“Our band is struggling to find a name. Do you like the name ‘Choppy and the Space Cadets?”

This is a genuine question I came across today on answerbag.com and it highlights the common dilemma many bands face in selecting their moniker.

Trends in band names have always fascinated me. Working our way through the past decade we’ve seen the ‘Bear’ phase (Grizzly Bear, Panda Bear, Minus The Bear), the ‘Wolf’ phase (Wolf & Cub, Wolfmother, Wolf Parade, We Are Wolves), and the not-to-be-forgotten ‘Crystal’ phase (we’re looking at you Crystal Castles, Crystal Stilts and Crystal Antlers).

The past year has seen rise to the popular nautical trend with bands like Beach House, Best Coast, Waaves, Washed Out and Dirty Beaches all breaking through. There’s even a chillwave name generator that lends some inspiration to aspiring artists struggling on the name-front. (Eds note – this site is highly addictive. Favourite results include ‘Eternal Ankle’, ‘Wasted Shade’ and ‘Blanket Gloss’).

So what will 2011 hold in the band name arena? With current climatic events in mind, my bets are on water themes and disaster words. ‘Terror Rain’  has a nice ring to it….