Punk Rock Names - 10 of the best!

Reg Dwight changed his name to Elton John, David Jones to David Bowie, hinting at the slightly exotic stage personnas, but these are still recognisably 'normal' names, as in a first name and a surname. There were exceptions, such as the Big Bopper or Nico, but they were few and far between.

Then punk rock happened along and usually as a statement of attitude, invariably anti-establishment, the name became a crucial attribute of its bearer.

Here is a list in reverse order of my 10 favourite name bastardisations, with youtube links to the bands.

Please feel free to contribute your own punk rock name of choice, be it from an actual band, or merely one of your own devising were you in a band and no doubt fulfilling a fantasy of yours!

10) Richard Hell - Richard Hell and the Voidoids An apt name for the man with the best razor cut hair in rock and whose signature song was "The Blank Generation"

9) Jello Biafra and Klaus Flouride - Dead Kennedys Bespetacled bassist Flouride didn't look like a musician, while Biafra was a pure showman as a vocalist

8) Black Francis - The PixiesWhile he had chreubic features and the girth of a well fed monk, there was nothing angelic about Frank Black's voice when he let rip

7) Sonic Boom - Spacemen 3 For a band devoted to psychedelic research for their music, maybe Sonic was just disguising his identity from the Police, but the name fitted the sounds he got out of his guitar

6) Ari Up and Palm Olive - The Slits Palm Olive a delightful reference to the domesticity the Slits were all about leaving behind

5) Steve Ignorant and Eve Libertine - Crass Heavyweight punk-politicos, but their names conjure up cartoon figures

4) Lux Interior and Poison Ivy - The Cramps Husband and wife mainstays of seminal garage punk band The Cramps. Lux Interior RIP.

3) Vi Subversa and Lance D'Boyle - Poison Girls Vi was genuinely a subversive political punk, being a middle-aged mother of two when venturing on stage.

2) Poly Styrene - X Ray Spex There was nothing plastic about this London punk rock group

1) Chuck Biscuits and Joey Shithead - DOA While Mr Shithead went for the up front approach, drummer Chuck Biscuits is a constant source of delight to me whenever I recall his soubriquet. I don't know why, but the image of a hardcore punk band's drummer flinging not his drumsticks, but rather cookies into the audience tickles me. I don't think however that he lived up to his name, but I'm easily pleased.

Okay over to you pop punk pickers. What would be your chosen punk name? Pop it down in the comments and I'll pick my favourite. (Hint: Don't try any of those online name generators, they're awful for punk rock names- I know, I've tried them!)