Early music ensembles, like their counterparts in later repertoires, choose their names for a host of reasons. And, depending on certain factors, it can either help or hurt the ensemble in its promotion efforts. Professional groups seek to be known for what they do and to earn a living from it.
A recent humorous blog post by Daniel J. Wakin (nytimes.com) points out that some names may give a different impression than the ensemble originally intended. Focusing on Early Music America's ensemble touring roster, he found that a few of the names were definitely open to interpretation.
On the NY Times Arts Beats Blog, Wakin writes:
Some, certainly, sound venerable and staid: the Handel and Haydn Society and the Tudor Choir. But then there are Les Délices (a dessert?), the Catacoustic Consort (a really disastrous spouse?)...the Ensemble Caprice (a bevy of Chevys?).
This brings up a good point. What's in a name? Are they important?