Kanye West has officially changed his name

Here’s why he’s made the bold move

Author: Hannah MellinPublished 19th Oct 2021
Last updated 19th Oct 2021

Rapper and fashion designer Kanye West has officially changed his name to ‘Ye’ after using the nickname for a number of years.

In August, Kanye formally requested to change his full name – Kanye Omari West – to Ye (that is pronounced ‘Yay’) and filed legal documents that cited “personal reasons” for the choice of name change. His application was proved by LA Superior Court judge Michelle Williams.

He had previously revealed plans to change his name when he tweeted in 2018: 'Formally known as Kanye West. I am YE.' He also released an album called Ye in 2018.

In the same year, he told radio host Big Boy: “I believe ‘ye’ is the most commonly used word in the Bible. In the Bible it means you.

"So, I'm you. And I'm us. It's us. It went from being Kanye, which means the only one, to just Ye, just being a reflection of our good, our bad, our confused - everything. It's more of a reflection of who we are as beings."

Check out 33 singers who changed their names for the stage:

Camila Cabello

Real name: Karla Camila Cabello Estrabao

Rag'n'Bone Man

Real name: Rory Graham

Bruno Mars

Real name: Peter Gene Hernandez

Rihanna

Real name: Robyn Rihanna Fenty

P!NK

Real name: Alecia Beth Moore

Lady Gaga

Real name: Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta

Nelly

Real name: Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr.

Stormzy

Real name: Michael Omari

Calvin Harris

Real name: Adam Richard Wiles

Lil Nas X

Real name: Montero Lamar Hill

Iggy Azalea

Real name: Amethyst Amelia Kelly

Ke$ha

Real name: Kesha Rose Sebert

Nicki Minaj

Real name: Onika Tanya Maraj

Katy Perry

Real name: Katheryn Hudson

Alicia Keys

Real name: Alicia Augello Cook

Lana Del Rey

Real name: Elizabeth Grant

Macklemore

Real name: Ben Haggerty

Miley Cyrus

Real name: Destiny Hope Cyrus

AJ Tracey

Real name: Ché Wolton Grant

Zayn Malik

Real name: Zain Javaad Malik

Jason Derulo

Real name: Jason Joel Desrouleaux

Pitbull

Real name: Armando Christian Pérez

50 Cent

Real name: Curtis James Jackson III

Usher

Real name: Usher Raymond IV

Charli XCX

Real name: Charlotte Emma Aitchison

Jessie J

Real name: Jessica Ellen Cornish

Aitch

Real name: Harrison Armstrong

Snoop Dogg

Real name: Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr

Ellie Goulding

Real name: Elena Jane Goulding

will.i.am

Real name: William James Adams Jr.

Fergie

Real name: Stacy Ann Ferguson

Jax Jones

Real name: Timucin Fabian Kwong Wah Aluo

SAINt JHN

Real name: Carlos St. John Phillips

Kanye West

In October 2021, Kanye West announced he had legally changed his name to Ye, with the application being approved by LA Superior Court judge Michelle Williams.

John Legend

John Legend's real name is John Roger Stephens. He told us that the name John Legend was a nickname used by some of his friends.

Back in August, he released Donda, his 10th studio album following his split from wife Kim Kardashian, whom he married in 2014.

Despite Kim filing for divorce in February, the rapper did not ask that her name should be changed back to just Kardashian. They have four children who they co parent together: seven-year-old North, five-year-old Saint, three-year-old Chicago, and two-year-old Psalm.

Kim made a controversial choice to keep her married name Kardashian West when she hosted Saturday Night Live in early October.

She also recently reportedly agreed to pay her husband $20 million in cash for their Hidden Hills mansion and paid an extra $3 million for the contents of their former marital home they purchased seven years ago.

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