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How Guns N’ Roses Got Their Name: The Story Behind the Iconic Band

Long before becoming one of the biggest rock bands in the world, Guns N’ Roses was just an idea that grew out of two smaller Los Angeles groups in the 1980s — Hollywood Rose and L.A. Guns.

Axl Rose, the frontman of Hollywood Rose, and Tracii Guns, the guitarist of L.A. Guns, were both active in the L.A. rock scene at the time. When their bands started falling apart, the two decided to join forces and form something new — and that partnership gave birth to Guns N’ Roses.

According to Tracii Guns, the name came together almost by accident. He once explained that he and Axl were sitting around thinking of ideas when they combined their last names — “Guns” from Tracii and “Rose” from Axl. At first, they thought of calling it Guns and Rose, but within minutes, Axl changed it to Guns N’ Roses, which sounded stronger and more natural for a rock band.

Interestingly, the name was first meant to be the title of a record label, not a band. But the idea stuck, and before long, it became the official name of the group that would soon shake up the rock world.

The early lineup included Axl Rose, Izzy Stradlin, Tracii Guns, Rob Gardner, and Ole Beich. However, it didn’t take long for things to shift. Slash and Duff McKagan joined the group shortly after, replacing Tracii and Ole — and that lineup became the band that went on to conquer the world with songs like Sweet Child O’ Mine, Welcome to the Jungle, and Paradise City.

From a simple mash-up of two last names, Guns N’ Roses grew into one of the most powerful names in rock history — representing both sides of their sound: the aggression of “Guns” and the passion of “Roses.”