10cc got their name from a mix of a manager’s dream and a cheeky myth about “extra virility,” and even the band members have played along with the joke over the years.

Quick Scoop

The “official” origin story

  • The band formed in 1972 in England, with Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley, and Lol Creme.
  • Their producer/manager Jonathan King has said he chose the name after a dream where he saw a concert marquee reading:

“10cc – The Best Band in the World.”

  • According to this version, he simply liked how 10cc looked and sounded and thought it felt big and memorable.

The infamous “semen” myth

  • A very popular story claims that 10cc refers to “ten cubic centimetres” of semen, supposedly more than the average male ejaculation.
  • This idea leans on “cc” as a medical volume unit (cubic centimetres), the same unit used for injections or lab measurements.
  • The myth stuck because it fit the band’s playful, slightly naughty image, and it’s been repeated in magazines, interviews, and fan chatter for decades.

What the band actually say

  • Jonathan King has rejected the semen explanation as the true origin, insisting his dream-story is the real one.
  • Kevin Godley has also dismissed the “average ejaculation” story as something that got attached later rather than the true naming moment.
  • Lol Creme, however, has at one point confirmed the semen explanation in an interview, which helped fuel the confusion.
  • Graham Gouldman later admitted they sometimes leaned into the joke because it was more fun than giving a dry, detailed explanation.

So why is 10cc called 10cc?

If you boil it down, there are two overlapping answers people trade on forums and in music history chats today:

  1. Manager’s dream marquee
    • King dreams of a venue sign: “10cc The Best Band in the World,” likes it, and uses it as the band name.
  1. Cheeky virility joke
    • “10cc” = ten cubic centimetres, framed as more than the “average” male amount, used as a bold, humorous spin on potency.

In modern discussions and “why is 10cc called 10cc” forum threads, you’ll usually see both versions repeated, with fans split between calling the medical/sexual angle a fun myth and treating it as part of the band’s tongue‑in‑cheek persona.

TL;DR: 10cc was named by their manager after a dream of a concert sign, but the band and fans helped popularize a racy “10 cubic centimetres of semen” joke explanation, so both stories now travel together whenever people ask why 10cc is called 10cc.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.