In August 2021, the 44-year-old American musician Kanye West filed a petition to legally change his name from Kanye Omari West to Ye, a nickname he had been using on his social media accounts and even launched an album titled Ye in 2018. Reportedly, his wish has been granted by the LA court as the rapper will henceforth be known only as Ye.
Confirming the news on Monday, October 18, Spectrum News reported, "A Los Angeles judge Monday approved a petition by rapper Kanye West to officially change his name to be known simply as "Ye," with no middle or last name. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michelle Williams Court gave her nod to the request by the singer, who filed his petition Aug. 24 and stated he was making the change for personal reasons."
The name is Ye
In 2018, during a radio interview, the singer explained the reason behind choosing Ye as an official identity. "I believe 'Ye' is the most commonly used word in the Bible, and in the Bible it means you. So I'm you, I'm us, it's us," he said adding that his name went from Kanye, which means the only one, to just Ye – being a reflection of our good, our bad, our confused, everything.
A Forbes article in August pointed out how this could be beneficial for the singer's brand name and public image.
"He is doing something that garners attention from the media and therefore drives awareness among consumers, and he's doing it in a way that connects his brand to his sneaker business and drives interest in it," Forbes magazine quoted Marketing professor Kim Whitler in its speculative article.
The report furthered that Ye's name change accomplishes something that Ye has always been adept at, generating publicity for publicity's sake. A new name keeps Ye in the news, draws attention to the forthcoming release of his new studio album Donda, raises awareness of his burgeoning Yeezy empire and reestablishes his bona fides with long-time Kanye West fans.
