What Is Stevie Wonder’s Real Name?
There’s no one like Stevie Wonder. The iconic American singer and musician landed his first record deal at 11, was the youngest artist to score a Billboard Hot 100 number one, and earned an Academy Award in 1985 for Best Original Song. It’s no exaggeration to call Wonder a music legend.
So, what is Stevie Wonder’s real name? And why did the artist behind hits such as “Superstition,” “Isn’t She Lovely,” and “My Cherie Amour” change his name?
Stevie Wonder’s birth name
The former child prodigy we know as Stevie Wonder was born Stevland Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950, in Saginaw, Michigan. Hardaway was his mother’s name, and Judkins was his father’s. Wonder’s parents divorced when he was a child, and his mother took back her surname.
Wonder is one of six children, and his siblings used their mother’s surname, Hardaway. At the time, his mom changed his surname to Morris. Today it’s still his legal name.
Why? CNN cited his mother’s authorized biography, claiming she legally changed his name to Morris, “an old family name,” when he signed a contract with Motown.
Wonder was born six weeks premature with retinopathy. The condition worsened when he received too much oxygen in an incubator. As a result, he eventually lost his sight.
His gift for music showed itself early in a church choir in Detroit when he was 4. Wonder went on to play an impressive number of instruments, including the drums, harmonica, and piano. He taught himself to play all of them.
Why did Stevie Wonder change his name?
At 11, Wonder signed with Motown Records, according to Express. He performed a composition, “Lonely Boy,” for Ronnie White, the co-founder of the popular vocal group the Miracles. The wunderkind impressed the record execs and CEO Berry Gordy so much that they signed Wonder to the Motown label.
Producer Clarence Paul recommended they change his name, saying, “We can’t keep introducing him as the ‘8th Wonder of the World.'” He suggested the moniker “Little Stevie Wonder,” and Gordy agreed.
Wonder’s debut album came out in 1962. The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie Wonder was an instrumental album showcasing the young man’s incredible talent, Biography reports. He also released Tribute to Uncle Ray that year when he covered the songs of soul legend Ray Charles. Little Stevie Wonder the 12 Year Old Genius was recorded live and helped him develop a major audience.
An American icon
From there, Stevie Wonder made music that wowed the world and put him at the top of pop, R&B, and soul music charts. He has sold over 100 million records globally and won 22 Grammy Awards for his efforts.
His double album Songs in the Key of Life is one of the greatest records of all time. The songs run the gamut of topics, from hope to vengeance to social commentary, while crossing many genres.
In addition, Wonder won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “I Just Called to Say I Love You,” from the 1984 film The Woman in Red. He was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame, and Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Over the years, Wonder has worked as an advocate for many social issues through his appearances and music. He was a significant part of the movement to create a national holiday recognizing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. And for his longtime advocacy to improve the lives of those with disabilities, Wonder was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace in 2009.
In the summer of 2013, the icon performed a concert in Marrakesh for the negotiators from the World Intellectual Property Organization when they reached an agreement on an international treaty to provide greater access to books for people with visual impairment.
