After seeing the horse win the Northumberland Plate in 2001, the band began to discuss Archduke Franz Ferdinand and thought it would be a good band name because of the alliteration of the name and the implications of the Archduke's death (his assassination was a significant factor in the lead-up to World War I).
Despois de ver que o cabalo gañara a carreira Northumberland Plate en 2001 a banda comezou a barallar chamarse Archduke Franz Ferdinand debido á aliteración do nome e ás implicacións da morte do arquiduque (o seu asasinato foi un factor moi importante para o inicio da Primeira Guerra Mundial).