Did Kanye West Really Change His Name Again? Here’s the Truth

by

Kanye West isn’t quite new again.

Initially, it seemed like the rapper, who goes by the name Ye now, might have altered his moniker yet again to Ye Ye. However, his representatives are clarifying this point.

West’s representative clarified to US Weekly on June 16th that there is no ‘Ye Ye.’ This misunderstanding arises from a digital form that needed entries in both the first name and last name fields, resulting in an unusual name entry.

It became unclear who exactly “Ye Ye” referred to in official documents submitted by West’s financial officer, Hussain Lalani, to the California Secretary of State, after he consistently called Kanye West, the “Gold Digger” rapper, by this name. The aforementioned documents, obtained by TopMob News on June 10, listed Ye Ye as the manager or member of West’s companies Yeezy Apparel, Yeezy Record Label, and Ox Paha Inc.

Previously, West explained the origin of his name Ye, mentioning that it’s the most frequently used word in the Holy Scripture.

In a 2018 interview with radio host Big Boy, the individual stated that in the Bible, ‘you’ is used. Therefore, he sees himself and us as interconnected, using ‘Ye’ as a representation of both our virtues and flaws collectively.

In that same year, West – father to North (12), Saint (9), Chicago (7), and Psalm (6) with ex-wife Kim Kardashian – titled his eighth studio album “Ye” as it represented a deeper portrayal of their identities.

He mentioned that he desired something that resonated with the vibe. Essentially, he sought something that was in harmony with what the universe had provided him.

Over the course of the years following my name change, I’ve persisted in managing my account on platform X (formerly known as Twitter) using my birth name. This was my practice until I declared in May that I would be relinquishing control over this handle and its 33 million followers.

On May 31, he posted, “After all this time, I’m going to stop using the @kanyewest Twitter handle because his name is now mine too, Ye. From now on, I’ll be starting a new account called ‘ye’, and that’s just how it will be.

However, it’s not just Western Hollywood figures who have altered their names or chosen stage names. For a comprehensive list of celebrities’ true identities, continue reading.

Sterling K. Brown went by his middle name Kelby until he was a teenager.

He mentioned on The Kelly Clarkson Show in April 2025 that his father is called Sterling Brown Jr., while his grandfather is Sterling Brown Sr. He explained during the interview that he preferred to have a name of his own and found Sterling to be more suitable for an older man.

However, following the demise of his father due to a heart attack, the alumnus of This Is Us chose to resume using his original name as a tribute to his deceased parent.

Since he had passed away when I was ten, by the time I turned sixteen and it had been over five years since I last heard his name, he said, “I just wanted to hear that name again.” So, he asked people to start calling him Sterling.

The Lawrences, specifically Andrew, Matthew, and Joey (who goes by “Joey Lawrence”), decided to change their last names professionally. Among them, it was Joey who made this alteration first, following suggestions from a talent agent that they needed a less common surname for their careers.

At the tender age of 9, Kat Dennings decided to take on a professional stage name, long before she stepped onto the stage for her first official acting performance in a 2000 episode of Sex and the City.

On the March 13, 2025 episode of the podcast “Not Gonna Lie With Kylie Kelce,” the former star of “2 Broke Girls” shared with host Kylie Kelce that she preferred not to have her real name shown prominently, such as on a poster.

As a devoted admirer, I found inspiration for my stage name in two distinct sources: the character Kat, portrayed by Christina Ricci in the movie “Casper,” and the surname of Janine Denni, the French spouse of the late author Lloyd Alexander, who was said to be my mother’s closest friend and a writer I greatly admired.

For over three decades, Cher was under the impression that her legal first name was Cherilyn. However, it wasn’t until the late 1970s, when she needed to legally change her name to ‘Cher’, that she learned she was actually named “Cheryl” on her birth certificate.

In her 2024 memoir titled “Cher: The Memoir, Part One”, the pop legend described her mother’s response upon learning about this revelation. (Here, “this discovery” refers to something significant or surprising that Cher unveiled in her memoir.)

She mentioned that her mother, the one who had her when she was 19 years old, reacted with, “Let me take a look at that!” After reminiscing about her own childbirth experience as a teen, she continued, “I was merely a teenager, and I endured quite a bit of pain. Cut me some slack.

In a playful twist of fate, the country rebel took on the nickname “Shaboozey,” which originated from a mistake made by his Virginia high school in spelling his last name. Later on, he decided to officially use this moniker as his stage name in his music career.

Overjoyed and star-struck here! I’ve got to send a shout-out to the one and only, Post Malone. Known for blending his surname with his stage name, it’s hard not to be captivated by his unique style. But did you know that when he hangs out with his pals, they call him by his real name? Isn’t that fascinating? Keep rocking the scene, Post! 🎶

At the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, Taylor Swift affectionately called him “Austin” as they accepted the Best Collaboration award for their song “Fortnight”.

Initially, the singer launched a Christian album under her real name in 2001. However, she thought adopting the stage name Katy Perry (named after her mother’s maiden name) would captivate pop music fans more effectively, leaving them amazed, astounded, and awestruck.

As an ardent admirer, let me share this captivating tidbit: Cardi B, in a quaint twist of fate, adopted her stage name inspired by her beloved sister’s nickname, Hennessy, which friends and family affectionately bestowed upon her. Over time, she cleverly abbreviated the moniker to something that truly resonated with her unique persona.

Before she became the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle was briefly known as Rachel. 

During an interview on Apple Music’s Home Now Radio, Shania Twain explained the origin of her stage name: “Initially, I was named Eilleen Regina Edwards, but after being adopted, I became Eilleen Regina Twain. As a professional singer, I sought a stage name that wasn’t too similar to my grandmothers’, whose names were both Eilleen and Regina. I didn’t want to be called their names onstage, so I chose Shania Twain instead. I had encountered someone named Shania before, and I found the name very appealing.

The persona of the performer who sings “Good Luck, Babe!” on stage, known as Chappell Roan, has always been part of a “drag performance,” which helps her establish limits and keep her private life distinct from the entertainment world.

It turns out that Gigi Hadid‘s stage name originated in school, where her teacher often mixed her up with a classmate named Helena. Since “gigi” was a nickname her mom used affectionately at home, she asked the teacher to call her by this name instead, and it eventually became her widely recognized moniker.

If you’re looking for an explosive action-star name, how about Vin Diesel instead?

Miley Cyrus’ radiant grin led to her being called Smiley during her childhood, a moniker that later got shortened to just Miley and has remained ever since.

It seems that the singer was reminiscent of Bruno rather than Peter, leading his father to start referring to him as Bruno. Since then, he’s been recognized as Bruno Mars.

Before the meat dresses and chart-topping music, Lady Gaga was just an everyday girl from New York.

On Today, Jason Sudeikis revealed that he was given the name Daniel after his father, however, due to some mix-up, his mother began referring to him by his middle name, Jason, to eliminate any potential misunderstandings.

Emma Stone opted for her stage name following the discovery that the Screen Actors Guild was already representing someone else with her birth name.

It turns out that “Reese Witherspoon” didn’t get her middle name from herself. Instead, she named herself after her mother, who was originally known by the surname Reese.

Each artist typically has a hidden identity, and Lana Del Rey is the chosen persona for this particular singer.

In 2014, Frank Ocean legally changed his name because, why not? 

An intriguing tidbit about the actress Tina Fey from the show 30 Rock is that her real name is Elizabeth. As a nod to her given name, she cleverly named her character on the show Liz Lemon.

This pioneer of West Coast rap would later go on to be known as Snoop Dogg.

It turns out that the singer known as “Royals” has a keen interest in the nobility, which is why she opted for the name Lorde, but with a feminine twist on the ending.

Prior to becoming a music sensation known as Ricky Martin, he was simply recognized by his everyday name.

It’s hard to believe that Iggy Azalea was born Amethyst Kelly!

Audience members were puzzled when Taylor Swift acknowledged Adam, her then-boyfriend, during an acceptance speech, which later revealed that Calvin Harris is just a stage name. The DJ explained to Shortlist magazine that he selected the name because his debut single had a soulful vibe and desired something slightly more “ethnically neutral.

Before she became a household name, this was what erstwhile Friend Jennifer Aniston answered to.

Alicia Keys didn’t always have such a musical name.

Before he became arguably the biggest movie star in the world, Tom Cruise went by this name.

Read More

2025-06-17 14:47