How Did Five Finger Death Punch Get Their Band Name?

How did Five Finger Death Punch come up with their band name? Where did it come from?

Because the heavy metal outfit that formed in Las Vegas in 2005 has a band name that undoubtedly draws a reaction, even if it's a negative one.

But don't worry, hating on the Five Finger Death Punch band name doesn't bother the group that includes guitarist Zoltan Bathory and lead vocalist Ivan Moody. In fact, they baked those reactions into the band name when they came up with it, as Bathory has explained in the past.

But first, a little background.

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How Did Five Finger Death Punch Get Their Band Name?

The band name Five Finger Death Punch, while perhaps sounding outlandish on the face of it to some, draws its inspiration from an entirely earnest source — martial arts cinema.

A fascination with the action subgenre threads through the band's albums and artwork, as American Songwriter pointed out. Of course, the deep love of action films is no surprise when you consider Bathory has a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

The Touch of Death

The "Touch of Death" — the legendary martial arts skill purported to kill with seemingly less-than-lethal force — is portrayed in numerous martial arts films. In Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004), Clan of the White Lotus (1980) and Executioners of Shaolin (1977), it's the "Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique" — containing five points, or fingers, of death.

And quite literally, the Hong Kong film King Boxer (1972) was released in the U.S. as Five Fingers of Death, giving you more than an idea of how Five Finger Death Punch concocted their name.

But perhaps more than anything, the band named themselves Five Finger Death Punch because of the impact it carries. It has an effect, and whether a good or bad result, it leaves an impression.

Bathory Explains the Name's Impact

"The name of the band has to have some kind of an effect," Bathory mused in a 2019 studio video. "It doesn't have to be positive — it doesn't have to be like, 'That's the greatest name in the world!' It can be, 'Oh my God, that's the dumbest fucking shit I ever heard!' Equally good, because it got a reaction."

Zoltan Bathory Comments on Five Finger Death Punch's Band Name

He continued, with Moody concurring, "I don't think you can beat Five Finger Death Punch, that's probably the worst fucking name. … We almost changed it, and Ivan came in and said, 'That's the best name ever! … They're gonna hate it. Keep it!'"

Not a bad idea, after all, because the name has served the band more than well. As Bathory suggested, if you're a rock and metal listener, you probably already have a steadfast opinion one way or the other concerning Five Finger Death Punch — their band, their band name, and their music.

Has it left an impact on you?

Five Fingers of Death Trailer