Original bassist Stuart Sutcliffe suggested the name The Beetles as a tribute to Buddy Holly and The Crickets. However Lennon once said that "it came in a vision - a man appeared on a flaming pie and said unto them, 'From this day on you are Beatles with an A'".

McCartney finally took credit for the peculiar spelling of the name in 2001, saying: "John had the idea of calling us the Beetles; I said, 'How about the Beatles; you know, like the beat of the drum?' At the time, everyone was stoned enough to find it hilarious. It's funny how history is made."