100 Best Rock Bands With Animal Names

Thematic representations are hugely popular in music. Rock music, in particular, has an astounding number of bands with animal-themed names. Why do musicians pick animal-inspired names as an identity for their band? While most bands may intentionally use an animal name to signify a thought process, sometimes it’s just a random idea that takes shape in a weirdly aesthetic way.

Musicians may pick an animal name for their band to gain a theatrical identity. Although the purpose of a band name should be to create a relatable identity with music, there are no rules when coming up with a name. If a word has a spark, it’s likely to be implemented. Sometimes instantaneous humor or a funny way of visualizing things helps incorporate unique animal-inspired ideas into band names.

Top 10 Rock Bands Named After Animals

1. Arctic Monkeys
2. The Beatles
3. Porcupine Tree
4. Lamb of God
5. Wolfmother
6. Camel
7. Eagles
8. Whitesnake
9. Scorpions
10. Papa Roach

Animal Names in Rock History

The first time animal names were associated with rock 'n' roll was in 1948, when a Black vocal group from Baltimore called The Orioles had a massive hit with "It's Too Soon to Know." From there, "doo-wop" groups named after birds exploded in popularity: The Penguins, Ravens, Flamingos, Robins, Cardinals, Crows, Larks, Jayhawks, and Wrens all followed.

The popularity of animal names for bands not only continued in the ‘60s, it crossed the pond. More than anyone, British beat groups popularized animal-themed names. Although beat groups emerged from different countries, the style of music originated with British bands in and around Liverpool experimenting with the Mersey sound, a style also referred to as Merseybeat.

The majority of the acts associated with this style of music had band names that started with the word “The” followed by another word. During a drunken brainstorming session, four lads from Liverpool decided to pick a bug-related name for their band inspired by the music of Buddy Holly and the Crickets. The name this British band picked was The Beatles.

As the band achieved critical and commercial success, a number of beat groups and rock bands with names of birds, animals, and insects emerged. Ever since, every decade has had its share of rock bands with animal names.

#11—20

11. Three Dog Night

12. King Cobra

13. Def Leppard

14.The Black Crowes

15. Cage the Elephant

16. The Monkees

17. Iron Butterfly

18. Glass Tiger

19. Steppenwolf

20. Buffalo Springfield

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Modern Trends in Animal Names

In different subgenres of rock music, we come across bands with animal names. While in the past musical groups with short names were popular, in recent years, long band names that mention mammals, birds, insects, amphibians, reptiles, primates, cartilaginous fishes, lizards, rodents, bats, tetrapods, turtles, dogs, cats, horses, chicken, mice, cattle, bears, tigers, and lions have become excessively popular. The long band name trend is popular in the following genres:

#21—30

21. The Stray Cats

22. DragonForce

23. Blue Öyster Cult

24. Tame Impala

25. Steel Panther

26. Crazy Horse

27. The Turtles

28. Blodwyn Pig

29. Alien Ant Farm

30. The Byrds

#31—50

31. Budgie

32. Eels

33. Slash’s Snakepit

34. Gorillaz

35. Them Crooked Vultures

36. Of Mice & Men

37. T. Rex

38. Government Mule

39. Grizzly Bear

40. Zebrahead

41. One Day as a Lion

42. Cobra Starship

43. Pantera

44. Hootie & the Blowfish

45. The Bunny the Bear

46. Catfish and the Bottlemen

47. Phish

48. The Aquabats

49. Modest Mouse

50. Deerhunter

#51—75

51. The Fabulous Thunderbirds

52. Toadies

53. W.A.S.P.

54. Hot Tuna

55. The Animals

56. Ratt

57. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard

58. The Turtles

59. Fishbone

60. Chickenfoot

61. Doves

62. The Bats

63. Country Joe & the Fish

64. Atomic Rooster

65. Echo & the Bunneymen

66. Band of Horses

67. Imagine Dragons

68. Mastodon

69. Buckcherry

70. Dinosaur Jr.

71. Tygers of Pan Tang

72. Foals

73. The Boomtown Rats

74. Swans

75. A Flock of Seagulls

#76—100

76. The Jayhawks

77. Bloodhound Gang

78. The Ducks

79. Wolf Alice

80. Noah and the Whale

81. Buzzcocks

82. Jellyfish

83. Skunk Anansie

84. Eagles of Death Metal

85. Toad the Wet Sprocket

86. White Lion

87. Flyleaf

88. The Yardbirds

89. Counting Crows

90. Sick Puppies

91. Wolf Parade

92. Dog Eat Dog

93. Animals as Leaders

94. Grant Lee Buffalo

95. Hawkwind

96. Super Furry Animals

97. Dog’s Eye View

98. The Wombats

99. Minus the Bear

100. The Coral

Other Notable Rock Bands With Animal Names

• Dr. Dog
• Wolf Parade
• Lion
• The Cats
• Horse the Band
• Bad Wolves
• Zebra
• School of Fish
• Goatsnake
• Bear Hands
• Spacehog
• Pelican
• We Are Wolves
• Spider
• Hagfish
• Goat
• Reel Big Fish
• Hello Seahorse!
• Monkey
• Dog Fashion Disco
• Lubricated Goat
• Boy & Bear
• Pigface
• Hot Snakes
• Salty Dog

• Cancer Bats
• Weird Owl
• Powerwolf
• Leftover Salmon
• Cobra
• The Hippos
• Panthers
• Bonsai Kitten
• Freelance Whales
• Care Bears on Fire
• Great White
• The Rats
• Platypus
• Ringworm
• The Crickets
• Whale
• Faster Pussycat
• The Golden Seals
• White Rabbits
• Lionheart
• Tarantula
• Edward Bear
• The Frogs
• Bearsuit
• Tiger Bell

• Kittie
• The Seahorses
• Lake Trout
• The Groundhogs
• Stray Dog
• Elefant
• The Apes
• Skinny Puppy
• Jaguar Love
• King Prawn
• Ryan Adams & the Cardinals
• Turbowolf
• Huggy Bear
• The Chameleons
• Electric Eels
• Temple of the Dog
• Colonel Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade
• We Versus the Shark
• Squid
• Mucky Pup
• Pulled Apart by Horses
• Beaver
• Mammoth Mammoth
• December Wolves
• Tarantula Hawk

• Ferocious Dog
• Crippled Black Phoenix
• Rhinoceros
• Gorilla Biscuits
• Cyclefly
• Badger
• Tiger Army
• Deer Tick
• Finch
• Oysterhead
• Stone the Crows
• The Four Horsemen
• Shark Island
• Giant Squid
• The Lizard Train
• Sparklehorse
• Frightened Rabbit
• Tortoise
• Buffalo Tom
• Oysterband
• Pavlov’s Dog
• John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band
• Bear’s Den
• Squirrel Bait
• The Sharks

• Foxy Shazam
• Soulfly
• Henry Cow
• Toad
• Hawk Eyes
• New Young Pony Club (NYPC)
• The Wrens
• Wolves in the Throne Room
• Fruit Bats
• The Swamp Rats
• Wolf Gang
• Rare Bird
• The Pigeon Detectives
• Deerhoof
• White Wolf
• The Ugly Ducklings
• Racoon
• Lambchop
• The Unicorns
• Riverdogs
• Fleet Foxes
• Bowerbirds
• The Lounge Kittens
• Seals & Croft
• The Detroit Cobras

• Jimmie’s Chicken Shack
• That Dog
• Sea Wolf
• Plants and Animals
• To Speak of Wolves
• The Sloths
• Big Pig
• Shark Island
• Crocodile Shop
• Jaguar
• These Arms are Snakes
• Department of Eagles
• Tiger
• Golden Bear
• Phantom Buffalo
• The Judybats
• Ratcat
• Said the Whale
• The Quails
• Dogsflesh
• Tigers Jaw
• Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
• The Peacocks
• Animals That Swim
• Wild Horses

• Snowpony
• Flipper
• The Soup Dragons
• Pedro the Lion
• Raven
• The Bees
• The Dead Rabbitts
• Graveworm
• City of Caterpillar
• Last Dinosaurs
• Blackbird
• Steam Powered Giraffe
• Warpig
• The Moth & the Flame
• Dovetail Joint
• Sleepytime Gorilla Museum
• Iwrestledabearonce
• Rhino Bucket
• All Pigs Must Die
• Buffalo Killers
• Wild Dogs
• Pussycat and the Dirty Johnsons
• Tex and the Horseheads
• Bear in Heaven
• Judah & the Lion

• Driftless Pony Club
• Blakfish
• Mouse and the Traps
• Caligula’s Horse
• The Flying Lizards
• Pigeons Playing Ping Pong
• The Vultures
• Polar Bear Club
• Bear vs. Shark
• Goose
• The Field Mice
• Fleas and Lice
• Skywhale
• Coral Reefer Band
• Yellow Swans
• The Buck Pets
• Dingo
• The Birdwatchers
• As Tall As Lions
• Red Sparowes
• 50 Lions
• The Housemartins
• Nightmare and the Cat
• Three Fish
• Dogs
• Alpha Wolf
• Little Birdy

• Fight Like Apes
• Art Bears
• The Wooden Birds
• Rabbit
• Manticora
• The Giraffes
• Screeching Weasel
• Cranes
• The Mountain Goats
• Dogs Die in Hot Cars
• Leatherwolf
• Birds of Tokyo
• Cobra Skulls
• Horse Feathers
• The Hamsters
• Little Charlie and the Nightcats
• Octopus
• Baby Animals
• The Blow Monkeys
• Animal Liberation Orchestra
• Wolfbrigade
• The Racoons
• Praying Mantis
• Dead Swans
• Sea Hags
• Feed Her to the Sharks
• The Cat Empire

© 2021 Ansel Pereira