What Is Ariana Grande's Real Name & Why Did She Use It In Wicked?

While watching the 2024 "Wicked" movie, you may have caught a peculiar name as the credits rolled. For most of her career, Ariana Grande has strictly gone by her two-name moniker. However, not many people know that Grande's professional name is not what's on her birth certificate. The R.E.M. Beauty owner's full name is Ariana Grande-Butera, something she debuted for the first time in the "Wicked" end credits. Hyphenating Grande-Butera was an intentional choice by the star, with an endearing meaning, albeit complicated history behind the name.

In an interview with Justin Hill for "The Streaming Service" podcast, Grande said that the experience felt so full circle for her, that she wanted to pay a tribute to her younger self. "I just feel like this experience was such a homecoming for me," she said, adding, "And, you know, that was my name when I went to see the show when I was 10 years old."

While she's well-known for her role as Cat Valentine on "Victorious," Grande actually got her start on the stage as part of the original Broadway cast of "13." Considering that theater has always been in her blood, it's unsurprising how badly Grande wanted to play Glinda. In an episode of "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen," Kristin Chenoweth, the original Glinda on Broadway, revealed how an eager 7- or 8-year-old Grande came backstage to meet her after seeing her in the stage version of "Wicked." According to Grande's timeline, she would have been going by Ariana Grande-Butera then. Her love for the show is well-documented on X (formerly Twitter), too, proving "Wicked" was always in her future.

While Grande is the last name of Ariana Grande's mother, Butera is the surname of her father, Ed Butera; adding it to the "Wicked" credits was a sweet way Grande honored her roots. According to the Daily Mail, the credit came soon after Grande made amends with her father after a years-long estrangement. Her song lyrics have been very telling about her relationship with her dad, who split from her mother when she was young. Her 2018 song "Thank U, Next" included the lyrics: "One day I'll walk down the aisle/Holding hands with my mama/I'll be thanking my dad/'Cause she grew from the drama."

In 2014, the singer told Seventeen about her estrangement from her father, revealing that the most difficult thing she had dealt with was "falling out of touch with my dad," adding, "So much of me comes from my father, and for so long, I didn't like that about myself. I had to accept that it's okay not to get along with somebody and still love them."

She has evidently since reconciled her relationship with her dad and he is now frequently a part of Grande's public life. Ed was at the"Wicked" premiere with Grande, who told Entertainment Tonight that her dad was moved to tears after seeing Butera in the film's end credits. "Oh man," Grande said. "He cried."