# Best rock& roll names **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 18, 2005, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-roll-names/312947 "2005-07-18T05:58:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-roll-names/312947/41 "2005-07-18T20:29:55Z")
> [@An Arky](#): > > Mick Jagger sounds very rock n roll to me. [dan ackroyd as tom synder] So, Mick, I gotta ask…why Jagger? Why Mick _Jagger_?[/dan ackroyd as tom synder] [mick jagger] Well, it was my father’s name…it was his father’s name before that…[/mick jagger] [dan ackroyd as tom synder] Fair enough, sir, fair enough. [/dan ackroyd as tom synder] ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-roll-names/312947/42 "2005-07-18T20:54:07Z")
> [@William V.](#): > > I can’t believe I’m the first: > > David St. Hubbins > Nigel Tufnel > Mick Shrimpton > Derek Smalls > > Spinal Tap ROCKS! (Sorry, no umlauts)… Hey. What about Stumpy Joe Pepys? Also, I second The Edge (better yet, Mr. The Edge). ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-roll-names/312947/43 "2005-07-18T21:35:03Z")
Sun Ra (okay, not actually “rock & roll”, but still a wicked cool musician’s name.) ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-roll-names/312947/44 "2005-07-18T21:42:26Z")
> [@Butterscotch](#): > > Buster Bloodvessel. > > [http://www.jasonwest.com/Bad%20Manners.htm](http://www.jasonwest.com/Bad%20Manners.htm) Ahhh you stole mine. A few more i like Johnny Vatos - Oingo Boingo Jello Biafra, D.H. Peligro and Klaus Floride - Dead Kennedys ---
**Author:** ![corncobpipe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/65b543/32.png) [@corncobpipe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corncobpipe)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-roll-names/312947/45 "2005-07-18T22:26:43Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Real names: > > Vivian Stanshall > Grace Slick > Papa John Creach > Frank Zappa > > Stage names: > > Taj Mahal > Alice Cooper Grace Slick’s given name is Grace Barnett Wing (I didn’t know that, I googled because I found it hard to believe) ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-roll-names/312947/46 "2005-07-18T22:29:20Z")
> [@corncobpipe](#): > > Grace Slick’s given name is Grace Barnett Wing Grace Slick is still a real name, though. Her first husband was Jerry Slick. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2005, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-roll-names/312947/47 "2005-07-18T23:04:45Z")
We’ve had DJ Bonebrake, Billy Zoom & Exene Cervenka listed. I’ll throw in John Doe. and declare that X is the winner. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![corncobpipe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/65b543/32.png) [@corncobpipe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corncobpipe)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-roll-names/312947/48 "2005-07-19T00:11:11Z")
> [@Biffy the Elephant Shrew](#): > > Grace Slick is still a real name, though. Her first husband was Jerry Slick. Yes, but his real name is Gerald Whiterabbit. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-roll-names/312947/49 "2005-07-19T01:57:00Z")
Madonna and Cher - both their real first names. Can you imagine how their careers would have been if they’d been named Mary and Christine? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-roll-names/312947/50 "2005-07-19T02:16:49Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Madonna and Cher - both their real first names. Cher’s real first name is Cherilyn. ---
**Author:** ![stanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@stanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stanger)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-roll-names/312947/51 "2005-07-19T03:06:37Z")
Buck Dharma - lead guitarist of Blue Oyster Cult ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-roll-names/312947/52 "2005-07-19T03:48:24Z")
I have a few more: Lee Ving, Spit Stix & Derf Scratch from **Fear** Genesis P-Orridge from **Psychic TV** Buster Poindexter (aka David Johansen of **New York Dolls** fame) and an icon that can’t be forgotten: [**Jandek**](http://tisue.net/jandek/) ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-roll-names/312947/53 "2005-07-19T06:56:07Z")
Here are some names I love from the type of music I listen to: **Kirsty MacColl Heather Nova Loreena McKennitt Lene Lovich Mary Margaret O’Hara Milla Nico Noe Venable Sam Phillips Sandy Denny Eleftheria Arvanitaki Diamanda Galas Sharon Shannon Sheila Chandra Siouxsie Sioux Anna Domino Vienna Teng Eleni Mandell Emiliana Torrini Yma Sumac 🙂** In a bizarre twist, my two very favorite female artists have names I wish they didn’t have. **Kate Bush** (no relation that I know of. What a bad time to have that name) **Happy Rhodes** (it’s her real name, and she’s refused to change it to please potential record companies, but, I hate to say, it keeps people from taking her seriously and she is a serious artist) I think **Exene Cervenka** is my all-time favorite name. I love her, but I love saying her name. Exene Exene Exene! ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-roll-names/312947/54 "2005-07-19T10:50:56Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > Nico I’ll see your Nico and raise you a Taco. And how could you have a punchier name than Lou Reed? (His real name, BTW, despite the legends.) Few more. (Again, real names AFAIK.) Christine McVie Jorma Kaukonen George Thorogood Mark Mothersbaugh Janet Weiss [sub](dammit Janet!)[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-roll-names/312947/55 "2005-07-19T11:46:45Z")
**Richard Hell** (and **the Voidoids** - short-lived post-\*\*Television \*\*group and oneof the Best Band Names Ever). **Handsome Dick Manitoba** , lead singer of **The Dictators**. **Wendy O. Williams** (supposedly she had a W tattooed on each butt-cheek, and so spelt her initials when mooning) and the **Plasmatics**. ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-roll-names/312947/56 "2005-07-19T13:06:56Z")
? (from ? and the Mysterians of “96 Tears” one-shot wonderdom)(real name: Rudy Martinez) And a pair from the blues: Howlin’ Wolf Muddy Waters ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-roll-names/312947/57 "2005-07-19T13:41:09Z")
> [@Beware of Doug](#): > > Few more. (Again, real names AFAIK.)…Christine McVie Ah, but before marrying John, she was Christine Perfect in Chicken Shack. (The PERFECT rock 'n roll name!) ---
**Author:** ![big\_dogs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f1d935/32.png) [@big\_dogs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/big_dogs)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-roll-names/312947/58 "2005-07-19T14:03:42Z")
> [@Snowboarder Bo](#): > > Genesis P-Orridge from **Psychic TV** Genesis P-Orridge gets bonus points for also being in **Throbbing Gristle** - possibly the greatest band name ever. I want to nominate the band **Chrome** for having the most cool rock & roll names in one band: Helios Creed Damon Edge Hilary Stench Gary Spain Buz Deadwax ---
**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-roll-names/312947/59 "2005-07-19T14:31:56Z")
Tre’ Cool, drummer for Green Day Prince; changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol, **that** is rock n’ roll. ---
**Author:** ![Crandolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Crandolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crandolph)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-roll-names/312947/60 "2005-07-19T14:49:40Z")
Bo Diddley Frank Discussion (of the Feederz) Lee Ving (Fear) Darby Crash (Germs - was this mentioned already?) I don’t “get” why Mike Ness (the name, not the guy) is so cool… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-roll-names/312947.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-roll-names/312947.md?page=4)