It may sound like a fairytale but, IRL, going about life with the name Blanket can’t always have been easy. Yesterday, news broke that Michael Jackson’s youngest son has officially changed his name to the–still rather unusual, tbh–moniker of Bigi Jackson, Radar reports. But Bigi isn’t the only one to take his name into his own hands, a slew of celebrities have changed their name to something a lot more exotic…
Frank Ocean
Lovely lyrics, a voice that sounds like silk, and the face of an angel: Christopher Edwin Breaux was always going to be too ordinary for Frank Ocean. Guess he agreed, as he filed papers early this year to change his stage name to his real name, retaining his crown as the smoothest crooner in music.
Agyness Deyn
i-D cover girl and legend Agyness Deyn reigned supreme in the latter half of the 00s with peroxide pixie crop and Henry Holland in tow. Her name was so old school that it was almost cool someone so new school had it. But the girl who went from behind the counter at the chip shop to walking the Chanel runway was actually called Laura Michelle Hollins, and years later, Laura came clean that she had also lied about her age. All water under the bridge now as we can’t help but reminisce about Aggy’s rule on the runway.
Grace Jones
I can hear you already… say it ain’t so, Grace! But don’t worry, Grace’s real name isn’t far flung from her performance moniker: it’s Beverley Grace Jones. She also had a brief fling in her 20s going under the name Grace Mendoza. Why? We’ll never know…
Lana Del Rey
Ok, listen up because this one is a doozie. The Video Games singer was born Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, before hitting the pop scene (and subsequently flopping) under the name Lizzy Grant. Her first studio album, released in 2010, was entitled Lana Del Ray. But for her second self-titled EP in 2012, she swapped the a to and e settled on Lana Del Rey. PHEW!
Duncan Jones
When your dad is one of the founding fathers of glam rock and most flamboyant men in music, you can expect a pretty colorful name. And the rhyming Zowie Bowie, the name of the son from David’s first marriage to model Angela Bowie, is perfect parts eccentric and iconic. Alas, the name wasn’t to last as Zowie changed his name to the very sober Duncan Jones and became a BAFTA award-winning director for 2009’s Moon.
Ginuwine
One of R&B’s hottest talents in the 90s and 00s, Ginuwine taught everyone to ride their pony with pride and to this day, no down and dirty party is complete without dropping the RnB classic. But behind his lothario exterior, Ginuwine was harboring the dark secret that is his birth name: Elgin Baylor Lumpkin! Does anyone else feel cheated? That being said, Elgin was making music with mates Missy Elliott and Timbaland and if Elgin’s good enough for them, he’s good enough for us!
Prince
Prince was BORN to be a star, that’s why his birth name ACTUALLY is Prince. Going by his mononym, he still defines what it is to be a musician. Though in 1993, after a disagreement with Warner Bros over music release frequency, Prince changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol to get out of his contract. Fans and critics called him ‘the artist formerly known as Prince’ but really, it should have been King!
Miley Cyrus
We’ve seen Miley grow up in front of our eyes. From her Hannah Montana beginnings to Partying in the USA to her brilliant Bangerz album and her powerful position as an LGBT, homeless and vulnerable youth advocate, we’ve got a lot to love about Miley. But her original name isn’t one of them–she was born Destiny Hope Cyrus. Billy Ray reportedly chose the name because it was her “destiny to bring hope to the world.” Fast forward to 2008, and Miley picked her permanent moniker as a riff on childhood nickname “Smiley.”
Courtney Love
Courtney’s cool can’t be dulled by a mere pedestrian name. The Hole frontwoman and songwriter was born Courtney Michelle Harrison but her punky persona, her union to Kurt Cobain and her contributions to the alternative rock movement makes us love Love.
Snoop Dogg
The path to enlightenment can form and reveal many things. Your personal truths, your reasons for being, or in Snoop Dogg’s case, that you should be called Snoop Lion. After a spiritual rebirth in Jamaica, the name Snoop Lion was given to him by a Rastafarian priest. He came out with a reggae album too, Reincarnated, complete with a documentary following his musical and spiritual journey. Lions and Doggs aside, his real name is Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. which is kinda better than them all!
Rihanna
We all know Bad gal Riri is the best thing to hit the music scene, well…EVER. The i-D cover girl and style icon, occasional actress, Dior model and PUMA creative director is loved by everyone for her attitude and infectious hits. Her full name is actually Robyn Rihanna Fenty and she actually still goes by Robyn to her close friends and family. But don’t think that gives you license–you don’t mess with Ri!
