Check Out How Your Favorite Musicians Stumbled Into Choosing Their Now-Iconic Names

Daft Punk Inspired Phoenix

Photo Credit: Francesco Prandoni / Contributor

If you like Phoenix, you should be kissing the ground Daft Punk walks on. Though the bands sound nothing alike, Phoenix couldn’t have existed without the French electronic duo – at least not the name. Before Phoenix released their first album, guitarist Lauren Brancowitz was in a band with Daft Punkers Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo called Darlin’.

Darlin’ eventually broke up and lead Bangalter and Guy-Manuel to fool around with electronic music. Brancowitz went on to form an unnamed indie rock project. When Daft Punk released Homework, the song “Phoenix” inspired Brancowitz and he adopted the name. Pheonix began releasing singles in 1999 and dropped their debut album United in 2000.