<P> The group recorded two Northern singles including "Come On" (1959) and "Alright" (1960). Between these releases, Albert "Mooch" Harrell replaced Pee - Wee Crawford . "Come On" became a local hit and the Warwick Records label picked the record up for national distribution . Following the release of "Alright", Matthews appointed Williams the group leader, and the group's name was changed to Otis Williams & The Distants . During this period, both the Primes and Distants were influenced by other vocal groups including the Miracles . Other inspirations included the Cadillacs, Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, the Drifters, and the Isley Brothers . Though "Come On" was a local hit in the Detroit area, the Distants never saw much record sales and "Alright" was not as successful . After receiving an offer from Berry Gordy to sign with Motown Records, the Distants got out of their contract with Northern Records . However, Mooch Harrell and Richard Street shortly departed from the group and the remaining members lost use of the Distants name . Richard Street later formed another Distants group who recorded for the Thelma label in the early 1960s . </P> <P> Members of the Distants were acquainted with the Primes as both groups participated in the same talent shows and performed at the same public venues . Friendly rivals, the Primes were considered to be the more polished and vocally stronger group of the two . The Primes disbanded in 1960 after Kell Osborne moved to California . Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams returned to Alabama following the band's dissolution . While visiting relatives in Detroit, Kendricks called Otis Williams, who desperately needed two more members for an audition for Gordy's label and offered Kendricks a lead singer place in his new group . Kendricks agreed on the condition he bring Paul Williams with him . Otis Williams happily agreed and Kendricks and Paul Williams moved back to Detroit to join the new group . </P> <P> The original name for the new lineup of Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, Elbridge "Al" Bryant, Eddie Kendricks, and Paul Williams was the Elgins . Under that name, the group auditioned for Motown in March 1961 . Already impressed with some of the members after hearing session work, Berry Gordy agreed to sign the group to the Motown imprint, Miracle . However, before signing, Gordy discovered another group was using the name of Elgins . The group began tossing about ideas for a new name on the steps of the Hitsville U.S.A. studio . On a suggestion from Miracle Records employee Billy Mitchell, songwriter Mickey Stevenson, and group members Otis Williams and Paul Williams, the Temptations became the group's new moniker . The "Elgins" name re-surfaced at Motown in 1965, when Gordy renamed a quartet called the Downbeats as the Elgins . </P> <P> The Temptations' first two singles, "Oh Mother of Mine" and "Check Yourself", with Paul Williams on lead, were released on Miracle before Gordy closed the label down and reassigned the band to his latest imprint, Gordy Records . On the Gordy imprint, Eddie Kendricks sang lead on the Temptations' first charted single, "(You're My) Dream Come True", which peaked at number 22 on the R&B chart in 1962 . Later that year, the Temptations began touring as part of the Motortown Revue . The group would issue eight recordings between 1961 - 63 without much success . </P>

Who came up with the group name the temptations