Artist formerly known as Kanye West legally changes name to Ye amid Kim Kardashian divorce

Ye, formerly known as Kanye West.
Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills. Credit: AP/Press Association Images

The artist formerly known as Kanye West is now officially named 'Ye'.

The hitmaker has followed in the mononymous footsteps of stars including Madonna and Prince.

But the rapper, music producer and clothing entrepreneur took his long-anticipated rebranding to the ultimate conclusion by going to the courts to change his name permanently.

Ye, 44, now has no middle or last name after a Los Angeles judge approved the request to change it from Kanye Omari West.


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“There being no objections, the petition for change of name is granted,” Judge Michelle Williams Court said in court documents on Monday.

The name-change petition filed on August 24 cited “personal reasons”.

He has called himself Ye on his social media pages for years.

He tweeted in 2018 that he wanted the change, saying: “The being formally known as Kanye West. I am YE.”

The moniker was also the title of his 2018 album.

Kanye West has legally changed his name to his nickname, Ye Credit: Ian West/PA

His fashion with sportswear giant Adidas is named 'Yeezy.'

Ye has said in interviews that, along with it being a shortening of his first name which he likes, it is a word used throughout the Bible.

He is in the middle of a divorce with Kim Kardashian West, who did not ask that her last name be changed back to just Kardashian when she filed to split from him in February.

The couple’s four children also have his former last name.