Prince didn’t change his name to a symbol. You have to be able to spell it. If you are Russian you need to put it in a Roman Alphabet. How you do that is up to you though.
Numbers are not usable. You can be named FIVE but not 5. You can be called Six and Three Eighths but not 6 3/8.
I have a friend who recently changed her name back to her maiden name. Her son saw how easy it was—you give the judge a form and $10—so he changed his to something ridiculous just for the heck of it. I heard that they ask for a reason after you change your name like three times.
A guy I worked with recently had his name legally changed to Megazone.
I went to school with a brother and sister whose middle names were 7 and 9, respectively, the numerals, not the spelled version.
I’ve met Teller (of Penn & T) and yes, his full name is Teller. It used to be something else, which I won’t reveal here, but he managed to change it legally. His passport says Teller. His American Express card says Teller, and when he books hotel rooms or theatre tickets they are booked under the name ‘Teller’.
So it can be done.
Wait a minute – by whose rules? Most name changes are done by state courts, and each state has its own statutes and case law regarding name changes. Beyond that, federal agencies such as the IRS, the Social Security Administration, and the Selective Service each have their own policies about what is acceptable.
I did basic training with a recruit whose last name was simply “E.” Her name tag looked hilarious.
It should be noted that, legally, you can CALL yourself anything you want to. My name is Richard Jones - I don’t mind saying that because there’s a million of us - but I could call myself Ozzy Ramone if I wanted to, sign contracts under that name, reserve hotel rooms and whatever, provided I’m not doing so to defraud anyone. You could, at least in Ontario, almost certainly finagle a driver’s license with Ozzy Ramone with enough effort and legwork without actually legally changing it. Getting your legally recognized name (e.g. birth certificate) changed is a different matter, but if you can’t be bothered and want to sign your name “Porkchop D. McGillicuddy,” have at it.
With respect to Gordon “Sting” Sumner and Madonna Louise Ciccone, then, there’s not a huge, pressing reason for them to change their names, anyway.