Ricky Martin / Enrique Morales
Ricky Martin was originally born Enrique Jose Martin Morales. As a young boy, Enrique started touring with Menudo, a well-known Latin boy band, and achieved enormous success. It was almost everything a young boy could wish for. Almost. His family life was in shambles.
He couldn’t spend time with either of his parents who by then were divorced. His father apparently gave him an ultimatum – choose his career or his family, an impossible position that the boy resented. So, he adopted the name Ricky to sever all connections with his father and his birth name. Thankfully, father and son reconciled in 1994.
Snoop Dogg / Calvin Broadus
No other artist has evolved and thrived with the times like the incomparable Snoop. He was born Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. in Long Beach, California. People called him “Snoopy” when he was a child because of how much he loved the cartoon character. Broadus developed a talent for rapping when he was in school.
Large crowds would gather and cheer him on. The encouragement spurred him on to pursue music. The moniker Snoop Doggy Dogg was born when he started recording professionally. Soon, he caught the attention of Dr. Dre, and the world has been better for it ever since.
Lorde / Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor
Lorde, also known as Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor, has been singing professionally since age 12 when she signed a contract with the Universal Music Group. Someone slipped a recording of Ella performing at a school talent show, and the rest is history.
She had always been fascinated with royalty as a child, which eventually inspired her stage name “Lorde.” The appended ‘e’ in Lorde was a conscious choice since she felt “Lord” was too masculine sounding. The singer has said that while she likes the name Ella, it wasn’t too grand and she liked the idea of having a powerful, more magnificent alias.
Iggy Azalea / Amethyst Kelly
Iggy Azalea, originally Amethyst Amelia Kelly, spent most of her childhood in Sydney, Australia before moving to the United States. How did she get her stage name? Iggy is in reference to a beloved dog she had growing up while Azalea comes from the street she grew up in while living in Australia. She prefers that the world call her Iggy.
But unlike most other celebs who leave their old name behind completely, Iggy keeps hers close. Only a few people in her life are allowed to use her real name Amethyst. These people are, in her own words, “elite.” This 1% of people comprise those who know her very well. When they use her real name, the singer says it reinforces their special connection.
Calvin Harris / Adam Richard Wiles
Calvin Harris, famous for hits like “This Is What You Came For,” has been ubiquitous in the music scene for decades. Although fans are familiar with his tracks, not many know that he goes by a different name in real life. Harris's original name is Adam Richard Wiles. Like many artists, he too decided to adopt a moniker.
He wanted something that would go better with his soulful music style. At age 22, he officially took on the name Calvin Harris, explaining that it was an open, more ambiguous name. One you couldn't quite peg down to a geography. A universal name that hoped to appeal across races and faces. It also resonated with the ambiguous quality of his own music, blurring genres and styles across the spectrum.