There are many reasons to choose a stage name. Perhaps your given name has about ten too many syllables or has an unfortunate connotation. Either way, you need a name that is memorable and can help establish your personal brand. Here are some strategies for choosing a stage name that will work for you!
Method 1 of 2: Modifying Your Given Name
1Simplify your name. In many cases, stage names are just simplified versions of a given name. Some real life examples of this include:
- Yves Saint Laurent (born Yves Henri Donat Mathieu-Saint-Laurent)
- Rudolph Valentino (born Rodolfo Alfonso Raffaello Pierre Filibert Guglielmi di Valentina D'Antonguolla)
2Anglicize your name. While controversial, some may choose to modify their name to cater to a Western audience. Similar to simplifying, this often involves editing an ethnic or difficult to pronounce name into something short and easy to remember. Some examples include:
- Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara)
- Kal Penn (born Kalpen Suresh Modi)
3Use your mother's maiden name. Use your mother's maiden name as your first or last name. Some examples include:
- Katy Perry (born Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson) chose to use her mother's maiden name when she switched from gospel to pop music.
- Catherine Deneuve (born Catherine Fabienne Dorléac) chose to use her mother’s maiden name to differentiate herself from her then-more famous sister Françoise.
4Use your middle name. Take your middle name and make it your first or last name. One famous example of this is Angelina Jolie (born Angelina Jolie Voight).
5Use only a single name. If your first, middle or last name sounds unique you may choose to go by this alone. Some examples of this include:
- Beyoncé (born Beyoncé Giselle Knowles)
- Madonna (born Madonna Louise Ciccone)
- Rihanna (born Robyn Rihanna Fenty)
Method 2 of 2: Tailoring Your Name To An Image
Create a name that is related to the genre or culture you wish to be identified with. Your approach to choosing a stage name will vary according to your desired image. For example, Carrot Top carries a much different weight to it than say, Marilyn Manson.
1Choose a menacing sounding word to include in your stage name. For certain genres, such as heavy metal or punk rock, you may wish to cultivate an intimidating or wild persona. Adding a word like “Zombie” or “Rotten” to your name may help with this. Some examples include:
- Sid Vicious (born John Simon Ritchie)
- Slash (born Saul Hudson)
2Stylize your name with numbers, hyphens, or special characters. A popular tradition within hip-hop, stylizing your name in this fashion can imply an urban, streetwise persona. Some examples include:
- 2pac (born Tupac Amaru Shakur)
- E-40 (born Earl Stevens)
- Ke$ha (born Kesha Rose Sebert)
3Think about who and what your influences are. Many people choose stage names that reference the people and things that have inspired them. What better way to pay homage as well as lay claim to a particular tradition? Some examples include:
- Cassie Ramone of Vivian Girls was inspired to adopt her surname by The Ramones (a practice which each member of the band followed).
- Lady Gaga’s name was inspired by the song “Radio Ga Ga” by Queen.
- Albert Brooks chose his stage surname as an homage to Mel Brooks. His birth name was Albert Einstein.
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- There are rules within actor guilds and associations that restrict the use of a stage name to only one person. If you have chosen a stage name, make sure that it is not already in use. Search online databases to check if your stage name is truly one of a kind.
- Be sure that you are comfortable with your stage name. If you are an aspiring entertainer and have begun to grow an audience, changing your stage name may hinder your progress.
Categories: Performing Arts
Recent edits by: BR, KommaH, Bee-jay
In other languages:
Español: Cómo escoger tu nombre artístico, Português: Como Escolher um Nome Artístico, Italiano: Come Scegliere un Nome d'Arte, Deutsch: Sich einen Künstlernamen ausdenken, Русский: выбрать сценическое имя
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