the ramones took their band name as a reference to which famous group?

The Ramones took their band name as a reference to The Beatles. Specifically, they adopted the surname "Ramone" inspired by Paul McCartney, who used the pseudonym "Paul Ramon" when checking into hotels to maintain anonymity. The members of the Ramones—John Cummings (Johnny Ramone), Douglas Colvin (Dee Dee Ramone), and Jeffrey Hyman (Joey Ramone)—all adopted Ramone as a shared stage surname as a tribute to McCartney and The Beatles. This gave the band a unique collective identity and became a defining characteristic of their punk rock persona.