Snarky Celebrity News

Real Names of 182 Musicians

Clay Aiken

Musicians trade in their real names for stage names for a variety of reasons. Some don’t feel their given names aren’t as marketable, others are looking for street cred. As you can see by this list, plenty of the talented people on the list could definitely do with a name change, for others, it boggles the mind why they would choose something so silly. Glamorati is happy to present:

Real Names of 182 Musicians

  1. Clay Aiken - Clayton Holmes Grissom
  2. Akon - Aliuane Badara Thiam
  3. Tori Amos - Myra Ellen Amos
  4. Trey Anastasio - Ernest Joseph Anastasio III
  5. Adam Ant - Stuart Leslie Goddard
  6. Marc Anthony - Marco Antonio Muniz
  7. Frankie Avalon - Francis Avallone
  8. Baby Face - Kenneth Edmonds
  9. Erykah Badu - Erica Wright
  10. Ginger Baker - Peter Edward Baker
  11. Syd Barrett - Roger Keith Barrett
  12. Ol’ Dirty Bastard - Russell Tyrell Jones
  13. Pat Benatar - Patricia Andrejewski
  14. Tony Bennett - Anthony Dominick Benedetto
  15. Dickey Betts - Forrest Richard Betts
  16. Jello Biafra - Eric Reed Boucher
  17. Bo Bice - Harold Elwin Bice
  18. Marc Bolan - Mark Feld
  19. Michael Boltin - Michael Bolotin
  20. Jon Bon Jovi - John Francis BonGiovi
  21. Bono - Paul David Hewson
  22. Sonny Bono - Salvatore Bono
  23. David Bowie - David Jones
  24. Jackson Browne - Clyde Jackson Browne
  25. J.J. Cale - John W. Cale
  26. Irene Cara - Irene Escelera
  27. Eric Carr - Paul Charles Carravello
  28. 50 Cent - Curtis Jackson
  29. Ray Charles - Ray Charles Robinson
  30. Cher - Cherilyn LaPierre
  31. Charlotte Church - Charlotte Reed
  32. Gene Clark - Harold Eugene Clark
  33. Patsy Cline - Virginia Patterson Hensley
  34. Ry Cooder - Ryland Cooder
  35. Alice Cooper - Vincent Furnier
  36. Elvis Costello - Declan MacManus
  37. Peter Criss - George Peter Criscuola
  38. Ice Cube - Oshea Jackson
  39. Bobby Dall - Robert Harry Kuykendall
  40. Bobby Darin - Walden Waldo Robert Cassotto
  41. Dimebag Darrell - Darrell Abbott
  42. Mac Davis - Morris Davis
  43. Taylor Dayne - Leslie Wonderman
  44. Mos Def - Dante Terrell Smith
  45. John Denver - John Deutschendorf
  46. Rick Derringer - Rick Zeringer
  47. Buck Dharma - Donald Roeser
  48. Snoop Dogg - Calvin Broadus
  49. Thomas Dolby - Thomas Robertson
  50. Mickey Dolenz - George Michael Braddock
  51. Dr. Dre - Andre Young
  52. Bob Dylan - Robert Zimmerman
  53. Sheena Easton - Sheena Orr
  54. Falco - Johann Holzel
  55. Fergie - Stacy Anne Ferguson
  56. Flavor Flav - William Drayton
  57. Flea - Michael Peter Balzary
  58. Ace Frehley - Paul Daniel Frehley
  59. Kenny G - Kenneth Gorelick
  60. Crystal Gayle - Brenda Gail Webb
  61. Boy George - George O’Dowd
  62. Gary Glitter - Paul Gadd
  63. Macy Gray - Natalie McIntyre
  64. MC Hammer - Stanley Burrell
  65. Faith Hill - Audrey Faith Perry
  66. Billie Holiday - Eleanora Gough
  67. Buddy Holly - Charles Holley
  68. Englebert Humperdinck - Arnold Dorsey
  69. Janis Ian - Janis Eddy Fink
  70. Vanilla Ice - Robert Van Winkle
  71. Billy Idol - William Broad
  72. Tito Jackson - Toriano Jackson
  73. Rick James - James Johnson
  74. D.J.Jazzy Jeff - Jeff Townes
  75. Joan Jett - Joan Larkin
  76. Grace Jones - Grace Mendoza
  77. Tom Jones - Thomas Woodward
  78. Elton John - Reginald Dwight
  79. Wynonna Judd - Christina Ciminella
  80. Juvenile - Terious Grey
  81. R.Kelly - Robert Kelly
  82. Alicia Keys - Alicia Cook
  83. Chaka Kahn - Yvette Marie Stevens
  84. L’il Kim - Kimberly Jones
  85. B.B, King - Riley B. King
  86. Uncle Kracker - Matthew Schafer
  87. L.L. Cool J - James Tood Smith
  88. Patti LaBelle - Patricia Holt
  89. k.d.lang - Katherine Dawn Lang
  90. Queen Latifah Dana Owens
  91. Mario Lanza - Alfred Cocazza
  92. Geddy Lee - Gary Weinraub
  93. Julian Lennon - John Charles Julian Lennon
  94. Huey Lewis - Hugh Craig
  95. Liberace - Wladziu Valentino
  96. Ludacris - Christopher Bridges
  97. Mama Cass - Ellen Cohen
  98. Barry Manilow - Barry Pincus
  99. Yngwie Malmsteem - Lars Lannerback
  100. Manfred Mann - Manfred Lubowitz
  101. Marilyn Manson - Bruce Warner
  102. Mick Mars - Robert Deal
  103. Dean Martin - Dino Crocetti
  104. Ricky Martin - Enrique Jose Martin Morales
  105. Paul McCartney - James Paul McCartney
  106. Meat Loaf - Marvin Lee Aday
  107. Freddie Mercury - Farrokh Bulsara
  108. George Michael - Yorgos Panayiotou
  109. Joni Mitchell - Roberta Anderson
  110. Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana - Destiny Hope Cyrus
  111. Moby - Richard Melville Hall
  112. Van Morrison - George Morrison
  113. Nas - Nasir Jones
  114. Rick Nelson - Eric Nelson
  115. Nelly - Carnell Haynes
  116. Vince Neil - Vince Neil Wharton
  117. Juice Newton - Judy Newton
  118. Nortorious B.I.G. - Christopher Wallace
  119. Ric Ocasek - Richard Otcasek
  120. Billy Ocean - Leslie Sebastian Charles
  121. Tony Orland - Michael Anthony Orlando Cassivitis
  122. Ozzy Osborne - John Michael Osborne
  123. Robert Palmer - Alan Robert Palmer
  124. Gram Parsons - Cecil Ingram Connor
  125. Pink - Alecia Moore
  126. Iggy Pop - James Osterberg
  127. Puffy/Puff Daddy/Diddy/P.Diddy - Sean Combs
  128. C.J. Ramone - Chris Ward
  129. Dee Dee Ramone - Douglas Colvin
  130. Joey Ramone - Jeffrey Hyman
  131. Johnny Ramone - John Cummings
  132. Marky Ramone - Mark Bell
  133. Richie Ramone - Richie Reinhart
  134. Tommy Ramone - Tom Erderlyi
  135. Lou Reed - Louis Firbank
  136. Busta Rhymes - Trevor Smith
  137. Nick Rhodes - Nicholas Bates
  138. Smokey Robinson - William Robinson
  139. Henry Rollins - Henry Garfield
  140. Axl Rose - William Bailey
  141. Johnny Rotten - John Lydon
  142. Ja Rule - Jeffrey Atkins
  143. Mitch Ryder - William Levise
  144. Sade - Helen Adu
  145. Boz Scaggs - William Scaggs
  146. Bon Scott - William Scott
  147. Seal - Henry Samuel
  148. Gene Simmons - Chaim Witz
  149. Sir Mix-A-Lot Anthony Ray
  150. Nikki Sixx - Franklin Ferrana
  151. Slash - Saul Hudson
  152. Grace Slick - Grace Wing
  153. Fatboy Slim - Quentin Cook
  154. Paul Stanley - Stanley Eisen
  155. Ringo Starr - Richard Starkey
  156. Cat Stevens - Steven Georgiou changed name to Yusef Islam
  157. Sting - Gordon Sumner
  158. Michael Stipe - John Michael Stipe
  159. Joss Stone - Jocelyn Eve Stocker
  160. Joe Strummer - John Mellor
  161. Donna Summer - LaDonna Gaines
  162. Ice T - Tracey Marrow
  163. Timbaland - Timothy Mosely
  164. Peter Tosh - Winston Macintosh
  165. Tina Turner - Anna Mae Bullock
  166. Shania Twain - Eileen Edwards
  167. Conway Twitty - Harold Jenkins
  168. Steven Tyler - Steven Tallarico
  169. Dionne Warwick - Marie Warwick
  170. Roger Waters - George WAters
  171. Fee Waybill - John Waldo
  172. Bob Weir - Robert Hall
  173. Leslie West - Leslie Westein
  174. Jack White - John Gillis
  175. Hank Williams - Hiram Williams
  176. Paul Williams - Billy Paul
  177. Peter Wolf - Peter Blankfield
  178. Stevie Wonder - Steveland Morris
  179. Zakk Wylde - Jeffrey Wieldlandt
  180. Bill Wyman - William Perks
  181. Xzibit - Alvin Joiner
  182. Rob Zombie - Robert Cummings

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66 comments

1 Matt { 06.04.08 at 1:47 pm }

Alice Cooper legally had his name changed from Vincent Furnier to Alice Cooper a while ago, making that “real name,” false.

2 Ben { 06.14.08 at 9:18 pm }

I think Marilyn Manson’s name is actually Brian Warner, not Bruce Warner, unless Bruce is another name for Brian?

3 Kurai { 06.14.08 at 11:20 pm }

Marilyn Manson’s real name is Brian Warner. Middle name Hugh. I haven’t the slightest idea where you got “Bruce” from. :/

4 bert { 06.15.08 at 6:24 pm }

183. willy sommers - willy degieter
184. will tura - arthur blanckaert

5 kat willis { 06.15.08 at 6:58 pm }

marilyn manson is actually brian warner, not bruce.

6 bo { 06.16.08 at 12:46 am }

isn’t Fatboy Slims real name Norman Cook rather than Quentin… I reckon if you we’re gonna invent a name, no one would use Norman…

7 bobFunk { 06.16.08 at 2:14 am }

If this is true, I wonder why Fatboy Slim released several albums under the the name “Norman Cook”, since when is the name Norman that much cooler than Quintin?

8 James { 06.16.08 at 10:10 am }

Clay Aiken = NOT a musician
Akon = NOT a musician
Ice T = NOT a musician
Flavor Flav = NOT a musician

Nice list, bad title

9 Katherine { 06.17.08 at 3:50 pm }

Marilyn Manson’s real name in Brian Hugh Warner. You put Bruce Warner, you’re wrong, both Wikipedia have it as Brian Hugh, and I’ve read about it elsewhere. Your information is wrong.

10 John Deutschendorf at Citizen Jake { 06.17.08 at 3:52 pm }

[…] intrigued by those who totally change their names, not just drop a couple letters. Here’s a list of 182 “real” names of musicians (via). I picked out some that interested […]

11 Neal { 06.17.08 at 9:54 pm }

For Marilyn Manson, it’s not Bruce, it’s Brian Warner, FYI

12 Aaron { 06.18.08 at 12:53 am }

Marilyn manson’s name is BRIAN warner not bruce

13 Joe Wightman { 06.18.08 at 2:53 am }

I’m pretty sure that Marilyn Manson’s real name is Brian Warner not B ruce Warner

14 Elle { 06.18.08 at 6:17 am }

the only reason David Bowie changed is name was because there was already a singer by the name of david jones.

15 Kay { 06.18.08 at 4:39 pm }

Marilyn Mansons name is Brian Warner Not Bruce Warner.
Idiot.

16 Kyle { 06.19.08 at 12:58 am }

Marilyn Manson’s name is Brian Warner, not Bruce

17 Danielle Warga { 06.19.08 at 1:07 am }

Marilyn Manson’s name is BRIAN Warner, not Bruce.

18 Adam { 06.19.08 at 3:31 am }

Actually, Yngwie’s last lame is “Malmsteen” and Marilyn Manson’s real name is “Brian Hugh Warner.”

19 Sarah Kendall { 06.19.08 at 7:20 am }

Marilyn Manson’s name is Brian Warner, not Bruce Warner.
Other than that, this is a pretty cool list.

20 dom { 06.19.08 at 3:46 pm }

SLASH! OMD!!

21 Jaden { 06.19.08 at 4:53 pm }

Marilyn Manson is *BRIAN* Warner, not “Bruce” Warner.

22 ova { 06.19.08 at 8:06 pm }

whatever… ‘real’ as in ‘born with’. there. better? they’re photoshopped anyways

23 me { 06.20.08 at 2:48 am }

marilyn mansons real name is brian, not bruce

24 Aaron { 06.20.08 at 3:47 am }

actually, Trey’s name is “Ernest Giuseppe Anastasio III”

25 lizzy { 06.20.08 at 4:11 am }

hey guess what dude? you’re a huge loser! just laugh at the people’s retarded names and thank the people who made it for doing so… tank you, people who made this list, for doing so.

26 Iris { 06.20.08 at 4:39 am }

Marilyn Manson is actually Brian Warner, not Bruce.

27 Alex { 06.20.08 at 4:54 am }

Marilyn Manson’s name is Brian, not Bruce.

28 Dean George { 06.20.08 at 10:28 am }

Lou Reed’s real name is Lou Reed, the Firbank thing was a joke made by one of his biggest fans; rock journalist Lester Bangs in Creem magazine. Check wikipedia if in doubt.

29 Holly { 06.20.08 at 10:19 pm }

Marilyn Mansons name is Brian not Bruce. Also this list should be titled ‘Birth Names’ not ‘Real Names’ as many of these people have legally changed their names, making them REAL

30 Ann { 06.20.08 at 10:31 pm }

Clay Aiken had changed his name before he went on American Idol. Clay’s father, named Grissom, was physically abusive to his mother, so that Clay’s mother took Clay, when he was only a little boy, and ran away and hid from his father for years. She was afraid to let the man know where they were.

As he approached adulthood, Clay decided to take his mother’s maiden name as his own last name, Aiken. He never had anything to do with his father since his mother ran away from him. After Clay became famous, his father tried to get in touch with Clay, but Clay wouldn’t see him. Some time thereafter, the father died.

So Clay’s name change had nothing to do with vanity or stage names. It was a change driven by a desire to separate himself from a man who harmed his mother.

31 Nay { 06.20.08 at 11:14 pm }

Uh, Marilyn Manson’s birth name is Brian Hugh Warner. Not Bruce Warner, a simple google search would get you the right answer to that one.

32 Maye { 06.21.08 at 12:28 am }

Marilyn Manson’s name is BRIAN Warner, not BRUCE.

33 tab1e { 06.21.08 at 2:48 am }

hey matt, you’re a dick

34 john { 06.22.08 at 4:24 pm }

Manson’s name is Brian Warner, not Bruce. Buried as inaccurate.

35 Lisaaaa { 06.22.08 at 5:34 pm }

ohh yesss i didnt no most of them !!!

coool tho

36 Jon O { 06.22.08 at 5:36 pm }

Interesting list! I know it doesn’t include every artist, but I had to mention one of my favorite musicians, MeShell Ndegeocello, whose birth name is Michelle Johnson. Also Sheila E. - born Sheila Escovedo.

37 billdave { 06.22.08 at 7:07 pm }

Some are kinda interesting, others, well, Ricky Martin is his name. the fact that he doesn’t use every one of his names and uses a diminutive version of Enrique isn’t taking a stage name, it’s just using the name he was called around the house by his parents. Robert Palmer is actually named JAMES Robert Palmer? So? many of us go by our middle names, have always been called by them, especially when named after parents or other relatives where having 2 or more Jameses would be confusing. So as i say, some are kinda interesting, many are just giving us the full given names of people who use their actual names.

38 cassandra { 06.22.08 at 9:46 pm }

Marilyn Manson is Brian Warner.

39 Ashleigh { 06.23.08 at 11:02 pm }

Marilyn Manson’s real name is Brian Warner. Not Bruce.

40 Raja { 06.24.08 at 10:14 am }

One addition to the list, that I can think of is Alex Lifeson - Alexandar Zivojinovich

41 Transformers — Gay Unicorn { 06.24.08 at 5:10 pm }

[…] found this here Real Names of 182 […]

42 Lara { 06.25.08 at 5:16 am }

Marilyn Manson’s name is Brian Warner

43 bigr3d { 06.25.08 at 1:59 pm }

Yeah matts right, also Marilyn Manson’s first name isn’t Bruce, it’s Brain, his second name is Bruce

44 Angryhuman { 06.25.08 at 5:29 pm }

Marilyn Manson’s real name is not Bruce Warner. It’s Brian Warner. He had a band called Brian Warner and the Scary Kids way back in the day.

45 Angryhuman { 06.25.08 at 5:34 pm }

Correction: His band was the Spooky Kids, not Scary Kids.

46 Hamada { 06.25.08 at 5:38 pm }

Marilyn Manson is not Bruce Warner. It’s Brian Warner.

47 Anja { 06.25.08 at 6:41 pm }

Marilyn Manson’s real name is Brian Hugh Warner and not Bruce Warner ;)

48 Michael { 06.25.08 at 8:42 pm }

Marilyn Manson = Bryan Warner

49 Nate Wesley { 06.26.08 at 3:07 am }

I believe Miley Cyrus recently had her name made legally official too, not that she needed to.

50 Kristi { 06.26.08 at 5:57 am }

Marilyn Manson’s real name is not Bruce Warner. It’s Brian Warner.

51 Colin { 06.26.08 at 12:23 pm }

Marilyn Manson’s real name is Brian, not Bruce Warner.

52 Chelsey { 06.26.08 at 6:31 pm }

Marilyn Mansons real name is actually Brian Hugh Warner, just so you know.

53 Stuart { 06.26.08 at 7:32 pm }

A lot of these people have probably had their names legally changed, which doesn’t affect the name that appears on a birth certificate. So no, that doesn’t make their “real name” false.

54 Nicole { 06.26.08 at 10:26 pm }

Waste of time, half of these are not even legally correct, or true, search then all, you will not find any records of these people (most of them)

55 Shane { 06.27.08 at 12:49 am }

Marilyn Manson’s real name is Brian Warner, not Bruce. You can find it on almost any site, but the most trustworthy is his book he wrote The Long Hard Road Out of Hell.

56 ab { 06.27.08 at 7:15 am }

Marylin Manson’s real name isn’t Bruce, it’s Bryan.

57 Adrian { 06.27.08 at 2:24 pm }

You missed Beck. Original name being Bek David Campbell and then legally changed his name to Beck Hansen.

58 Marie { 06.27.08 at 4:03 pm }

Rick Springfield’s real name is Richard Lewis Springthorpe

59 Jack { 06.27.08 at 4:39 pm }

Marilyn Manson is Brian Warner not Bruce.

60 claire { 06.28.08 at 5:03 am }

yeah, that applies to a lot of these people.
“original name” would be more appropriate

61 Real Names of Musicians « Some Go Softly { 06.28.08 at 4:46 pm }

[…] List of Real Names of Almost 200 Musicians. […]

62 Andy { 07.01.08 at 6:27 pm }

#101 - Marilyn Manson. His real name is Brian, not Bruce.

63 Justin { 07.01.08 at 10:04 pm }

Marilyn Manson’s real name is Brian Warner, not Bruce. And since this is so well-known I have to take into consideration that the rest of these “Real Names” might also be wrong. Do the research properly next time, or just stop being lazy.

64 Jono { 07.01.08 at 10:55 pm }

Fatboy Slim’s real name is “Norman Cook” not Quentin…

65 Andi { 07.01.08 at 10:57 pm }

Marilyn Manson’s real name is Brian Warner, not Bruce Warner.

66 DeafGeoff { 07.10.08 at 8:06 pm }

Fatboy Slim’s real name is Quentin Cook. “Norman” is a nickname he got in college, when they called him a “normal norman.” He never refers to himself as Quentin, though - his album credits always say Norman Cook, but Quentin is his real birth name.

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