Bee Gees fans only just learning what band’s name means | Music | Entertainment

They’ve sold more than 120 million records worldwide, yet some fans are only now learning the real story behind the Bee Gees‘ stage name. The group, comprising brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb, rocketed to stardom from the late 1960s through the 1980s, both through songs they performed themselves, and material written for other big-name artists.

Their number one hits include Stayin’ Alive, Night Fever, How Deep Is Your Love, Massachusetts, More Than a Woman, You Should Be Dancing, and Don’t Forget to Remember. But, despite their worldwide fame, some music lovers remain unaware of the actual significance of their stage name, triggering discussion on social media. One Quora user enquired: “Why were the Bee Gees called the Bee Gees?”

According to the group’s website, the Bee Gees moniker developed gradually, originally beginning with an alternative name. A statement reads: “Though it is widely believed that the Bee Gees first got their name from being the Brothers Gibb, this meaning did not come until a few years after their founding.

“When the brothers relocated to Australia in 1958, they began performing on the radio with pals Bill Goode and Bill Gates. The group’s name was originally The BG’s – derived from the shared initials between Barry Gibb, Bill Goode, and Bill Gates. The name then morphed from The BG’s to the Bee Gees which eventually came to mean the Brothers Gibb!”

The Gibb brothers originated from the Isle of Man and lived their formative years in Chorlton, Manchester, before the family relocated to Redcliffe, Queensland, Australia, during the late 1950s. Following chart success in Australia, the group returned to Britain in the swinging sixties and conquered the international music landscape under the management of impresario Robert Stigwood.

Their defining achievement arrived with the disco phenomenon Saturday Night Fever in 1977 – a groundbreaking release that earned them an impressive five Grammy Awards, including the prestigious Album of the Year.

Devotees of the Bee Gees have flocked to Quora to discuss the genesis of the legendary group’s moniker. One fan said: “Do not know how true it is, but when the Bee Gees came out they talked on the radio about BG standing for Brothers Gibb and they just spelled out Bee and Gee.”

Another added: “Originally it was believed to be to do with their surname. That is to say Brothers Gibb, hence BG’s (Bee Gees). Apparently it was said the band was named by an Australian DJ, whose promoter was called Bill Goode, plus Barry Gibb’s name which formed the band’s name!”

While another said: “The name is a phonetic spelling of the letters BG (Brothers Gibb). Of course, Robin and Maurice Gibb are both deceased now. Not Barry Gibb, he’s staying alive.”

Maurice Gibb died in 2003, aged just 53, while his brother Robin Gibb died in 2012, aged 62. Today Barry Gibb, now aged 79, lives in Florida.