They are world-famous, having sold 600 million records throughout their career and holding the record for the most number-one singles on both British and American charts. This is why the Beatles are so widely debated and studied, with each member’s life scrutinised in detail.
However, despite all this attention, one crucial aspect of the band remains unclear: their name. After all, why are the Beatles called The Beatles? There is numerous speculation behind the pick, and even the members themselves have been vague about it in the past. Here are the two most popular theories.
Theory 1: Buddy Holly Shaped The Beatles’ Identity
John, Paul, and George performed together under various names until the 1960s, when the group realised it was time to update their identity. They began exploring possibilities and came across another band that intrigued them: Buddy Holly and the Crickets.
Their fascination stemmed from two reasons. First, Buddy Holly and the Crickets were known for their blend of rock and roll, country, and rhythm and blues—a mix that inspired the Fab Four. Additionally, John, Paul, and George found it unusual to name a band after an insect.
According to various accounts, it was Stuart Sutcliffe, the band’s original bassist, who suggested the name “The Beetles” as a nod to the Crickets. But Lennon, with his love for wordplay, reportedly modified it to ‘The Beatles,‘ combining ‘beat’—a reference to the beat music scene of the time—with the insect theme.
What did The Beatles say about this theory?
In a 1963 interview in Doncaster, Paul McCartney confirmed the validity of this theory. According to him, the band struggled to settle on a definitive name, trying out dozens of different options each week without reaching a consensus. Everything changed when John suggested “The Beatles.”
“And John came up with The Beatles one night, and he sort of explained how it was spelled with an e-a, and we said, ‘Oh, yes, it’s a joke!‘”, Paul commented.
By 1964, perhaps a bit bored from being asked the same question hundreds of times, John and Paul mentioned during an interview that the band could have been called “The Shoes.” “The Beatles is just a name,” Paul said.
Later in 1964, John jokingly explained in an interview for Mersey Beat at the Jacaranda pub in Liverpool: “It came in a vision – a man appeared on a flaming pie and said unto them, ‘From this day on, you are Beatles with an A.’” While clearly a bit of Lennon-style humour, it only added to the band’s mystique.
Also in 1964, John provided a more detailed explanation: “Well, I remembered the other day when somebody mentioned the Crickets at a press conference. I’d forgotten all about that. I was looking for a name like the Crickets that meant two things, and from Crickets I got to Beatles.”
He further explained that he changed “Beetles” to “Beatles” to create a double meaning for the band’s name. “I mean, it didn’t have to mean two things, but it said… It was beat and beetles, and when you said it, people thought of crawly things, and when you read it, it was beat music.”
Theory 2: The Wild One’s Secret Influence
This theory comes from their publicist, Derek Taylor, who suggested that the name was inspired by the 1953 film The Wild One, starring Marlon Brando. In the film, a rival motorcycle gang led by the character Chino refers to itself as “The Beetles“.
Taylor recounted that Stuart Sutcliffe, the band’s original bassist, saw the film and proposed the name to John Lennon, who then altered the spelling to “Beatles” as a play on the word “beat“.
However, this account is debated. Critics point out that The Wild One was banned in the UK until 1967, making it unlikely that the band members had seen the film before choosing their name. Despite this, it’s possible that they were aware of the film and its content through other means.
These are the two most popular theories about the origin of The Beatles, and the first theory is clearly the most well-supported, though the second hypothesis cannot be entirely dismissed. What do you think? Which of these theories seems the most plausible?
The best way to answer this question is by visiting the birthplace of The Beatles, immersing yourself in its atmosphere, and witnessing first-hand the cultural powerhouse that changed music history forever.
Book your Beatles Explorer tour today and experience Liverpool like never before!