List of people known by one name
This is a list of people famous enough to be known unambiguously by one of the following:
- A one word nickname (Shaq)
- A one word first name (Madonna)
- Their only known name (Aristotle)
- A one word stage name or pseudonym (Houdini)
- A one word pen name (Voltaire)
The reason for such distinctions is that countless artists, composers, philosophers, politicians, writers, scientists and sports figures are known for their last name (e.g. Mozart, Shakespeare, Hitler, etc.). It is quite common and regular for last names to be used to identify historic and pop culture figures. It is another thing all together to be known uniquely within the criteria listed above.
Note that this list does not include fictional characters, such as Gandalf (from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth books) or Neo (from the 1999 movie The Matrix).
Note also that most names in the list will be unusual since common names are likely to be ambiguous and to need a context.
Table of contents:
#
A
- Aaliyah, (1979-2001), American R&B singer
- Abati, (1512-1571), fresco-painter of Modena
- Abraham, (approx. 1980 BC-1890 BC), Biblical patriarch
- Absalon, (c. 1128-1201), Danish archbishop and statesman
- Akhenaton - Egyptian Pharaoh and founder of a brief monotheistic religion
- Akihito, (born 1933), current Emperor of Japan
- Aneirin, (6th/7th century), British poet
- Ansgar, (801-865), missionary, archbishop
- Archimedes, (ca. 287 BC-212 BC), Ancient Greek mathemtician
- Aristophanes, (ca. 446 BC-385 BC), Ancient Greek playwright
- Aristotle, (384 BC-322 BC), Ancient Greek writer and philosopher
- Arsenio, (born 1955), American talk show host
- Ashanti, African-American singer
- Attila, (AD 406?-453), Hun leader
- Augustus, (62 BC-14 AD), Roman emperor
- Aurobindo, (1872-1950,) Indian writer, philosopher, mystic and guru.
B
- Barnsey, Australian singer
- Basho, (1644-1694), haiku poet
- Beck, singer
- Becks, British football player
- Beyoncé, singer, formerly known as Beyoncé Knowles
- Bez - dancer for the Happy Mondays
- Bjork, (born 1965), Icelandic musician
- Bird, (1920-1955), jazz musician
- Bix, (1903-1931) jazz musician
- Bono, (born 1960), lead singer of Irish rock band U2
- Bootsy, (born 1951), American funk musician
- Bourvil, (1917-1970)
- Boz, (1812-1870), British writer more commonly known as Charles Dickens
- Brandy, African-American singer and actress
- Buju, (born 1973), Jamaican singer
- Butterbean - boxer
C
- Caesar, (circa 100 BC-44 BC), common form of reference to Julius Caesar
- Caligula, (12-41), Roman emperor
- Cam'ron - American rapper
- Cajeme, rebel
- Campino, lead singer of German punk rock band Die Toten Hosen
- Canaletto, (1697-1768)
- Cantinflas, (1911-1993)
- Cappadonna - rapper
- Caprice - model
- Capucine, (1931-1990), European actress
- Capulina, Mexican comedy actor
- Caravaggio, (1573-1610), Italian Renaissance painter
- Catullus, (c. 84-54 BC), Roman poet
- Cepillin, Mexican television clown
- Charlemagne, (742-814), French king
- Charo, (born 1942), singer, dancer, comedian, actress and classical guitar player
- Charytin, (born c. 1950), singer and actress
- Chayanne, Puerto Rican singer
- Che, (1928-1967), Latino revolutionary
- Cher, (born 1946), American singer, wife of Sonny Bono
- Chespirito, (born 1929), writer, actor, comedian, and songwriter
- Cicciolina, (born 1951), radical left-wing politician and former porn star
- Cleopatra, (69 BC-30 BC), Egyptian queen
- Cochise, (died 1874)
- Colette, (1873-1954), French writer
- Cristina, (born 1948), journalist, talk show host and actress
D
- Dalida, (1933-1987), Egyptian/French singer
- Dana - singer
- D'Angelo, (born 1974), American nu soul singer
- Dante, (1265-1321), Italian writer, best known for The Inferno
- Dido, (born 1971), British singer
- Dion, (born 1939), American rocker
- Divine, (1945-1988), noted transvestite, appeared in films by John Hughes
- Donatello, (1386-1466), (nickname) - Italian sculptor
- Donovan, (born 1946), British singer
- Dubya, (born 1946), President of the United States
- Dugazon, (1746-1809), French actor
E
F
- Fabian - teen idol
- Fabio - model
- Falco, (1957-1998), Austrian rock musician
- Fernandel, (1903-1971), French actor
- Fidel, (born 1926), Cuban leader
- Fish, (born 1958), singer
- Flea - bassist for American funk metal band the Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Frida, (1907-1954), Mexican painter
G
- Galileo, (1564-1642), astronomer
- Gazza - English football player
- Geraldo, (born 1943), talk show host
- Geronimo, (1829-1909), Native American leader
- Giorgione, (c. 1477-1510), Venetian artist
- Giotto, (1267-1337), Italian painter
- Gudit, (c. 960 AD), non-Christian queen
- Guru - American rapper
- Gwrgi
H
- Hannibal, (247 BC - 182 BC)
- Hatshepsut, (c. 1504 BC - 1458 BC), female Pharaoh of Egypt
- Herge, (1907-1983), Belgian comics writer and artist
- Hippocrates, (c. 460 BC - 377 BC), Ancient Greek physician
- Hirohito, (1901-1989), emperor of Japan from 1926 till 1989
- Homer - Greek poet
- Houdini, (1874-1926), stage magician
I
J
K
- Kamehameha, (1758-1819), final Hawaiian king
- Karadjordje, (1768-1817) leader of First Serbian uprising
- Kamahl, singer
- Khoriv, one of founders of Kiev
- Kiki, (1901-1953), nightclub singer, actress, model, and painter
- Kitaro, (1953-), Japanese New Age musician
- Kiy, one of founders of Kiev
- Kool - singer
- Kylie - singer, actress
L
- Leadbelly, (1885-1949), American blues musician
- Lekain, French actor
- Lemmy, (born 1945), English bass player
- Lenin, (1870-1924), (a pseudonym) - Soviet politican
- Liberace, (1919-1987), Pianist in Las Vegas
- Lichfield, (1939-)
- Limahl, singer
- Lofon
- Loriot, (born 1923)
- Lucero, Mexican singer, formely known as Lucerito
- Lula, (born 1945), President of Brazil
- Lulu, (born 1948), Scottish singer
M
- Madonna, (born 1958), American pop star
- Magic - American basketball player
- Marcos
- Mary - Jesus Christ's mother
- Maimonides - rabbi, philosopher, physician
- Mase, (born 1978), American rapper
- Megawati, current President of Indonesia, daughter of first Indonesian president Sukarno
- Melanie, American singer
- Melody, Spanish singer
- Merlin - legendary magician
- Michelangelo, (1475-1564), Italian painter
- Midas - Greek mythological king
- Mistinguett, (1875-1956), French singer
- Moby, (born 1965), musician
- Mohammed, (570-632), founder of Islam
- Moliere, (1622-1673), French comedic playwright
- Montezuma - final Aztec ruler
- Moses, prophet
- Multatuli (1820 - 1887), (pseudonym of Dutch writer Eduard Douwes Dekker)
- Mya, singer
- Myron, (5th century BC), Greek sculptor
- Mystikal, (born 1975), American rapper
N
- Napoleon, (1769-1821), French ruler
- Nas, (born 1973), American rapper
- Nebuchadnezzar, (ca. 630 BC-ca. 561 BC)
- Nefertiti, wife of Akhenaton
- Nena, German singer of "99 Red Balloons"
- Nenê, (born 1982), Brazilian NBA player
- Nero, Roman emperor
- Nico, (1938-1988), model and singer
- Nigger, Australian Rugby League player
- Nostradamus, (1503-1566), French prophet
- Novalis, (1772-1801), German poet and novelist
O
P
- Papillon
- Pascin, (1885-1930), painter
- Pelé, (born 1940), soccer star
- Penn, (born 1955), of stage magic duo Penn and Teller
- Pink, singer
- Plato, (c. 427 BC-c. 347 BC), Greek philosopher
- Pocahontas, (c. 1595-1617), Native American woman
- Posh, former Spice Girl and consort of Becks
- Pras, (born 1972), American rapper, member of The Fugees
- Prince, (born 1958), American soul musician
- Pythagoras, (582 BC-496 BC), Greek mathematican
R
- Raphael or Raffaello, 1483-1520, Renaissance painter
- Raúl (born 1977), Spanish football player
- Rembrandt, (1606-1669), Dutch painter
- Rerun
- Resortes
- Romario, soccer player
- Ronaldinho, soccer player
- Ronaldo, (born 1976)
- Roseanne - American actress and comedian
- RuPaul, (born 1960), American drag queen and talk show host
S
- Sabrina - American actress
- Sacagawea - Native American guide
- Saddam, (born 1937)
- Sade - singer
- Saki, (born 1870), author
- Saladin, (1137-1193), Arab defender during the Crusades
- Samy - famous TV hair-dresser
- Sappho - Greek poet
- Satchmo, (1901-1971), American blues musician, better known by his real name of Louis Armstrong
- Savannah, (1970-1994), American pornographic actress
- Scarface - American rapper and former member of the Geto Boys
- Shcheck, one of founders of Kiev
- Seal (born 1963) - British R&B singer
- Seka, (born 1954), Porn star
- Shakira, singer
- Shaq, (born 1972), American basketball player
- Sissy - model
- Skin, British singer
- Slobo, Serbian president (also Sloba)
- Snakefinger (1949-1987) musician
- Socrates, (470 BC-399 BC), Greek philosopher
- Solomon, (965 BC-ca. 925 BC), Biblical king
- Sonique, British DJ / singer
- Sophocles, (496 BC-406 BC), Athenian dramatist
- Spartacus, (died 71 BC), leader of a Roman slave rebellion
- Stalin, (1879-1953), (a pseudonym) - Soviet leader
- Stelarc, performance artist
- Stendhal, (1783-1842)
- Sting (born 1951) - British musician, formerly of The Police
- Suharto - second President of independent Indonesia (born 1921)
- Sukarno - first President of independent Indonesia (1901-1970)
T
- Taco, Indonesian singer of "Puttin' on the Ritz")
- Takaloo, world ranked boxer
- Taliesin
- Tarkan, (born 1972), Turkish singer
- Tecumseh, (1768-1813)
- Teller (born 1948), of stage magic duo Penn and Teller
- Tiffany, (born 1971), American teen idol
- Tiger, (born 1975), American golf player
- Titian, (1488-1576), artist
- Tito, (1892-1980)
- Topol, (born 1935)
- Toyah, (born 1958)
- Trey - American singer, member of Phish
- Trugannini, last Tasmanian Aboriginal
- Tupac, (1971-1996), American rapper
- Tutankhamun, Egyptian Pharaoh
- Twiggy, (born 1949)
V
W
Y
Z
See also
Referenced By
Biographical Listing | Biographical index | Falco (musician) | Imhotep | Known by the initials | List of People | List of People Known as The Great | List of all people living and dead | List of every person in the world | List of names | List of people by first name | List of people known by initials | List of persons | Lists of people | The Great
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