In a bold reimagining of her music persona, Addison Rae has officially shortened her stage name to simply Addison for the release of her self-titled debut album on June 6. The decision marks a pivotal moment as Addison Rae changes stage name to Addison, signaling a transformative step in her evolving career.
Addison Introduces a New Era with Just Her First Name
Addison Rae, known for her breakout on TikTok and the hit single “Diet Pepsi,” revealed that she was never fully comfortable with her complete stage name. Embracing a new identity as just Addison on her debut album, she explained the thought process behind the change.
“I said it in an interview, I was just like, ‘Oh, I think I’ve grown past being called Addison Rae,’”
—Addison, Singer
The move aligns with the theme of her album and her personal growth, as she shared during a candid conversation about the decision. She reflected on how the album’s title links directly to her transition.
“Then the album being named Addison kind of was a tie-in for that.”
—Addison, Singer
Although she hopes her music fans embrace the updated moniker, Addison isn’t insisting on uniformity among her followers. Born Addison Rae Easterling, she acknowledges that many people will still refer to her by her original stage name.
“Whoever knows me as Addison Rae and knew me as Addison Rae,”
—Addison, Singer
“will always know me as that.”
—Addison, Singer
The switch, Addison joked, has practical benefits as well—especially when it comes to autograph sessions.
“I just am really tired of signing ‘Addison Rae,’”
—Addison, Singer
“It’s really long, and I would just rather sign ‘Addison.’”
—Addison, Singer
This return to her roots seems both a creative choice and a bid for greater simplicity.
“It’s going back to the roots really.”
—Addison, Singer
The Decision Behind the Name Change
While Addison ultimately found satisfaction in her album’s title and her new artist name, she didn’t always intend to mark this fresh chapter so overtly. She explored various options, including naming the album after a song, before settling on using her own first name. Addison credited her closest confidants for encouraging the shift after sharing the album with them.
“Sometimes people will do a song on the album as the title, and I kinda played with that a little bit,”
—Addison, Singer
“But when you do hear all the music straight through, there’s not really a title that encompasses all of it.”
—Addison, Singer
Listening to her circle’s feedback, she found clarity in simplicity: use her own name as the defining brand for her inaugural project. The suggestion resonated after hearing their reactions.
“Everybody I played it to as well, they were just like ‘Oh, it just sounds like you, it sounds like music you would make,’”
—Addison, Singer
“So I was like, ‘So, maybe the album is just my name.’”
—Addison, Singer
Other Celebrities Who Transformed Their Stage Names
Addison’s decision joins a long tradition of artists and performers reinventing themselves with new names. Here’s a look at several other public figures who altered or adopted stage names as part of their careers:
Sterling K. Brown – Known for “This Is Us,” Sterling Kelby Brown went by his middle name Kelby as a teenager to distinguish himself from his father and grandfather, both named Sterling Brown. He eventually chose to honor his father after his passing by reassuming his first name.
“My dad’s name is Sterling Brown Jr., my grandfather is Sterling Brown Sr.,”
—Sterling K. Brown, Actor
“I wanted my own name and it felt like Sterling was an old man’s name.”
—Sterling K. Brown, Actor
“Because he passed away when I was 10, by the time I turned 16 and I hadn’t heard his name for five, five-and-a-half years,”
—Sterling K. Brown, Actor
“I was like, ‘I kinda just want to hear that name again.’ So I asked people to call me Sterling.”
—Sterling K. Brown, Actor
Andrew, Matthew, and Joey Lawrence – The siblings originally used the last name Mignogna, but switched to Lawrence, Joey’s middle name, after a talent agent suggested the change would benefit their chances in entertainment.
Kat Dennings – Born Katherine Victoria Litwack, the 2 Broke Girls star chose her stage name at age 9, inspired by Christina Ricci’s character in “Casper” and a family friend’s surname, Janine Denni. She reasoned her given name didn’t fit on a show poster.
Cher – The pop legend was registered as Cheryl Sarkisian at birth, although she believed her name was Cherilyn. She discovered the truth in the late 1970s when she sought to legally change her name to Cher.
“I was only a teenager, and I was in a lot of pain. Give me a break.”
—Georgia Holt, Mother of Cher
Shaboozey – Outlaw country performer Collins Obinna Chibueze received the name Shaboozey after a high school misspelling of his last name, which later became his stage identity.
Post Malone – Austin Richard Post used his surname for his music moniker; despite the fame, he prefers friends to use his real name. At the 2024 MTV VMAs, Taylor Swift addressed him by “Austin” as they accepted an award for their collaboration “Fortnight.”
Katy Perry – Born Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson, Perry initially launched her music career with a Christian album using her birth name. She adopted “Katy Perry,” influenced by her mother’s maiden name, for her pop career.
Cardi B – Born Belcalis Almanzar, she first went by “Bacardi,” inspired by her sister Hennessy’s nickname, before settling on Cardi B.
Meghan Markle – Before gaining recognition as the Duchess of Sussex, Rachel Meghan Markle briefly used her birth name, Rachel, in early acting credits.
Shania Twain – Originally Eilleen Regina Edwards, the musician changed her name to Eilleen Twain after adoption, and finally to Shania Twain upon embarking on her professional career.
“In short, I was born, Eilleen Regina Edwards, and then I was adopted and I became Eilleen Regina Twain. Then I became a professional singer and I needed a stage name that sounded a little less like my grandmother’s name, because I’m named after my grandmother, both my grandmothers, Eilleen and Regina. I think, in my mind, I was just not really wanting to be called my grandmother’s name onstage, so I decided to change it to Shania Twain. I met somebody with the name Shania, thought it was beautiful, and Shania Twain was born.”
—Shania Twain, Singer
Chappell Roan – Kayleigh Rose Amstutz developed her alter ego Chappell Roan as a way to create boundaries and maintain separation between her personal and public lives.
Gigi Hadid – Jelena Noura Hadid gained her famous nickname “Gigi” while in school, after teachers confused her with another student named Helena. Her mother‘s use of the name at home cemented it as her stage identity.
Vin Diesel – Born Mark Vincent, Diesel chose a striking stage name to match his action-hero image.
Miley Cyrus – Destiny Hope Cyrus became Miley after her childhood nickname “Smiley” was shortened. Her infectious smile inspired the moniker.
Bruno Mars – Peter Gene Hernandez was nicknamed “Bruno” by his father as a child, a name that stuck as he rose to international stardom.
Lady Gaga – Stefani Germanotta transformed into the genre-defying Lady Gaga, reinventing her artistic image and sound.
Jason Sudeikis – Named Daniel after his father, Sudeikis became “Jason” when his mother started using his middle name to avoid confusion within the family.
Emma Stone – Emily Stone had to adopt a new professional name after discovering another Screen Actors Guild member already registered as Emily Stone.
Reese Witherspoon – Though known as Reese Witherspoon, her full birth name is Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon. She chose the name Reese in honor of her mother‘s maiden name.
Lana Del Rey – Elizabeth Woolridge Grant created the persona “Lana Del Rey” as her artistic alter ego as she embarked on her music career.
Frank Ocean – Christopher Edwin Breaux legally became Frank Ocean in 2014, signaling a new artistic identity.
Tina Fey – Known for her sharp comedic voice, Elizabeth Stamatina Fey uses her nickname professionally. She nodded to her given name by naming her “30 Rock” character Liz Lemon.
Snoop Dogg – This West Coast rap pioneer was born Calvin Broadus, but built a global brand as Snoop Dogg.
Lorde – Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor chose “Lorde” for its regal sound and added a feminine twist with the ‘e.’
Ricky Martin – Before he was lighting up global stages, Enrique Morales was known by his birth name.
Iggy Azalea – The rapper entered the spotlight as Iggy Azalea, leaving behind her birth name Amethyst Kelly.
Calvin Harris – Adam Richard Wiles selected his DJ alias for its ambiguity, fitting the soulful sound of his first single.
Jennifer Aniston – The Friends star was originally Jennifer Anastassakis, changing her surname for her Hollywood career.
Alicia Keys – Alicia Augello Cook took on a stage name that echoed her musical ambitions and capabilities.
Tom Cruise – The internationally renowned movie star was born Thomas Mapother IV before adopting the name Tom Cruise for his acting breakthrough.
The Impact of Stage Name Changes in Pop Culture
The decision by Addison Rae to shift to simply Addison for her record debut highlights a broader trend, where public figures reshape their personal brands and audiences adapt to evolving identities. Whether for creative, sentimental, or logistical reasons, name changes can signal deep transformation and often offer stars greater artistic control.
As Addison embarks on her new chapter alongside other performers who have navigated similar journeys, fans and the entertainment industry will watch closely to see how her musical identity is shaped by this new mononym. With her self-titled album just released, the impact of Addison Rae’s name change to Addison will be measured not only by records sold but by how her audience connects with the next stage in her evolving story.
