While Van Halen may be synonymous with ’70s and ’80s rock, the band was this close to being named something entirely different. As a young southern California band in the ’70s, playing rock covers at backyard and house parties and small-time gigs throughout Los Angeles County, the group was still working on fine-tuning their own sound, as well as finding their own name.

When they first formed back in 1964, 9-year-old Eddie and 11-year-old Alex Van Halen named their nascent band the Broken Combs. Later on as teens, they would cheekily go as the Trojan Rubber Company. Still later in 1972, when they realized they needed to get serious, they settled on Genesis, according to Ultimate Classic Rock. Of course, they had no idea that there was another group from England with the same name that had formed five years earlier. So, a new name was needed again. This time, the guys decided on Mammoth, which they felt described their sound well: big and loud.

Fast forward to 1973 and the California band learned that Mammoth, too, was taken, following a cease-and-desist letter. A year away from their debut, the band needed yet another name. Per the Society of Rock, the brothers Van Halen were partial this time to “Rat Salad,” in a nod to Black Sabbath. Their new singer though, Roth, also known as Diamond Dave, had another idea: Van Halen. That one finally stuck.