What is really in a name? For some celebrities, naming is everything. Here's a list of celebrities, actresses, artists, athletes, and politicians with unusual first names. In fact, the names of these celebrities are so distinctive that you can't truly use them for your own children. "This is my daughter, Madonna," for example. "RuPaul, did you finish the last cookie?" No, giving a child any of these famous names is essentially naming him or her after a celebrity. Unfortunately, there can only be one
Beyoncé.
The following celebrities are so famous, that you only need to hear one word, and their image will most likely appear in your mind. These are the most iconic one-name icons throughout history, ranging from luminaries who are no longer with us to some of today's biggest faces. Check out these 25
celeb names.
#1 Ringo Starr
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While the names John, Paul, and George are more well-known, Ringo is unmistakable. Sir Richard Starkey is his full name. His legendary appellation was derived from the numerous rings he wore on his hands.
#2 Drake
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Anyone who has seen Degrassi will recognize the rapper's full name, Aubrey Drake Graham. His father gave him his middle name, which he has used for most of his life.
#3 Beyoncé
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There is no need to introduce Queen Bey. Her mother's maiden name is Beyoncé, however, this is solely due to a mistake on her birth certificate (the rest of the family spells it Beyince).
#4 Bono
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The U2 singer's given name, Paul David Hewson, is derived from the Latin word bonavox, which means "excellent voice." That is inarguable.
#5 Bruce Springsteen
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There's a reason why you may hear "BRRRUUUCCEEE" chants just by reading The Boss's name. Simply told, it is legendary.
#6 Flea
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Michael Peter Balzary, the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist, received his now-iconic name because childhood friends recognized his jumpy, fidgety attitude.
#7 Prince
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"My name is Prince, and I am funky/ My name is Prince, the one and only," the late musician stated in his 1992 hit song. His real name was Prince Rogers Nelson, as it turned out.
#8 Lizzo
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Jay-Z is responsible for Melissa Viviane Jefferson's memorable stage name. She had the nickname Lissa as a teen until changing it to Lizzo after hearing the rapper's song "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)."
#9 Jay-Z
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In the case of
Jay-Z, or Shawn Corey Carter, he adopted his stage name as a reference to the J/Z subway stop near his Brooklyn home.
#10 Leonardo DiCaprio
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There is only one Leo in Hollywood today, but there almost wasn't one at all. Agents initially tried to get the young actor to change his name to Lenny Williams. Fortunately, he did not follow their advise.
#11 Usher
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Usher Raymond IV is a mouthful, but Usher is difficult to forget. The artist frequently includes his name in his hit songs. We dare you not to hum "Yeah!" right now.
#12 Eminem
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Born Marshall Bruce Mathers III, the rapper first used the stage moniker M&M, which was derived from his initials, before changing it to
Eminem. Much better than the candy on paper.
#13 Slash
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Saul Hudson, the rocker, told Metal Hammer that he was nicknamed Slash by a friend's father because "I was hustling at the time and never had time to sit and chat."
#14 Madonna
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There's no complicated narrative here: the singer's full name is Madonna Louise Ciccone. Since then, few new parents have ventured to name their child after the Queen of Pop—the most infants named Madonna in a single year was 212 in 1955.
#15 Cher
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Born Cherilyn Sarkisian, the actress officially changed her name to Cher—no last name. Yes, it's spelled that way on her passport.
#16 Rihanna
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RiRi is another celebrity that goes by her middle name. When it comes to intimate friends and family, she's Robyn Fenty. "I become numb hearing
Rihanna, Rihanna, Rihanna," she admitted to Rolling Stone. "I pay attention when I hear Robyn."
#17 Zendaya
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Most fans are unaware of the actress's entire name, Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman, because she was inspired by the greats who came before her, telling Allure: "I [dropped my last name because I] just thought it was nice, like Cher or Prince."
#18 Pink
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Alecia Beth Moore's stage name wasn't only a play on her neon hair. She said to Good Morning America that there were "plenty and lots and lots of reasons," including the character Mr. Pink from Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs.
#19 Seal
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Once he began performing, the singer reduced his full name, Sealhenry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel. Going from five to one name? Iconic.
#20 Elvis
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Elvis Presley was named after his father, Vernon, whose middle name was Elvis.
#21 Selena Quintanilla-Perez
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In the 1980s and 1990s, she was the Selena. Before her sad death in 1995, the Latin singer built a big name for herself, including a Grammy win.
#22 Kobe Bryant
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It's perfectly acceptable to admit that you exclaim "Kobe!" while shooting a basket. He was one of the best players of all time, with a name to match.
#23 Adele
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The Grammy winner said "hello" to being a one-name star from the start. Adele Adkins, her full name, she once called "drab," stating it "doesn't have the same ring as Adele."
#24 Fabio
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While the model's name is uncommon in the United States, it is quite popular in Italy. And, just in case you were wondering, his surname is Lanzoni.
#25 Sting
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Gordon Sting was born when a friend and bandmate noted Matthew Thomas Sumner's fondness for a certain yellow and black striped sweater, which he wore frequently.