Rock And Metal Musicians Who Use Stage Names

These metal singers knew that it's tough to break into the music business, but that a good stage name might give you a leg up in a sea of boring Bruces, James, and Roberts.

A number of people on this list changed their names to make them catchier or easier to remember. "John Francis Bongiovi, Jr." or "Ronald James Padavona" both take up a lot more space on an album cover than "Jon Bon Jovi" or "Ronnie James Dio." From black metal and thrash to power metal, these stage names are memorable - and the singers who chose them knew they would be.

This list of famous stage names includes metal singers who go by nicknames and famous people who have changed their names. It does not, however, include singers who use their married surnames professionally, had their names legally changed as children, or celebrities with obviously theatrical stage names. We all can guess King Diamond wasn't born with the first name King.

But not every metal singer chose a stage name that stands out. You may have guessed that Lemmy Kilmister used a stage name, but it's the "Lemmy" part he wasn't born with, not the "Kilmister." Which of these metal singers have the most surprising birth names?