Linkin Park fans have been left gobsmacked after learning how the American rock band got their iconic name - and what they could have been called before making a change to their moniker in the early 2000s

When Linkin Park fans discovered how the American rock group came up with their famous name and what they might have been called before changing it in the early 2000s, they were left in awe.

 Even though Linkin Park has sold 30 million singles and 100 million albums worldwide, some fans are still unaware of how the band came up with their well-known stage name.

 In 1996, Mike Shinoda, Emily Armstrong, Brad Delson, Joe Hahn, Dave Farrell, and Colin Brittain established the American rock group in Agoura Hills, California.

 They had drummer Rob Bourdon and lead singer Chester Bennington on their first seven studio albums.

In the End, New Divide, Faint, What I've Done, Somewhere I belong, Breaking the Habit, Numb, Burn It Down, and One Step Closer are a few of their best-known tracks.  Fans are turning to Reddit to find answers since, despite their global recognition, not everyone is aware of how the band got their name, Linkin Park.

 Before releasing their first album and changing their name to the one they use now, the band was known as Hybrid Theory, according to IMDb.

They picked Linkin Park because, according to a statement, Chester used to drive past Lincoln Park in Santa Monica, California, after practice, and it caught his eye.

 "The band's guys thought it sounded good.  LincolnPark.com was already occupied and too costly to purchase, so they modified the spelling to get the domain.

 One Reddit user commented on his revelation, saying: "I heard they chose it because they wanted something that was in almost every city/town."  "It's too bad they couldn't get Hybrid Theory," said another person.

A third individual commented: "Today I learned that Linkin Park originally wanted to be called “Lincoln Park”, but ultimately changed their name so they could register linkinpark.com."

 An additional user commented: "I initially believed they intended to be named Hybrid Theory, but it didn't work out. After that, they came up with Lincoln, and then they changed it to Linkin.  I might be mistaken.

 With stops in North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia, the band's From Zero world tour started in September 2025 and will go through 2025.