# Singers with completely unique first names (and actors too) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 17, 2006, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-completely-unique-first-names-and-actors-too/369146 "2006-08-17T22:01:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-completely-unique-first-names-and-actors-too/369146/1 "2006-08-17T22:01:46Z")
Inspired by the Singing Billies thread, let’s do the opposite, singers and actors with unique first names (to their profession, that is). It has to be their real, legal name. I have to name my 2nd musical goddess (first is Kate Bush, who is only unique musically and vocally): **Happy Rhodes** By “to their profession” I mean…I know there’s a Happy Rockefeller, wife of the former guv of New York, but she wasn’t a professional musician. By real and legal, I mean…I know there’s a country-western singer in Canada named “Happy Rhodes” but it’s just a nickname (his real name is Jack Chapelle and he owns [happyrhodes.com](http://happyrhodes.com), but doesn’t use it). Happy was born Kimberly Tyler Rhodes but was called Happy from the day she was born. That would still qualify as a nickname and not qualify, except that she had her name legally changed when she was 16. **Dot Allison** was born Dorothy Elliot Allison, so she doesn’t qualify. I was trying to think of some in acting, but was thwarted. **Piper Laurie’s** real name is Rosetta Jacobs. (Btw, I’ve always loved the name Piper Laurie) Ok, found a couple: Pier Angeli was born Anna Maria **Pierangeli** which while not her first name, I’m going to let qualify, since she was born with the name. How many other actresses took their last name as a first name? **Tyne Daly** was born Ellen Tyne Daly and I think that’s close enough. Sheesh, already I’m relaxing my standards for what qualifies. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-completely-unique-first-names-and-actors-too/369146/2 "2006-08-17T22:05:28Z")
I’ve never met any other Beyonces. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-completely-unique-first-names-and-actors-too/369146/3 "2006-08-17T22:23:32Z")
Other than Ms. Weaver, I’ve never even heard of a Sigourney. Could be I need to get out more. Don’t know of another Aretha, but I know of some body parts pretty close to that. Can’t wait for the barriers to come down and the otherwise sweet-sounding Syphilis (pronounced suh-FILL-iss) to gain favor. Is there another Reese besides Witherspoon? She’s been dead a while and I believe somebody has named a kid after her (the Willises maybe?) but Tallulah had that one all to herself for a long time. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-completely-unique-first-names-and-actors-too/369146/4 "2006-08-17T22:45:47Z")
Lyda Roberti House Peters Theda Bara Ormer Locklear Pola Negri Alla Nazimova Lilyan Tashman Vilma Banky Lya de Putti Snitz Edwards Skeets Gallagher Jetta Goudal ( . . . that’s enough for now . . .) ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-completely-unique-first-names-and-actors-too/369146/5 "2006-08-17T23:04:06Z")
[QUOTE=Equipoise] It has to be their real, legal name. [/QUOTE] Oops. Ignore _almost_ all of my list. ---
**Author:** ![Foldup\_Rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df788c/32.png) [@Foldup\_Rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foldup_Rabbit)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-completely-unique-first-names-and-actors-too/369146/6 "2006-08-17T23:08:19Z")
**Neko Case**? I put it forth as original because **Nico** of **Velvet Underground** fame was born Christa Päffgen. I was going to say **Ziggy Marley** , but then I found out his name was David. Illusions have been shattered. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-completely-unique-first-names-and-actors-too/369146/7 "2006-08-17T23:08:46Z")
Not an actor per se, but how about former Olympic skier Picabo Street? IIRC, her parents let her name herself when she was failrly young, and it is her legal name. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-completely-unique-first-names-and-actors-too/369146/8 "2006-08-17T23:13:53Z")
Loudon Wainwright III. Okay, it can’t be that unique if he’s a III, but there can’t be a lot of _singers_ named Loudon running around. Manfred Mann. Mann is a stage name, but the Manfred is real. Thelonious Monk. Whaddya mean he wasn’t a singer? Listen closely! ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-completely-unique-first-names-and-actors-too/369146/9 "2006-08-17T23:20:41Z")
Alice Cooper, of course. Alice isn’t odd? It is on a guy… (Legally his since '74) ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-completely-unique-first-names-and-actors-too/369146/10 "2006-08-17T23:50:14Z")
Elton John (yes that is his real legal name nowadays) Elvis Presley (the other Elvis, Elvis Costello is not a given name ) ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-completely-unique-first-names-and-actors-too/369146/11 "2006-08-18T00:15:32Z")
Bjork ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-completely-unique-first-names-and-actors-too/369146/12 "2006-08-18T01:07:35Z")
[QUOTE=Bippy the Beardless] Elton John (yes that is his real legal name nowadays) [/QUOTE] Not unique: there’s also saxophonist [Elton Dean](http://tinyurl.com/jaafd). Reg Dwight took his stage name from Dean. Is there any other Janis? (as in Joplin). River Phoenix Rain Phoenix Macauley Culkin Haley Joel Osment ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-completely-unique-first-names-and-actors-too/369146/13 "2006-08-18T01:09:18Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] Bjork [/QUOTE] Gesundheit. ---
**Author:** ![Manatee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/50afbb/32.png) [@Manatee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manatee)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-completely-unique-first-names-and-actors-too/369146/14 "2006-08-18T01:18:29Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] Is there any other Janis? (as in Joplin). [/QUOTE] There is if Ms. Ian’s first name is genuine. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-completely-unique-first-names-and-actors-too/369146/15 "2006-08-18T01:26:46Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] Haley Joel Osment [/QUOTE] Well…unique for a guy, at least. A quick IMDB search found at least 2 dozen actresses names Haley (although, the one that immediately came to mind was spelled Hayley (Mills)), although none of them (save Ms Mills) were nearly as successful as young Mr Osment. ---
**Author:** ![Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunshine_and_Smiles)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-completely-unique-first-names-and-actors-too/369146/16 "2006-08-18T01:58:18Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] River Phoenix [/QUOTE] Not really unique. There’s a Rivers Cuomo, who is the lead singer of Weezer. I know, one has an s and one doesn’t, but the general theme is close enough, right? ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-completely-unique-first-names-and-actors-too/369146/17 "2006-08-18T02:04:34Z")
Lata. There will only ever be one [Lata](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lata_Mangeshkar), _bulbul-e Hind_. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-completely-unique-first-names-and-actors-too/369146/18 "2006-08-18T02:23:35Z")
[QUOTE=Manatee] There is if Ms. Ian’s first name is genuine. [/QUOTE] Like Manfred Mann, whom I mentioned above, the first name is real, while the last name has been de-Semitized for our protection. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-completely-unique-first-names-and-actors-too/369146/19 "2006-08-18T02:44:17Z")
[QUOTE=Zeldar] Other than Ms. Weaver, I’ve never even heard of a Sigourney. Could be I need to get out more. Don’t know of another Aretha, but I know of some body parts pretty close to that. Can’t wait for the barriers to come down and the otherwise sweet-sounding Syphilis (pronounced suh-FILL-iss) to gain favor. Is there another Reese besides Witherspoon? She’s been dead a while and I believe somebody has named a kid after her (the Willises maybe?) but Tallulah had that one all to herself for a long time. [/QUOTE] Sigourney Weaver’s real name is Susan. She took the stage name after a character in “The Great Gatsby.” ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-completely-unique-first-names-and-actors-too/369146/20 "2006-08-18T02:53:16Z")
From the other night’s episose of _Psyche_ (paraphrased): 1: You’ll look like Denzel. 2: Denzel Washington? 1: No, the other Denzel. _Of course_ Denzel Washington! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-with-completely-unique-first-names-and-actors-too/369146.md?page=2)