Rock and Roll Name Change

A lot of musicians will go by a different name because they think their birth name just doesn't sound like a "rock star." They might go by a combination of a nickname and their last name, a nickname or a completely different name altogether. According to the people at Ultimate Classic Rock, here are some rockers who go by different names rather than the one given to them at birth

Alice Cooper

-Real name: Vincent Damon Furnier

Benjamin Orr

-The Cars

-Real name: Benjamin Orzechowski

Bill Wyman

-The Rolling Stones

-Real name: William George Perks Jr.

Billy Idol

-Real name: William Michael Albert Broad

Bob Dylan

-Real name: Robert Allen Zimmerman

Bono

-U2

-Real name: Paul David Hewson

Bret Michaels

-Poison

-Real name: Bret Michael Sychak

Brian Jones

-The Rolling Stones

-Real name: Lewis Brian Hopkins-Jones

C.C. Deville

-Poison

-Real name: Bruce Anthony Johannesson

Cass Elliott

-The Mamas and the Papas

-Real name: Ellen Naomi Cohen

Cat Stevens

-Real name: Steven Demetre Georgiou. He later changed his name to Yusaf Islam

Christopher Cross

-Real name: Christopher Charles Geppert

Charlie T "Muddy" Wilbury Jr.

-Traveling Wilburys

-Real name: Tom Petty (birth name: Thomas Earl Petty)

Courtney Love

-Hole

-Real name: Courtney Michelle Harrison

David Bowie

-Real name: David Robert Hayward Jones

David Clayton Thomas

-Blood, Sweat and Tears

-Real name: David Henry Thomsett

Dee Dee Ramone

-The Ramones

-Real name: Douglas Colvin

Denny Laine

-The Moody Blues, Wings

-Real name: Brian Frederick Hines

Devadip

-Real name: Carlos Santana (birth name: Carlos Augusto Alves Santana)

Dick Dale

-Real name: Richard Anthony Mansour

Eddie Vedder

-Pearl Jam

-Real name: Edward Louis Stevenson III

The Edge

-U2

-Real name: David Howell Evans

Elliot Easton

-The Cars

-Real name: Elliot Steinberg

Elton John

-Real name: Reginald Kenneth Dwight

Elvis Costello

-The Imposters

-Real name: Declan Patrick McManus

Eric Carr

-Kiss

-Real name: Paul Charles Caravello

Eric Clapton

-Derek and the Dominoes, Cream

-Real name: Eric Patrick Clapton

Eric Singer

-Kiss, Black Sabbath, Lita Ford

-Real name: Eric Doyle Mensinger

Freddie Mercury

-Queen

-Real name: Faroukh Bulsara

Gene Simmons

-Kiss

-Real name: Chaim Witz

Huey Lewis

-The News

-Real name: Hugh Anthony Cregg III

Iggy Pop

-The Stooges

-Real name: James Newell Osterburg Jr

Joan Jett

-The Blackhearts, The Runaways

-Real name: Joan Marie Larkin

Joe Strummer

-The Clash

-Real name: John Graham Mellor

Joey Ramone

-The Ramones

-Real name: Jeffrey Ross Hyman

John Cougar

-Real name: John Mellencamp. He now goes by John Cougar Mellencamp

John Kay

-Steppenwolf

-Real name: Joachim Fritz Krauledat

Johnny Marr

-The Smiths

-Real name: John Martin Maher

Johnny Ramone

-The Ramones

-Real name: John William Cummings

Johnny Rotten

-The Sex Pistols

-Real name: John Lydon

Jon Bon Jovi

-Real name: John Francis Bongiovi Jr.

Joni Mitchell

-Real name: Roberta Joan Anderson

Lefty Wilbury

-The Travelling Wilburys

-Real name: Roy Orbison (birth name: Roy Kelton Orbison)

Lucky "Boo" Wilbury

-The Traveling Wilburys

-Real name: Robert Zimmerman aka Bob Dylan

Manfred Mann

-Real name: Manfred Sepse Lubowitz

Marilyn Manson

-Real name: Brian Hugh Warner

Mark St. John

-Kiss

-Real name: Mark Norton

Marky Ramone

-The Ramones

-Real name: Marc Steven Bell

Meat Loaf

-Real name: Marvin Lee Aday

Mick Mars

-Motley Crue

-Real name: Robert Alan Deal

Nelson "Spike" Wilbury

-The Traveling Wilburys

-Real name: George Harrison (birth name: George Harold Harrison)

Nikki Sixx

-Motley Crue, Sixx A.M.

-Real name: Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna Jr.

Otis "Clayton" Wilbury

-The Traveling Wilburys

-Real name: Jeff Lynne (birth name: Jeffrey Lynne)

Pat Benatar

-Real name: Patricia Mae Andrzejwski

Paul Stanley

-Kiss

-Birth name: Stanley Bert Eisen

Peter Criss

-Kiss

-Real name: Peter George John Criscoula

Peter Tork

-The Monkees

-Real name: Peter Halsten Thorkelson

Prince

-Real name: Prince Rogers Nelson

Ric Ocasek

-The Cars

-Real name: Richard Otcasek

Rick Springfield

-Real name: Richard Lewis Springthorpe

Rikki Rockett

-Poison

-Real name: Richard Allan Ream

Ringo Starr

-Rory Storm and The Hurricanes, The Beatles

-Real name: Richard Starkey

Ritchie Valens

-Real name: Richard Steven Valenzuela

Sebastian Bach

-Skid Row

-Real name: Sebastian Philip Bierk

Sid Vicious

-The Sex Pistols

-Real name: John Simon Ritchie

Slash

Guns N' Roses

-Real name: Saul Hudson

Steven Tyler

-Aerosmith

-Real name: Steven Victor Tallarico

Stevie Wonder

-Real name: Stevland Hardaway Judkins

Sting

-The Police

-Real name: Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner

Tommy Lee

-Motley Crue

-Real name: Thomas Lee Bass

Vince Neil

-Motley Crue

-Real name: Vince Neil Wharton

Vinnie Vincent

-Kiss

-Real name: Vincent John Cusano