Status Quo

Two south London fellows called The Spectres (2) (another previously-documented early name, The Scorpions, is disputed).
In 1966, the band changed their name to "The Traffic", shortly thereafter to Roy Lynes (keyboard).
A year later, the band changed name once again to "The Status Quo". Rick Parfitt (guitar) ed the band. Their first hit record, "Pictures of Matchstick Men", was released. "The" was omitted from the name of the band in 1969, known thereafter as just "Status Quo"