From Reginald to Rocket Man: Elton John Roasts His Birth Name
Elton John is proof that even global icons have their fair share of insecurities. For the “Rocket Man” singer, it was the name his parents gave him.
The singer didn’t hold back while chatting with Stephen Colbert on The Late Show, roasting his birth name, Reginald Kenneth Dwight, as one of the biggest mistakes his parents ever made.
The 77-year-old Grammy winner didn’t mince words when Colbert brought up his original moniker. “You weren’t always Elton John,” the late-night host said. “You were born Reginald Kenneth Dwight, which is also a lovely name.”
Elton’s quick, sassy retort was, “Agree to disagree.”
The performer launched into a hilarious and heartfelt rant about the baffling name choice made by his parents, Stanley and Sheila Eileen Dwight. “Who the hell calls their—a little baby; a little baby? ‘Reginald, oh Reginald,” he said, still confused decades later.
Turns out, his mom wanted to name him Raymond after her brother, but his dad vetoed it. An argument followed and the compromise was Reginald. “I hated it,” Elton admitted, rolling his eyes at the memory.
While “Reginald” could have transitioned into the cooler nickname “Reggie,” Elton wasn’t having it. “It wasn’t ‘Reggie,’ it was Reginald,” he clarified. “Like, who the hell? As soon as I could change it, I did.”
Colbert tried to lighten the mood, joking, “Reginald’s the male version of Regina, which means ‘queen.” The sharp-witted star, deadpanned, “Thank you.” Then, with a cheeky grin, he quipped, “They got it spot on. In 1947, they knew what they were doing.”
So how did Reginald Kenneth Dwight transform into Elton Hercules John? The music icon revealed that he drew inspiration from his time performing with the British blues band Bluesology in the 1960s. “The saxophone player was called Elton Dean. And I thought, ‘Elton! There’s not many Eltons in the world, that’s pretty unusual,’” he explained.
The surname “John” came from Bluesology’s lead vocalist, Long John Baldrywhile “Hercules” was lifted from a horse featured in the classic British sitcom Steptoe and Son.
Elton confessed that changing his name came with emotional baggage. By 1975, “Reg” had all but disappeared, and he found himself grappling with the weight of fame. “The sad thing about it was, by 1975, when I was ‘Elton Hercules John,’ ‘Reg’ had been lost, and I craved to find that little boy that I used to be,” he shared.
Reginald Kenneth Dwight may be gone, but Elton Hercules John has undeniably cemented his place in music history.
