Metallica ultimately chose the eponymous title Metallica for the record commonly called The Black Album. The band selected the simple name after considering several alternatives.
One reported working title was Married to Metal, a running joke connected to divorces involving Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Jason Newsted during the recording period. The band also considered Five and the title of one of the album's songs. They eventually settled on the band's own name because they wanted to keep the presentation simple.
The unofficial nickname arose from the cover rather than from the album's formal title. The initial artwork was almost entirely black, with a barely visible logo and snake. Because several other artists have released records known as “The Black Album,” identifying Metallica's official title is useful when discussing discographies, catalog searches, or anniversary editions.