| 100% | THEDOORS | 8 | 1960s-'70s band that took its name from an Aldous Huxley title |
| 50% | REM | 3 | Band that took its name from a stage of sleep Michael Stipe found in the dictionary |
| 43% | TEAL | 4 | Color that takes its name from a bird |
| 43% | TEAL | 4 | Color that takes its name from a duck |
| 43% | OHIO | 4 | Columbus' state that takes its name from a river |
| 42% | LEFIGARO | 8 | Leading newspaper that took its name from a stage comedy |
| 42% | ACE | 3 | Hardware store chain that took its name from fighter pilots |
| 42% | SOBE | 4 | Drink brand that takes its name from South Beach, Florida |
| 42% | MOON | 4 | "Man on the ___," 1999 biographical comedy film starring Jim Carrey, that took its title from an R.E.M. song |
| 42% | AMBER | 5 | Shade of yellow that takes its name from eponymous tree resin |
| 42% | ERIE | 4 | Great Lake that takes its name from a Native American tribe |
| 41% | SCISSORSDANCE | 13 | Quechuan custom that takes its name from the bladelike rods wielded by performers |
| 41% | TBONE | 5 | Type of steak that takes its name from a letter of the alphabet: Hyph. |
| 40% | AGNUSDEI | 8 | Liturgy that takes its name from a term for Jesus used by John the Baptist |
| 38% | CAKESANDALE | 11 | 1930 novel that takes its title from Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" |
| 38% | MINDS | 5 | “The Best ___” (Jonathan Rosen memoir that takes its title from “Howl”) |
| 38% | THINGSFALLAPART | 15 | 1958 novel that takes its title from Yeats’s “The Second Coming” |
| 38% | THEDOORS | 8 | Rock band named after an Aldous Huxley book |
| 37% | ROCKETMAN | 9 | Musical biopic that takes its title from a 1972 hit by 17-Across |
| 37% | THEROOTS | 8 | Hip-hop band that dropped “Square” from its name |
| 37% | DRAB | 4 | Word that took its lackluster name from a fabric made of undyed, homespun wool |
| 36% | STYX | 4 | 1970s-1980s band that shares its name with an underworld river |
| 36% | WOMAN | 5 | "Pretty ___," 1990 rom-com starring Julia Roberts, that took its title from a Roy Orbison song |
| 36% | SPINALTAP | 9 | Fictional band that uses an umlaut on the "n" in its name |
| 36% | BABY | 4 | "___ Driver," 2017 action film starring Lily James, that took its title from a Simon & Garfunkel song |
| 35% | STAND | 5 | "___ by Me," 1986 adventure film starring Wil Wheaton, that took its title from a Ben E. King song |
| 35% | DAZED | 5 | "___ and Confused," 1993 comedy film starring Matthew McConaughey, that took its title from a song popularized by Led Zeppelin |
| 35% | SUE | 3 | "Peggy ___ Got Married," 1986 comedy-drama film starring Kathleen Turner, that took its title from a Buddy Holly song |
| 34% | ALICECOOPER | 11 | American rock band that shares its name with a character from "Mayberry R.F.D.": 2 wds. |
| 33% | OHIO | 4 | Columbus' state which takes its name from a river |