U2's original band name was Feedback. The group formed in Dublin in 1976 after drummer Larry Mullen Jr. posted a notice at Mount Temple Comprehensive School seeking musicians.
The early lineup rehearsed under the name Feedback while its members were still teenagers. The group later changed its name to The Hype, and then adopted the name U2 before beginning its professional recording career.
This history is often simplified because U2 is the only name most listeners know. The changes show that the band developed gradually from a school rehearsal project rather than appearing fully formed under its final identity.
The founding lineup included Larry Mullen Jr., Adam Clayton, Paul Hewson, David Evans, and Dick Evans. Dick Evans later left, leaving the four-member lineup that became internationally famous as U2.