Lincoln Park'?

[B] Linkin Park | Chester Bennington's band needed unique spelling after Lincoln Park. Domain name availability forced creativity: misspelling launched nu-metal internet generation.

4/19

Uses a poetic synonym for Satan sometimes rendered as 'The Red Lord'?

[D] King Crimson | Pete Sinfield suggested this Beelzebub nickname. Prog rock needed regal darkness: Satan's aristocratic title suited their complex time signatures perfectly.

5/19

Derived from the name of their manager's risqué London shop called SEX?

[A] Sex Pistols | Malcolm McLaren's SEX shop needed controversy. Add weaponry to taboo commerce: instant punk provocation guaranteed to horrify British establishment.

6/19

Built from the given names of bluesmen P. Anderson and F. Council?

[A] Pink Floyd | Syd Barrett combined Pink Anderson and Floyd Council's names. Two Piedmont blues legends unknowingly birthed psychedelic rock's most cosmic explorers.

7/19

Their name comes from the opening book of the Bible?

[A] Genesis | Biblical beginnings became progressive rock foundations. The word promises creation stories, which suited their evolving soundscapes perfectly from day one.

8/19

Created by blending the names of two rolling paper brands, Zig-Zag and Top?

[D] ZZ Top | Rolling paper brands merged: Zig-Zag plus Top. Texas blues simplified to two letters, growing beards longer than their name.

9/19

Lifted from Bob Dylan's song title 'The Ballad of Frankie Lee and band name'?

[B] Judas Priest | Dylan's obscure ballad character became metal mythology. Biblical betrayer meets religious figure: perfect paradox for leather-clad Birmingham headbangers.

10/19

Chosen because the guitarist was struck by a dictionary phrase describing 'mischievous little elves'?

[C] Pixies | Black Francis found dictionary elves compelling. These supernatural troublemakers perfectly captured their loud-quiet-loud dynamics and surreal Boston alternative rock.

11/19

Based on a stage surname once used as an alias by Paul McCartney?

[B] Ramones | Paul toured as Paul Ramon once. Four Forest Hills punks adopted the alias, making fake names faster than three-chord songs.

12/19

Comes from the designation of a U.S. spy plane like the one piloted by Gary Powers?

[D] U2 | Cold War reconnaissance aircraft became Dublin's biggest export. High altitude surveillance transformed into stadium anthems reaching atmospheric heights globally.

13/19

Formed by merging drummer Mick's surname with that of bassist John?

[A] Fleetwood Mac | Mick Fleetwood plus John McVie equals naming democracy. The rhythm section got billing while singers kept changing through decades.

14/19

Named for a French fashion magazine whose title roughly means 'fashion news dispatch'?

[B] Depeche Mode | Basildon lads picked French fashion magazine title. "Fast fashion" became synthesizer scripture, turning runway reports into electronic devotion worldwide.

15/19

Combines the first name of a celebrated 1950s actress with the surname of a notorious convicted criminal and cult leader?

[A] Marilyn Manson | Brian Warner combined Marilyn Monroe with Charles Manson. Beauty icon meets murder icon: shock rock mathematics for parental nightmares.

16/19

Named for a deadly disease and bioweapon that became notorious after a lethal leak in Sverdlovsk?

[D] Anthrax | Scott Ian chose biological warfare terminology for thrash metal. Sverdlovsk's tragedy made headlines while NYC metalheads made mosh pit medicine.

17/19

An initialism built from the first names of all the band members?

[C] ABBA | Agnetha, Björn, Benny, Anni-Frid spelled Swedish pop perfection. Four names created palindromic magic, readable backwards like their timeless melodies.

18/19

Borrowed from the name of the Austrian archduke whose assassination helped trigger World War I?

[B] Franz Ferdinand | Glasgow art students named themselves after history's most consequential murder victim. One bullet in Sarajevo inspired countless dance floor bullets.

19/19

Refers to the singer's female housemate who struggled with drug addiction?

[A] Jane's Addiction | Perry Farrell's housemate Jane Bainter struggled with heroin. Personal tragedy became alternative rock poetry and Lollapalooza's founding inspiration.