Name Changers in Music

There’s an unwritten rule in music that you should have a cool name. If you were born Oscar Melasovich, you’ll likely find it difficult to have the young girls screaming your name. (No offense Oscar). Even though their birth certificates say otherwise, here are 101 artists that we know best by their stage name. Sorry ma, but I’m changing my name from:

1. Steven Georgiou to Cat Stevens to Yusuf Islam
2. Reginald Dwight to Elton John
3. Chaim Witz to Gene Simmons
4. John Deutschendorf to John Denver
5. Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou to George Michael
6. William Bailey to Axl Rose
7. Saul Hudson to Slash
8. Jeffrey Hyman to Joey Ramone
9. Frederick Bulsara to Freddie Mercury
10. James Osterberg to Iggy Pop
11. Bruce Johannesson to C.C. Deville
12. Gordon Sumner to Sting
13. Cecil Connor to Gram Parsons
14. John Osbourne to Ozzy Osbourne
15. Sylvester Stewart to Sly Stone
16. Ian Kilminster to Lemmy
17. Marvin Aday to Meat Loaf
18. Joan Larkin to Joan Jett
19. William Broad to Billy Idol
20. Ellas Bates to Bo Diddley
21. Stuart Goddard to Adam Ant
22. Peter Baker to Ginger Baker
23. Patricia Andrzejewski to Pat Benatar
24. Fabiano Forte to Fabian
25. Michael Balzary to Flea
26. John Ritchie to Sid Vicious
27. Donald Rosier to Buck Dharma
28. Marc Feld to Marc Bolan
29. David Jones to David Bowie
30. Winston Rodney to Burning Spear
31. Don Van Vliet to Captain Beefheart
32. Benjamin Orzechowski to Benjamin Orr
33. Brad Carlson to Bun E. Carlos
34. Cherilyn Sarkasian Le Pier to Cher
35. Eric Clapp to Eric Clapton
36. John Mellor to Joe Strummer
37. Vincent Furnier to Alice Cooper
38. Declan McManus to Elvis Costello
39. Richard Monsour to Dick Dale
40. Malcolm Rebennack to Dr. John
41. Robert Zimmerman to Bob Dylan
42. Eithne Ni Bhraonain to Enya
43. Derek Dick to Fish
44. Peter Blankfield to Peter Wolf
45. Natalie McIntyre to Macy Gray
46. O’Shea Jackson to Ice Cube
47. Martyn Buchwald to Marty Balin
48. James Smith to LL Cool J
49. Steven Tallarico to Steven Tyler
50. William Levise to Mitch Ryder
51. Willam Scaggs to Boz Scaggs
52. Jiles Richardson to Big Bopper
53. Gary Anderson to Gary “U.S.” Bonds
54. Ernest Evans to Chubby Checker
55. Paul Gadd to Gary Glitter
56. John Mellencamp to John Cougar to John Cougar Mellencamp to John Mellencamp
57. Christa Paffgen to Nico
58. Lester Poifus to Les Paul
59. Harry Webb to Cliff Richard
60. William Robinson to Smokey Robinson
61. John Ramistella to Johnny Rivers
62. Charles Westover to Del Shannon
63. Mary O’Brien to Dusty Springfield
64. Richard Starkey to Ringo Starr
65. Joe Arrington Jr. to Joe Tex
66. Annie Bullock to Tina Turner
67. Paul Hewson to Bono
68. David Evans to The Edge
69. Vincent Craddock to Gene Vincent
70. Steveland Morris to Stevie Wonder
71. Neville Livingstone to Bunny Wailer
72. Eddie Jones to Guitar Slim
73. Chester Burnett to Howlin’ Wolf
74. Huddie Ledbetter to Leadbelly
75. Virginia Hensley to Patsy Cline
76. Jill Byrem to Lacy J. Dalton
77. Brenda Webb to Crystal Gayle
78. Alvis Owens to Buck Owens
79. Sarah Colley to Minnie Pearl
80. Randy Traywick to Randy Travis
81. Harold Jenkins to Conway Twitty
82. Abdullah Buhaina to Art Blakey
83. Kelvin Mercer to Posdnous
84. Andre Young to Dr. Dre
85. Joseph Sadler to Grandmaster Flash
86. Marshall Mathers to Eminem
87. Brian Warner to Marilyn Manson
88. Dana Owens to Queen Latifah
89. William Drayton Jr. to Flavor Flav
90. Randy Wolfe to Randy California
91. Johann Holzel to Falco
92. Arnold Dorsey to Engelbert Humperdinck
93. Gary Weinrib to Geddy Lee
94. Robert Cummings to Rob Zombie
95. Gaynor Hopkins to Bonnie Tyler
96. Helen Adu to Sade
97. Colin Flooks to Cozy Powell
98. Richard Hall to Moby
99. Ellen Cohen to Mama Cass Elliot
100. Stanley Burrell To MC Hammer
101. Prince Rogers Nelson to Prince to The Artist Formerly Known As Prince to Prince