Even now, when I try and think of band names just randomly, I'm

Hear the words of Nate Ruess, whose voice once carried to countless ears, yet who speaks here with quiet gratitude: “Even now, when I try and think of band names just randomly, I’m so thankful that ‘fun.’ is the name of the band. I never really think twice about it. It is so simple and so easy.” At first, these words may seem lighthearted, a passing reflection upon a name. Yet within them dwells a deeper wisdom, one that reaches across the ages: that greatness is not always born from grandeur, but often from the beauty of simplicity.

The meaning of a name has always carried profound weight. In ancient times, to name was to give identity, to call forth destiny. The Greeks believed that a name carried with it the essence of the bearer’s soul. In the Scriptures, Abram became Abraham, and his life’s purpose was transformed with the syllables. Warriors, kings, and poets alike chose titles that would echo through time. And yet Ruess teaches us that sometimes the most enduring names are those not cloaked in complexity, but in clarity—the simple, the easy, the unforgettable.

When he gives thanks for “fun.” as the chosen name, he reveals a truth about art and about life: that the heart of creation should not be burdened by ornament, but should strike at the core of joy. For music, like play, like laughter, is meant to lift the soul. A name such as this is not only a label but a banner, waving over the band and proclaiming its purpose: to remind the world of joy, to give permission for celebration even amidst struggle. In this, the choice was not trivial, but fated.

History mirrors this lesson. Consider the philosopher Epicurus, whose school was known simply as The Garden. No elaborate title, no crown of words—just a place, open and unadorned, where friends gathered to discuss the pursuit of happiness. And yet from this simple name flowed teachings that would endure for centuries. So too does “fun.,” short and striking, carry its power not in grandeur but in the universality of the feeling it invokes.

The thankfulness Ruess expresses is not only for the name itself, but for what it represents: the avoidance of regret, the absence of doubt, the peace of knowing that something so fundamental and unburdened was chosen. This is rare in life, where so often we torment ourselves with endless choices and second-guessing. To find a decision so aligned with one’s purpose that it feels unquestionable—that is a gift beyond measure. It is not the name alone, but the harmony between name and mission, that brings him peace.

What lesson shall we take from this? That in our own endeavors—whether naming our projects, defining our identities, or choosing our paths—we should not always chase complexity or adornment. The truest power often lies in simplicity, in clarity of purpose, in words and actions that reflect the very essence of what we wish to become. Let your choices be as a clear stream, not a muddied river; let them point directly to the heart of your mission, so that you too may one day look back and be thankful, without hesitation, without doubt.

Practical wisdom follows: when you name a work, a dream, or even a goal, do not be ensnared by ornamentation. Seek instead the word, the act, the path that feels easy, natural, inevitable—like a truth you have always known. Simplify where others complicate, and honor the essence rather than the decoration. In this way, your work will endure not by the weight of its title, but by the strength of its spirit.

Thus, the words of Nate Ruess are not only about music—they are a teaching for all life. To be thankful for simplicity, to cherish what is unburdened, to rejoice in what feels natural and inevitable—this is wisdom that transcends generations. Remember, then, that the simplest words often carry the deepest power, and the most enduring legacies are built not upon ornament, but upon essence.