What is in a name?

When a musician or actor’s name weighs as heavy as a lone cross, the process of adopting An artistic or stage name comes easily— like getting out of a white shirt into a pick t-shirt. Whatever that means.

Hence, there must be proper reasons some Malawian artists changed their names from, for instance, Armstrong to Onesmus; Limbani Banda to Lambanie Dube; Young Kay Hyphen; Code Sangala to C.O.D.E. to CO; Dan Lufani to Dan Lu; Big Lu to Bigger Lu; Charles Sinetre to The Reggae Ambassador; Chiyanjano Muheziwa to Anne Matumbi; Fatsani Kalonda to Blakjak; Otis Chilamba to Blasto; among others.

Having looked at some of the local names that have taken this path [of name-change], we analyse some of the reasons that prompt some artists to effect name changes.

According to https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk, “names have meanings – historical, geographical, occupational, and so on – that transcend the individual, and while people do occasionally change their names to match their characters, the most intriguing hypothesis is that they change their characters to match their names. There is plenty for psychologists to get their teeth into”.

In fact, the site lists name change as one of the most important processes in an individual’s life.

It says, among other things, that names “capture and shape the individual”, “making it reasonable to say, as is done in English, German, Mandarin, and other, though not all, languages, not just ‘I am called Nicholas’, but ‘I am Nicholas’. This identity of name as self suggests that it is worth looking for correspondence between names and the characters of those who hold them. There is no shortage of research doing just this. 

 This aside, there are a number of reasons that prompt an artist to keep their original name separate from stage name, including the need to ensure that the real name remains unsullied, innocent, and uncontaminated by goings-on in the creative industry.

Hence, the story of artists is littered with decisions of name change, often done to ensure that the name fits the cap of the creative [is it imaginary] world the artist purportedly inhabits.

For, if the truth be told, when an artist – be it musician or actor, among others— is associated with a particular style, people soon begin to link the artist’s name to the issues he raises in creative work; so that, over time, no artist really escapes the impact of their names on their artworks.

It is like, in serving others, the artist only serves himself.

However, according to www.backstage.com, in an article tilted ‘Six Reasons a Stage Name Might Be’, not every artist— actor, musician, among others— deserves to change a name.

Reads the article: “Not all actors need or use stage names but, for some, it is the right way to go. Some actors choose to legally change their names in court, but many can use and register stage names without ever having to legally change it. In fact, some actors choose to simultaneously use their real names and stage names to keep their work and personal lives separate.” 

The website says artists change names for the following reasons: to avoid confusion; if an individual has a popular or common name; if someone famous is already using the name; if one’s name does not represent who they are; if a different name will be easier to use and understand; and if an individual needs to protect his identity.

According to www.dancespirit.com, for urban dancers, it is more common to receive a name as a sign of respect and acceptance— so long as the name fits “the individual’s physical, psychological or technical characteristics”.

“Whatever you decide, it must be a natural fit. Otherwise you will seem foolish…. Finding out what is unique about yourself is crucial, but you have to be aware that whatever you do to manipulate that vision of yourself should be something that you believe in and are fully behind. If changing your name will give you more confidence, change [right] away,” the website indicates.

Another website, www.inta.org, indicates that names, either stage or names given at birth, can be turned into trademarks.

“Celebrities or other famous people can easily create trademark rights in their names by using their names in connection with products or services that are related to the reason for their fame. There are thus certain easy brand extensions: for example, celebrity chef sells cookware or opens restaurant; famous home designer markets furniture; musician sells branded instruments.

“In these situations, it will not take much effort to educate the public that the line of cookware they are buying under the Famous Chef brand comes from a single source of origin. This is particularly true because the consuming public to which the marketing is directed already likely knows and loves Famous Chef. If you represent a company that is considering using a celebrity’s name in its marketing (and your client is not associated with the celebrity), be worried if the celebrity is well known and markets products or services that relate to his or her fame. 

“Other brand extensions are a bit more of a stretch: … musician creates line of perfume. Even in these situations taking simple steps to advertise the relationship between the celebrity and the product can sufficiently educate the public that the perfume is marketed by the Mod Musician they know and love,” it says.

However, the site warns artists to guard against unauthorised use of their names.

“Often, the product is marketed to the Mod Musician’s existing demographic first, to take advantage of the reputation that the musician has created in that industry. Indeed, it is in this demographic that the musician’s name will carry the most weight—and thus reap the highest dollar rewards. As a result, unauthorised use by a third party of the individual’s name can result in allegations not only of a right-of-publicity violation but also of a trademark infringement claim,” it observes.

In the African setup, the practice of changing names proliferated with the advent of genres such as hip-hop. Which means, in a way, African artists copied from their American or European counterparts.

In the African Studies Quarterly (Volume 13, Issue 3 | Summer 2012), Msia Kibona Clark-  Assistant Professor in the  Department of Pan-African Studies at California State University, Los Angeles [with a research focus on African migrations, Africa/African American relations, and African hip hop expressions] notes that  in African countries such as Ghana and Tanzania, hip hop has had a huge influence, a development that has see it being used
as a social commentary.

By widely using hip-hop, the new generation of African musicians has not only commented on social ills, but also sought to re-define themselves.

No wonder, Clark observes that  hip-hop’s origins lie in its use as a tool of self -expression and self-definition.

“Today, each of Africa’s metropolitan areas has a hip hop community, a community that includes rap emcees, producers, DJs, graphic designers,musical performances, and in many cases radio stations, dancers, and fashion designers”.

Not surprisingly, some of these people [rap emcees, producers, DJs, dancers] are at the heart of the practice of changing names. 

In the end, while artists change names to reflect their new status, they can use the same names to generate funds through endorsements.

It turns out, it is not only the music and artwork that matters; the name can be capital, too— so long as the artist does not show signs of being heartily ashamed of changing a name when they are already grown up!