Originally by Adam TylerList RulesOnly singers and musicians known by one name
Complete list of famous singers & musicians with one name, crowdsourced and ranked by name recognition. No need for a last name! These mononymous singers have so much name-recognition that they are simply addressed by a single name. Singers may choose to go by a single stage name to stand out, sound distinctive, or as a part of their culture. (Bjork, for example, only goes by one name because it is custom in Iceland to address others by one name only.) There are a ton of both male and female singers with one name – so which ones are the best ever?
In the West, mononymity is normally a privilege of famous people, celebrities, writers, artists, entertainers, musicians, pop stars, and athletes. Of all of these types of artists, there are far more musicians that go by one name than others. Some one name stage names are merely the performer's given name (Rihanna, Ke$ha, Cher, Madonna, Beyonce), other mononymous musicians go by their surnames (Liberace, Morrissey), and many are made up words (Xzibit, Ginuwine) or nicknames (Sting, Bono, Moby).
Use this list to research singers and musicians with one name and vote up your favorite!1
1,6981,279Prince
Hip hop music, SynthpopAlbums: Purple Rain, Sign 'O' the Times, 1999, Love Symbol Album, Around the World in a Day
Prince Rogers Nelson (June 7, 1958 – April 21, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter,... more
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1,4411,289Eminem
Hip hopAlbums: The Marshall Mathers LP, The Slim Shady LP, The Eminem Show, Infinite, Recovery
Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often... more3
1,2511,119P!nk
Pop punk, R&BAlbums: M!ssundaztood, I'm Not Dead, Funhouse, Dear Mr. President, Pink: Live in Europe
Alecia Beth Moore (born September 8, 1979), known professionally as Pink (stylized as P!nk),... more4
1,6731,044Elvis
Christian music, Pop musicAlbums: Jailhouse Rock, The Sun Sessions, From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential '60s Masters, Can’t Help Falling in Love / Rock-A-Hula Baby, Elvis Presley (Legacy Edition)
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), also known mononymously as Elvis, was... more5
1,005951Rihanna
R&B, PopAlbums: Loud, Good Girl Gone Bad, Rihanna 3CD Collector's Set, A Girl like Me, Music of the Sun
Robyn Rihanna Fenty (born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, songwriter, record... more6
1,1081,076Beyoncé
R&B, PopAlbums: Dangerously in Love, 4, Beautiful Liar, B'Day, Above and Beyoncé: Video Collection & Dance Mixes
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter (born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter and... more7
1,0791,108Cher
Hip hop music, Rock musicAlbums: Closer to the Truth, The Ugly Duckling, Heart of Stone, Love Hurts, The Best of Cher
Cher (born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television... more8
1,4591,091Adele
Pop, R&BAlbums: 21, 19, Make You Feel My Love, Adele Live at the Royal Albert Hall, Cold Shoulder
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (born 5 May 1988) is an English singer-songwriter. After graduating... more9
1,2781,180Madonna
Pop, ElectronicaAlbums: Like a Virgin, Like a Prayer, Music, Ray of Light, Confessions on a Dance Floor
Madonna Louise Ciccone (, Italian: [tʃikˈkoːne]; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer,... more10
9211,008Shakira
Urban contemporary, Merengue musicAlbums: Live & Off the Record, Laundry Service, Where Are the Thieves?, Beautiful Liar, La Tortura
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll (born 2 February 1977) is a Colombian singer, songwriter,... more11
733745Helen Folasade Adu, (Yoruba: Fọláṣadé Adú [fɔ̄láʃādé ādú]; born 16 January 1959), known... more12
8501,101Sting
Medieval music, Classic rockAlbums: ...Nothing Like the Sun, Ten Summoner's Tales, Mercury Falling, The Soul Cages, The Dream of the Blue Turtles
Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner CBE (born 2 October 1951), known as Sting, is an English musician... more13
597738Usher
Contemporary R&B, Hip hopAlbums: Confessions, Rhythm City, Volume 1: Caught Up (bonus disc), My Way, Usher
Usher Raymond IV (born October 14, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter and dancer. He was... more14
417520Selena
Mexican cumbia, Pop musicAlbums: Dreaming of You, Amor Prohibido, The New Girl in Town, Preciosa, Momentos intimos
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez (April 16, 1971 – March 31, 1995) was an American singer, songwriter,... more15
413449RuPaul
Disco, ElectroAlbums: Don't Go Breaking My Heart, Ho Ho Ho, Foxy Lady, Red Hot, Glamazon
RuPaul Andre Charles (born November 17, 1960) is an American drag queen, actor, model, singer,... more16
638871Sia
Pop, ElectropopAlbums: Some People Have Real Problems, Don't Bring Me Down E.P, OnlySee, Colour the Small One, We Are Born
Sia Kate Isobelle Furler (born 18 December 1975) is an Australian singer, songwriter, voice... more17
629890Slash
Glam metal, Blues-rockAlbums: Slash, Apocalyptic Love, Made in Stoke 24/7/11, Live in Manchester, Sahara
Saul Hudson (born July 23, 1965), better known by his stage name Slash, is a British–American... more18
620623Tupac
Hip hop music, Political hip hopAlbums: All Eyez on Me, Me Against the World, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, Still I Rise, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z...
Tupac Amaru Shakur ( TOO-pahk shə-KOOR; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September... more19
405615Kesha
Pop, Hip hopAlbums: Animal, Cannibal, TiK ToK, Warrior, Animal + Cannibal
Kesha Rose Sebert (; born March 1, 1987), known mononymously as Kesha (formerly stylized... more20
177226Ice-T
Hip hop music, Hardcore hip hopAlbums: Power, O.G. Original Gangster, Home Invasion, Seventh Deadly Sin, Rhyme Pays
Tracy Lauren Marrow (born February 16, 1958), better known by his stage name Ice-T, is an... more21
314441Meat Loaf
Hard rock, rockAlbums: Bat Out of Hell, Bat Out of Hell II (bonus disc), Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose, I'd Do Anything for Love (but I Won't Do That), Dead Ringer
Michael Lee Aday (born Marvin Lee Aday; September 27, 1947), known professionally as Meat... more22
6801,067Bono
Rock music, Alternative rockAlbums: Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, In the Name of the Father, The Complete Solo Projects, Volume 4, The Complete Solo Projects
Paul David Hewson, KBE OL (born 10 May 1960), known by his stage name Bono (), is an Irish... more23
421640Lorde
Indie pop, ElectronicaAlbums: Pure Heroine, The Love Club EP, Royals / White Noise: Live from the BRITs, Tennis Court EP, Tennis Court
Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor (born November 7, 1996), known professionally as Lorde, is a... more24
465787Enya
New Age music, Folk music of IrelandAlbums: Watermark, Paint the Sky With Stars, The Christmas EP, A Day Without Rain, Sounds of the Season: The Enya Holiday Collection
Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin (anglicised as Enya Patricia Brennan (); born 17 May 1961),... more25
412642Aaliyah
Hip hop music, Pop musicAlbums: Aaliyah, One in a Million, I Care 4 U, Age Ain't Nothing but a Number, Back & Forth
Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer, actress,... more
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