Rolling Stone has a rundown of some bands whose INITIAL idea for a name was TERRIBLE . . . but thankfully, they came to their senses and changed the name before it became too late.
Here they are:
1. Early name: Naked Toddler. . . Final name: Creed
2. Early name: The Golliwogs. . . Final name: Creedence Clearwater Revival
3. Early name: The Polka Tulk Blues Band. . . Final name: Black Sabbath
4. Early name: Tony Flow and the Miraculously Majestic Masters of Mayhem. . . Final name: Red Hot Chili Peppers
5. Early name: The Shrinky Dinks. . . Final name: Sugar Ray
6. Early name: Rainbow Butt Monkeys. . . Final name: Finger Eleven
7. Early name: Burn the Priest . . . Final name: Lamb of God
8. Early name: Pud. . . Final name: The Doobie Brothers
9. Early name: The Salty Peppers. . . Final name: Earth, Wind and Fire
10. Early name: Soft White Underbelly. . . Final name: Blue Öyster Cult
11. Early name: Screaming Abdabs. . . Final name: Pink Floyd
12. Early name: Wicked Lester. . . Final name: KISS
13. Early name: The Young Aborigines. . . Final name: Beastie Boys
14. Early name: The Band Aid Boys. . . Final name: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
15. Early name: Mr. Crowe’s Garden. . . Final name: The Black Crowes
16. Early name: Sweet Children. . . Final name: Green Day
17. Early name: The Pendeltons. . . Final name: The Beach Boys
18. Early name: Kara’s Flowers. . . Final name: Maroon 5
19. Early name: Atomic Mass . . . Final name: Def Leppard
20. Early name: Smile. . . Final name: Queen
21. Early name: The Obelisk. . . Final name: The Cure
22. Early name: On a Friday. . . Final name: Radiohead
23. Early name: Mookie Blaylock. . . Final name: Pearl Jam
24. Early name: The Square Roots. . . Final name: The Roots
25. Early name: Tom and Jerry. . . Final name: Simon and Garfunkel