Stage names are used by all performers, from musicians, actors, roller derby athletes to dancers, such as burlesque dancers, belly dancers and exotic dance dancers. Besides being able to shape and show their public persona, stage names can also help a performer to bond effectively with his fans. In addition, stage names can also emphasize the difference between a performer's life as a public figure and his private life.
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Method 1 of 4: Choosing a Stage Name
Step 1. Understand the purpose of using your stage name
There are several things related to the purpose of using a stage name that you can take into account when choosing a stage name.
- Branding: The stage name can be a marker for your stage persona, so you can have another persona that you can develop as a public figure.
- The separator between stage life and personal life: The stage name you wear will be known by the public and may become a name for your family in the future. While there may still be people who know your real name, a different stage name from your real name can give you a certain amount of privacy while living your private life.
- Differentiator: If you have a common real name (used by many people), your stage name can make you more recognizable, especially if you have a unique and prominent stage name.
- Certain considerations regarding prejudice: In ancient times, there were people who used stage names to reduce reactions to other people's prejudices regarding racism or anti-Semitism. Fortunately, things like this are rare. The same thing happens to women who use stage names. The use of the stage name is intended to prevent them from appearing in public with their real names that are hyphenated (such as Moore-Towers) because these names can be a sign that they are married. At that time, marital status was considered by some to be detrimental to a woman's career as a public figure. Therefore, they use different stage names.
Step 2. Choose a stage name that reflects your persona
A stage name can be your way of expressing yourself. In addition, stage names can also reflect something that is in you. Think of a stage name that can help convey your image as a performer or public figure.
Step 3. Have a story behind choosing your stage name
Regardless of what your stage name is, people will love to know the story behind your stage name, such as the reason why you chose that stage name or where your stage name came from. If the story is not interesting enough, maybe you can create your own unique story about choosing your stage name.
Step 4. Find out about your preferred name
Learn the meaning of your name from books about names or from the internet. You can also learn the history of the name. After that, think about whether the meaning of the name and its history can reflect the image you expect of the name.
Step 5. Choose a name that is easy to find
Make sure the name you choose as your stage name is easy to find on search engines like Google. Names that are too general (especially one-word names like Trouble or Heart) can also make it difficult for your fans to find out about you through search engines because the search results that come out will be far more relevant with results that may not match yours. your hope.
Step 6. Choose a name that still fits as you grow older
There are some names that sound catchy and reflect you today. But as you grow older, the name then sounds strange with your new figure. Think about what you will be like in 10 or 20 years and consider choosing a name that suits you, whether you are young or growing up.
- This is important to consider for child performers because the stage names they carry can be carried with them until they grow up. For example, actor Joe Yule has the stage name Mickey Rooney as a child actor. But as he grew older, the name became inappropriate. The same thing happened to the American rapper, Bow Wow, whose little stage name is Lil' Bow Wow. As he grew older, he removed the word Lil' from his name.
- Choose a name that does not make you quickly bored. If you feel that you will start to get bored and dislike the name of your choice within six months, look for another name.
Method 2 of 4: Using the Surname
Step 1. Use your childhood nickname
When you were a child, people probably called you by a different name. The nickname can be a stage name that might suit you. For example, American musician and photographer, Moby, whose real name is Richard Melville Hall. Moby is a nickname given by his parents and eventually used as his stage name.
Step 2. Use your middle name
You can only have a one-word stage name if you use your middle name as a stage name. For example, the American rapper, Drake, whose real name is Aubrey Drake Graham. He uses his middle name, Drake, as his stage name. Similarly, Angelina Jolie Voight dropped her last name, moving her middle name to the surname position.
Step 3. Get inspiration for your stage name by looking at your family tree
You may be able to use your great-grandmother's first name or the middle name of your parent's uncle. Besides being a good stage name, this can also strengthen your family ties with your relatives.
Step 4. Use your last name
Some people use their last name as their stage name, either because their first name is difficult to pronounce or they simply don't like it. For example, Liberace, an American pianist, used his last name (Liberace) as his stage name and omitted his first name, Wladziu.
- Some public figures start their careers bearing their full names, or at least their stage names as their real first and last names. When you have a new career, you may want to have a new name but on the other hand still maintain the reputation that people previously knew by your old name. If that's the case, you can just omit your last name and appear with your already known stage name.
- Alternatively, you can add your last name to your stage name. This is especially good if your stage name is one word.
- You can also change your last name. Some public figures add additional last names (with or without hyphens), such as Courtney Cox who added Arquette as her last name after she married (but when she divorced, she dropped Arquette's name and returned to her previous name).
Step 5. If your parents are public figures or musicians and have a stage name, you can use the same last name as your parent's stage name
You can combine that last name with your first name as your stage name. This can help you gain a reputation, as well as make you easily recognizable to people.
For example, actor Charlie Sheen whose real name is Carlos Irwin Estévez. He took the last name Sheen from his father's stage name, Martin Sheen. His own father's real name is Ramón Antonio Geraro Estévez. However, Martin Sheen's other child, Emilio, has retained his surname
Method 3 of 4: Setting the Order and Spelling of Your Name
Step 1. Try changing the spelling of your name
If you like your real name enough, maybe you can try playing with the arrangement of the letters that make up your name. Try alternative lettering to make your name more interesting. For example, the band Gotye (pronounced Go-ti-ye) has a name that is actually a pronunciation of the French surname Gaultier.
Keep in mind that while it can make your name sound catchy, it can sometimes become a problem, especially if you add extra letters that you don't really need to do. You can actually make other people confused and difficult to pronounce your name
Step 2. Avoid using symbols in your name
It might sound interesting to replace the S in your name with the dollar symbol ($), or the I with an exclamation point (!). But you need to keep in mind that this can actually make it difficult for people to spell your name and confuse people. Singers like Ke$ha do do this, but it's best if you don't.
In 1993, American singer Prince changed his name to a symbol so he could terminate his contract with Warner Bros. Because the symbol cannot be pronounced as a word, he is nicknamed The Artist Formerly Known as Prince. In the end, Prince returned to his previous stage name after his contract with Warner Bros. end. It's okay to change your name like that, especially if you have a very good reputation and a lot of fans. However, you need to remember that this can end up confusing people, especially when they want to call you
Step 3. Add an exotic element to your name
Some stage names have exotic elements that make them sound appealing. This is usually done by burlesque or pin-up performers. Try adding words like "von," "de," or "la" and see if your name sounds even more exotic.
Step 4. Pay attention to how your name is pronounced
If you have a unique stage name, some people may have trouble pronouncing your name. Actors such as Quvenzhané Wallis, Saoirse Ronan or Ralph Fiennes have unique names, but are difficult to pronounce, so there are often pronunciation clues in articles that contain news about these artists.
- Think of alternative spellings of your name that can help people pronounce your name correctly.
- Once you are famous, of course, problems related to the pronunciation of names can be overcome.
Step 5. Think about your international profile
Make sure the stage name you choose is recognizable whether you're touring or performing overseas. The internet helps fans to connect with their idols, and of course these fans come from different cultures. You need to take this into consideration when choosing a stage name, so that the name you choose doesn't sound weird or silly in certain cultures.
Step 6. Be consistent with the arrangement and spelling of your stage name
If you decide to use an alternate spelling or unique arrangement of names, make sure you stick to that arrangement or spelling and don't change it often. Don't frequently change the use of letters and symbols, such as S and $. If from the start you have decided to, for example, use the letter S, then stick with the letter S in your name.
Method 4 of 4: Using Your Stage Name
Step 1. Try saying your name out loud
Maybe your stage name will sound more powerful when you say it out loud in your room. Find out what your name sounds like when someone calls you by your stage name. Think of it as a market test of your stage name.
Step 2. Don't legalize your stage name as your real name, unless you really want to give up your real name and take it as your new real name
The existence of a stage name is actually expected to be a boundary between your personal life and your life as a public figure.
Step 3. Register your stage name with a union or trade union
If you have joined a trade union, such as the Screen Actors Guild or the American Federation of Musicians, you must update your membership information by including your stage name. Make sure no one else uses the same name as your stage name.
If you are not already a member of a trade union or union, consider joining one of the existing unions. You need to remember that when registering, use your real name and include your stage name as well
Step 4. Update your bank account information
You can put your stage name on your bank account, especially if you have a business account and you make money with that stage name. Make sure that your bank account has two names, your real name and your stage name.
Step 5. Have a social media account with your stage name
After choosing a stage name, make sure you can be present in cyberspace with that stage name. You can start by creating a fan page on Facebook and use your stage name as the name of the page. After that, you can try using Twitter by including your stage name.
Step 6. Have your own site domain
Use your stage name as your personal website domain. By registering your stage name as your site's domain, you can prevent someone from abusing your name or taking advantage of your success. This is known as cybersquatting.
- Use a site like GoDaddy.com or Dotster.com to make sure that the domain of the site you want to use isn't already in use by someone else.
- Register your site name with the site registrar. Choose the period of time you want to use to own the site's domain. You can register your domain for several years (maximum 10 years). There will be a fee that you have to pay and the amount of the fee depends on the registrar site you use and the annual fee. Generally, your first registration will be charged $10 to $15 (or around IDR 100,000, - up to IDR 150,000, -).
Tips
- Choose your stage name as soon as you start shaping your public persona. The name can affect how you organize yourself, as well as how you interact with your fans.
- Don't make the choice of a stage name a compulsion or necessity. You can still use your real name. However, keep in mind that using your real name as a public profile can make it difficult for you to draw a line between your life as a public figure and your private life. If you have a unique name, such as Benedict Cumberbatch, you may want to stick with your real name as a stage name. You can do the same if you feel that you want to be known publicly by a common name. You can keep your real name as your stage name.
