According to Mary Austin, a close friend and former lover of Freddie Mercury, the band Queen very nearly ended up with a different name before settling on the one that became legendary. Speaking to The Guardian, Austin recalled being present when Mercury, Brian May and Roger Taylor discussed possible names, revealing that May had suggested "Build Your Own Boat" as an alternative. The anecdote offers a glimpse into the band's early, uncertain days before they became one of rock's biggest acts.

Austin, who was friends with May before meeting Mercury in 1970, admitted she privately favoured May's suggestion at the time out of loyalty, despite thinking it was "a terrible name". It was ultimately Mercury who proposed "Queen", also designing the band's crest featuring the members' zodiac signs, and later explaining the choice as "regal", "strong" and "universal". Before adopting the Queen name, the group had performed as Smile, formed by May with singer Tim Staffell, who left in 1970 to make way for Mercury; around the same time, Mercury changed his surname from Bulsara to Mercury.