The name Von is sometimes falsely believed to be an acronym for "Victory Orgasm Nazis". Varg Vikernes used those words to spell the band's name during a phone interview because the interviewer apparently didn't hear the name correctly. According to the band, the name stands for "nothing but images of darkness and blood". Ironically, in some Scandinavian languages, from where the band's main musical influence originated, the word von means hope.

In addition to giving out copies of the Satanic Blood demo, in one of his murder trial sessions Varg Vikernes wore a Von t-shirt, directly promoting them.

Von are often regarded as the first American black metal band and have been covered by prominent black metal bands such as Dark Funeral, Taake, Krieg, Enthroned and Watain (who are also named after a Von song).