Avenged Sevenfold all acquired their own from nicknames they possessed from high school. Frontman M. Shadows (born Matthew Charles Sanders), chose the alias because he thought of himself as "the darker character in the group" and did not like the way the name Matthew sounded. Guitarist Zacky Vengeance (b. Zachary James Baker) wanted to get back at those who doubted his potential growing up. He also gifted bassist Johnny Christ (b. Jonathan Lewis Seward) with his nickname, saying that it suited him well.

Guitarist Synyster Gates (b. Brian Elwin Haner Jr.) came up with his name during a drunken drive through a park, where he reportedly screamed, "My name is Synyster Gates and I am awesome!" Gates screamed out the name in the presence of late drummer The Rev (b. James Owen Sullivan), who also made up his own nickname, 'The Reverend Tholomew Plague.'

 

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