When artists in the hip-hop and rap genres begin their careers, a critical decision they make is what their stage name will be.

Some artists create a completely original title, some settle on their birth name, and others integrate part of their real name with another name.

Using the nickname “Lil” has been a popular choice for many rappers since Lil Troy first decided to use it in 1988. In the current hip-hop industry there are more than 15 artists using this title. This group includes well known names such as Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty, and Lil Skies.

With the exponential rise in the number of hip hop artists recently, creating a unique stage name can help newcomers to stand out.

Artists such as A Boogie wit da Hoodie, XXXTENTACION, and PnB Rock each have unusual names with stories that inspired them.

A Boogie used to be called “Boogie” by his friends in high school, and he claims that he always wore a hoodie to school so that he could put the hood up and focus on writing lyrics without being distracted in his classes. He put the two things he was known for together and created his rap name, A Boogie wit da Hoodie.

XXXTENTACION took a deeper route in relating his life to his music career. He says that the x’s represent x as the unknown variable and “tentacion” means temptation in Latin. He feels his life was filled with a lot of unknown temptations growing up.

PnB Rock crafted his name from a well known block in his hometown of Philadelphia that lies between Pastorius Street and Baynton Street.

Other artists have taken on the challenge to be creative while incorporating part of their birth name. Such singers include Post Malone, Nav, and Kyle.

Although the music is the most prominent part of artists’ careers, the stage name they assign themselves also plays an important role in their fame.