How did Mötley Crüe get its name?

Well not really, but the origins of Mötley Crüe’s name have a bit of a rock ‘n’ roll history behind it. It all started when Mick Mars was playing in a band called White Horse. One day, a fellow band member looked at their group and called them “a motley looking crew.” Mars thought the phrase was interesting, so he jotted it down as “Mottley Cru-,” not realizing it would become the iconic name for one of the biggest hard rock bands in history.

When Nikki Sixx came into the picture, he liked the idea but wanted to make it stand out more, so he changed the spelling to “Motley Crue.” But that’s not the end of the story. Vince Neil, always up for adding some flair, suggested the idea of adding two sets of metal umlauts to the name, Mötley Crüe, possibly inspired by the German beer Löwenbräu the band was drinking at the time. This gave the name the edgy, hard-rock vibe it needed to match the band’s image.

Mötley Crüe was officially formed on January 17, 1981, in Los Angeles by Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee, Vince Neil, and Mick Mars. From that moment on, “Mötley Crüe” became more than just a name—it was a symbol of rebellion, chaos, and the ultimate hard rock experience. The name reflected the band’s mismatched personalities, wild spirit, and boundary-pushing attitude that would go on to define their legacy.