"Name" is a song by American rock band Goo Goo Dolls. It was released in September 1995 as the third single from their fifth studio album, A Boy Named Goo (1995). "Name" became the band's first major hit, topping both the US Modern Rock Tracks chart and the Album Rock Tracks chart. It also reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100. In Canada, "Name" peaked at number two on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart and number one on the RPM Alternative 30.

Composition The song's unusual guitar tuning, D-A-E-A-E-E,Dolls, G. (1996). Goo Goo Dolls - a Boy Named Goo*. Milwaukee: HAL LEONARD. is accomplished by replacing the B string with a high E string. In an interview with Guitar World Magazine, the singer and songwriter Johnny Rzeznik explained: "Both the top strings are high E strings. Whenever I tried tuning a regular B string up to E, it would pop. It was really tough on the tension. I've seen guys play 'Name' with regular tuning. It doesn't sound right." Rzeznik says that the song's unusual composition happened "quite accidentally". In an interview with KFOG, he explained: "It was weird, I was just sitting on my couch randomly twisting the tuning pegs, and I couldn't figure out what notes the guitar was tuned to, so I had to grab my tuner to find out, and then I jotted them down on a post it. ... I just sat there and let my fingers play the fretboard openly, and that is what became the progression of 'Name'."

In her book The Kennedy Chronicles, former MTV VJ Kennedy claimed that the song was actually about her complicated relationship with Rzeznik, with the lyrics referring to their time together and her full name being a secret to most. Rzeznik admitted to the inspiration in the book, saying, "I was trying to capture a moment...it was pretty interesting to have a song inspired by a moment. And I thought it was a very sweet song."Kennedy, The Kennedy Chronicles, 2013, Macmillan, pp. 103–105.

Rzeznik acknowledged "Name" is inspired by Kennedy's life and personality in a 2025 interview with Zach Sang.

Reception In October 2012, "Name" was ranked number 24 on Billboard's "Top 100 Pop Songs 1992–2012" chart. This chart also featured the Goo Goo Dolls' hits "Slide" (ranking at number nine) and "Iris" (which topped the chart). The Goo Goo Dolls are the only musicians to have three songs chart on the list, two breaking the top 10 and all three falling within the top 25. They are also the only musicians who have back to back singles ("Iris", 1998 and "Slide", 1999) featured on the list.

Track listings US cassette single and Australian maxi-CD single A1. "Name" – 4:29 B1. "Burnin' Up" – 2:29 B2. "Hit or Miss" – 2:43

European CD single "Name" – 4:29 "Nothing Can Change You" – 3:11 "I Wanna Destroy You" – 2:34

Japanese CD single "Name" "Burnin' Up" "Falling Down" "Naked"

Charts

Weekly charts + Chart (1995–1996)PeakpositionAustralia (ARIA) N.B. The HP column displays the highest peak reached.64European Alternative Rock (Music & Media)5Hungary Airplay (Music & Media)14Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)35Quebec Airplay (ADISQ)7

Year-end charts + Chart (1995)PositionCanada Top Singles (RPM)36US Album Rock Tracks (Billboard)32US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)5 + Chart (1996)Position Brazil (Crowley)51Canada Top Singles (RPM)24Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)64US Billboard Hot 10024US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)25US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)5US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard)32US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)89US Top 40/Mainstream (Billboard)7

Certifications

Release history + RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)United StatesSeptember 5, 1995Contemporary hit radioSeptember 26, 1995AustraliaNovember 27, 1995CDWarner Bros.JapanMay 25, 1996

See also List of number-one mainstream rock hits (United States) Number one modern rock hits of 1995 List of RPM Rock/Alternative number-one singles (Canada)

References