Artist/Name/Legal Name

Template:DocumentationHeader A Legal Name is the name of a person as used in official dealings, especially with governments. Many musicians are known by an alias, and we refer to that as the Performance Name.

For MusicBrainz purposes, if an artist works under their Performance Name, the Legal Name is primarily used to hold Performance Name Relationship Type to Performance Names, and biographical details such as Personal Association Relationship Class.

The birth certificate is the usual place you will find a legal name. However, legal names can be changed at any time (eg by marriage, deed poll etc).

Style

• Same Artist With Different Names contains details about how and when to use both performance names and legal names.
• Note that only persons have LegalNames, not bands.

Examples

• Declan Patrick MacManus is the Legal Name of Elvis Costello. Paul David Hewson is the Legal Name of Bono.