Original: Cobain came up with the song 's title when his friend Kathleen Hanna , at the time the lead singer of the Riot Grrrl punk band Bikini Kill , spray painted '' Kurt Smells Like Teen Spirit '' on his wall .
Simplified: The title '' Smells Like Teen Spirit '' came from when Cobains friend Kathleen Hanna spray painted '' Kurt Smells Like Teen Spirit '' on his wall .