Why Billie Eilish Says She “Absolutely Hated” Her Name Growing Up

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Billie Eilish‘s name may be iconic, but that doesn’t mean she loved it growing up.

The multiple Grammy and Oscar-winning artist-composer recently faced inquiries from various well-known acquaintances, such as Ariana Grande, Chappell Roan, SZA, Greta Gerwig, and Idris Elba, for the May cover feature of British Vogue. During this interview, Elba posed a couple of questions to Eilish: “Have you ever felt ’embarrassed’ by your name?” and “Who was the first person with your same name you encountered, and how did that make you feel?”

In simpler terms, the famous singer-songwriter was asked various questions by her famous friends like Ariana Grande, Chappell Roan, SZA, Greta Gerwig, and Idris Elba for an article in British Vogue. One of these questions, posed by Elba, was about whether Eilish ever felt embarrassed by her name and who the first person with the same name she met was and how that made her feel.

As a child gamer, I couldn’t stand my name. Everyone seemed to think Billie was for boys, and that’s all I heard growing up. I can still recall the days when anger would boil within me, wishing for a feminine moniker – something like Violet or Lavender, names as delicate as pretty flowers.

Indeed, these days, it’s hard for the singer to conceive any name other than Billie, a fact that her numerous admirers likely endorse as well.

Billie Eilish finds her name unique and fitting as she believes there’s no other suitable name in the universe for her. She adores her name deeply,” Eilish expressed. “It seems to be the only appropriate choice reflecting who I am, and it feels incredibly perfect for me.

As a devoted admirer, I’d like to share a fascinating tidbit about the legendary “Wildflower” singer. She mentioned that her name, Billy, is derived from her grandfather, William. In essence, he was the first ‘Billy’ I knew, even though I never had the chance to meet him in person.

The first Billie I became familiar with was Billie Piper, from ‘Doctor Who.’ I was really fond of ‘Doctor Who,’ so I was incredibly thrilled about this fact,” she went on to say, followed by a chuckle. “However, at the same time, I felt envious and frustrated because I thought, ‘Why should anyone use my name for someone else? That’s not fair!’

Beyond Piper and Eilish, various other prominent figures named Billie have emerged throughout history. These include Billie Jean King, the legendary tennis player, Billie Holiday, the renowned jazz singer, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day fame, actress Billie Lourd, silent film star Billie Burke, British actress Billie Whitelaw, and Billie Dove, an early Hollywood actress.

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2025-04-16 01:29