Artists change their names for many reasons. The most common is simply adopting a stage name to stand out in a crowd of aspiring musicians. Others, however, do so well in their career.
Be it over contract disputes or simply a re-awakening of sorts, some of the biggest musicians in the world have changed their moniker and held onto success. Let’s meet 10 musicians who have changed their artistic names. (And here is a list of 15 artists who have shockingly different real names.)
To compile a list of musicians who have changed their artistic names, 24/7 Tempo consulted a wide range of music, celebrity, and lifestyle publications including the Grammys, Consequence, and People Magazine. After that, we selected a variety of musicians from different eras and genres. After that, we confirmed biographical timeline information using sites like Biography and Britannica.
Prince
One of the most famous musicians who changed their artistic names mid-career is no doubt, Prince. Born Prince Rogers Nelson, the guitarist and singer used his first name for his breakout years in the late 70s and 80s when he released classics like “Purple Rain” and “1999.”
That changed, however, in the early 90s. During a contract dispute with his record company Warner Bros. In 1993, Prince changed his name to a symbol, referred to as “Love Symbol.” As Prince put it, “It is an unpronounceable symbol whose meaning has not been identified. It’s all about thinking in new ways, tuning in 2 a new free-quency.” Fans took to calling it the love symbol as well as calling him “The Artist Formerly Known as Prince.”
It didn’t last long, however. The Grammy Award-winning musician scrapped the symbol when he moved to Arista Records in 1999, changing his stage name back to Prince by the time the new millennium rolled around.
Ke$ha/Kesha
Though she was born Kesha, the musician became the tongue-in-cheek Ke$ha before reverting to her legal name in 2014.[/caption]
Kesha is another famous musician who changed their artistic name and then back again. Born Kesha Rose Sebert, Kesha found early success with hits like “Tik Tok” and “You Light Up My Life.” Before that, however, she was a struggling musician working as a waitress to get by.
It was during that time that she changed the S in her name to a $, explaining it as both a way to stand out stylistically and as an ironic gesture. Ke$ha lasted in that form until 2014 when she checked herself into rehab for an eating disorder. It was then that she reverted to her legal first name Kesha. She explained, “I let go of my facade about being a girl who didn’t care….I took out the dollar sign because I realized that was part of the facade.”
Puff Daddy/P Diddy/Diddy
As for his litany of name changes, the musician explained, “This is just an evolution of my spirit and my vibration.” Perhaps the most confusing name change (or rather changes) for a musician falls to P. Diddy. Born Sean Jean Combs, the rapper and music producer began his career using his childhood nickname Puffy. This extended to Puff Daddy for his 1997 debut album “No Way Out.” Only a few years later, however, due to legal issues and seeking a fresh start, he changed his name to P. Diddy.
The musician didn’t stop there. By 2005, the name was shortened to just Diddy. From there, he reverted his stage name to P. Diddy, then back to his legal name Sean Jean before reclaiming himself as Puff Daddy. His most recent and drastic name change was to Brother Love in 2017. As he explained to Jimmy Kimmel, “See, the thing is that you can call me the other names. This is just an evolution of my spirit and my vibration.”
Snoop Dogg/Snoop Lion
Snoop Dogg briefly became Snoop Lion after a transformative trip to Jamaica. A man of many talents and aspects, Snoop Dogg has gone through some big but relatively understandable name changes. Born Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., he burst onto the music scene as Snoop Doggy Dogg, using this name for features on albums like Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic,” and his debut album “Doggystyle.” The musician changed his name in 1998, shortening it to just Snoop Dogg to ease his switching of music labels.
As the years went on and his fame grew, Snoop Dogg earned a litany of adjacent nicknames like DJ Snoopadelic. His most notable name change happened in 2012, however, when he became Snoop Lion after traveling to Jamaica to record the Grammy-nominated reggae album “Reincarnated.” Whether a marketing trick or just a certain era in his life, the musician reverted to his best-known name Snoop Dogg a few years later.
Cat Stevens/Yusef Islam
Before the publicity-conscious name changes of stars in the 90s and 2000s, there was the original controversial name change: Cat Stevens to Yusuf Islam. Born Steven Demetre Georgiou, the musician adopted the stage name Cat Stevens and grew into one of the biggest singer-songwriters of the 1970s.
All that changed, however, when Stevens converted to Islam in 1977. The following year he adopted the name Yusuf Islam, auctioned off his guitars to charity, and left music to focus on philanthropic causes for the Muslim community. Though he has stuck by his Islamic name, Stevens returned to music in 2006. This time, he dropped Islam from his name and simply became known as Yusuf.
Sinead O’Connor/Shuhada Davitt
Much like Cat (Yusuf) Stevens, Sinead O’Connor is another famous singer-songwriter who eventually changed her name for religious reasons. Born Sinéad Marie Bernadette O’Connor, the singer scored breakout hits with songs like “Nothing Compares 2 U.” A lifelong activist, O’Connor was known for championing often controversial causes throughout her career.
Though she slowly faded from the public spotlight over the years, she made headlines in 2018 when she converted to Islam and changed her name to Shuhada’ Sadaqat. Though she called the transformation “the natural conclusion of any intelligent theologian’s journey,” she retained her legal name for performing and selling records. Tragically, O’Connor was found dead in her South London flat in July 2023.
Kanye West/Ye
Another one of the most famous musicians who changed their artistic names is Kanye West. Born Kanye Omari West, the musician scored success with albums like “The College Dropout” and “Late Registration” before transitioning and expanding his palette to include fashion design as well as a list of name changes.
Known at various times with the release of various albums such as Yeezy, Kanyeezy, and Yeezuz, West has most recently changed his legal name to just Ye. Though he has yet to comment directly on the name change, in a 2018 interview with radio host Big Boy, he inaccurately suggested Ye is the most commonly used word in the Bible. Around that time, he also tweeted “the being formally known as Kanye West … I am YE.”
Biggie Smalls/The Notorious B.I.G.
Unlike other musicians on this list, the rapper Notorious B.I.G. did not change his name due to a personal journey. Instead, he was forced to under the threat of a lawsuit. Born Christopher George Latore Wallace, the rapper and musician burst onto the scene in the early 90s with his grim portrayals of street life with a distinct, relaxed delivery.
At first, he was known as Biggie Smalls, a reference to a character played by actor Calvin Lockhart in the movie “Let’s Do It Again.” While Wallace was a big enough fan to use the name, the man who played him was not. Lockhart, also an anti-drug activist, sued the rapper over the use of the name. As such, Wallace became The Notorious B.I.G. and the rest is history.
Jennifer Lopez/J.Lo
Like other musicians on this list, singer and actress Jennifer Lopez decided to change her name in the middle of her career. However, her switch was more organic. What was a nickname given to her affectionately given to her by fans became formalized with the release of her second album in 2001, “J.Lo.”
No doubt embracing the nickname, Lopez would continue to be called J. Lo well into the current year. It should be noted too, that she has changed her legal name twice, both due to marriage. After marrying the singer Marc Antony in 2004, she changed her legal name to Jennifer Muñiz. Most recently, she changed her legal name again to Jennifer Affleck after marrying Ben Affleck in 2022.
Lizzy Grant/Lana Del Rey
Another famous musician who changed their name a series of times is Lana Del Rey. Born Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, Lana Del Rey was an aspiring musician in New York City operating under a variety of names including a shortening of her legal name Lizzy Grant, as well as May Jailer.
The release of her debut album, however, saw Grant change her name to Lana Del Rey. Inspired by both the actress Lana Turner and the Ford Del Rey sedan, the musician wanted to reflect the Americana vibe that she is best known for today. As she explains it, “I wanted a name I could shape the music towards… Lana Del Rey reminded us of the glamour of the seaside. It sounded gorgeous coming off the tip of the tongue.“