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.
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. Tolkein's Middle-earth books) or Neo (from the 1999 movie The Matrix).
- 2pac, (1971-1996), American rapper
- Aaliyah, (1979-2001), American R&B singer
- Abati, (1512-1571), fresco-painter of Modena
- Abraham, (approx. 1980 BC-1890 BC), Biblical patriarch
- Akhenaton - Egyptian Pharaoh and founder of a brief monotheistic religion
- Akihito, (born 1933), current Emperor of Japan
- Aneirin, (6th/7th century), British poet
- Aristophanes, (ca. 446 BC-385 BC), Ancient Greek playwright
- Aristotle, (384 BC-322 BC), Ancient Greek writer and philosopher
- Arsenio[?] - American talk show hist
- Attila, (AD 406?-453), Mongol leader
- Basho, haiku poet
- Bez[?] - dancer for the Happy Mondays
- Bjork, (1987-1993), 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[?]
- Boz, (1812-1870), British writer more commonly known as Charles Dickens
- Brutus, (c. 85-42 BC), conspirator against, and murderer of Julius Caesar
- Buddha - Indian religious philosopher, founder of Buddhist religion, aka Guatama Siddhartha
- Buju, (born 1973), Jamaican singer
- Butterbean[?] - boxer
- Caesar, (circa 100 BC-44 BC), common form of reference to Julius Caesar
- Caligula, (12-41), Roman emperor
- Cam'ron - American rapper
- Cajeme, rebel
- Canaletto, (1697-1768)
- Cantinflas, (1911-1993)
- Cappadonna - rapper
- Caprice[?] - model
- Capucine, (1931-1990), European actress
- Caravaggio, (1573-1610), Italian Renaissance painter
- Catullus, (c. 84-54 BC), Roman poet
- Charlemagne, (742-814), French king
- Charo, (born 1942), singer, dancer, comedian, actress and classical guitar player
- Charytin, (born c. 1950), singer and actress
- Che, (1928-1967), Latino revolutionary
- Cher, (born 1946), American singer, wife of Sonny Bono
- Chespirito, (born 1929), writer, actor, comedian, and songwriter
- Christ, the Christian Messiah
- Cicciolina, (born 1951), radical left-wing politician and former porn star
- Cleopatra, (69 BC-30 BC), Egyptian queen
- Cochise[?]
- Colette, (1873-1954), French writer
- Cristina, (born 1948), journalist, talk show host and actress
- 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[?]
- Di, (1961-1997), Princess of the United Kingdom
- Dido, (1971-), British singer
- Divine, (1945-1988), noted transvestite, appeared in films by John Hughes
- Donatello, (1386-1466), (nickname) - Italian sculptor
- Donovan, (born 1946), British singer
- Dugazon, French actor
- Galileo, (1564-1642), astronomer
- Gazza[?] - English football player
- Geraldo - talk show host
- Geronimo, (1829-1909), Native American leader
- Giorgione, (c. 1477-1510), Venetian artist
- Giotto, (1267-1337), Italian painter
- Groucho, (1890-1977), one of the Marx Brothers, American comedian
- Guru - American rapper
- Gwrgi[?]
- Hannibal, (247 BC - 182 BC)
- Harpo, (1888-1964), one of the Marx Brothers, American comedian
- 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 [[Greece|Greek] physician
- Hirohito, (1901-1989), emperor of Japan from 1926 till 1989
- Homer - Greek poet
- Houdini, (1874-1926), stage magician
- Ike, (1890-1969), President of the United States
- Madonna - American pop star
- Magic - American basketball player
- Marcos
- Mary - Jesus Christ's mother
- Mase, (born 1978), American rapper
- Melanie[?], American 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
- Multatuli[?] (pseudonym)
- Myron, (5th century BC), Greek sculptor
- Mystikal - American rapper
- Sabrina - American actress
- Sacagawea - Native American guide
- Saddam, (born 1937)
- Sade - singer
- Saki - 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 as Louis Armstrong
- Savannah[?] - American pornographic actress
- Scarface - American rapper and former member of the Geto Boys
- Shcheck[?], one of founders of Kiev
- Seal - American R&B singer
- Seka - Porn star
- Shaq, (born 1972), American basketball player
- Sissy - model
- Socrates, (470 BC-399 BC), Greek philosopher
- Solomon - Biblical king
- Sophocles, (496 BC-406 BC), Athenian dramatist
- Spartacus, (died 71 BC), leader of a Roman slave rebellion
- Stalin, (1879-1953), (a pseudonym) - Soviet leader
- Stendhal, (1783-1842)
- Sting - British musician, formerly of The Police
- Sukarno - first President of independent Indonesia (1901-1970)
- Takaloo[?]- world ranked boxer
- Taliesin
- Tecumseh, (1768-1813)
- Teller[?] - of stage magic duo Penn and Teller[?]
- Tiffany, (born 1971), American teen idol
- Tiger, (born 1975), American golf player
- Titian, (1488-1576), artist
- Topol, (born 1935)
- Toyah, (born 1958)
- Trey - American singer, member of Phish
- Truganini[?]
- Tupac, (1971-1996), American rapper
- Twiggy, (born 1949)
- Tutankhamun
See also: