Is Billie A Boy’s Name? Billie Eilish’s Response
Billie Eilish recalls being told she had a "boy's name" growing up, which led to some complicated feelings towards her name...
Billie Eilish (William Drumm)
While Billie Eilish has been one of the most famous names in the world since 2019, the American singer-songwriter has revealed that she “absolutely hated” her name growing up as she only ever heard it “was a boy’s name.”
The BIRDS OF A FEATHER hitmaker opened up about those complex feelings in a new cover story interview with British Vogue. For the interview, Eilish answered questions from equally famous people, including Ariana Grande, Chappell Roan, her brother Finneas, and Stella McCartney.
Actor Idris Elba was the one who posed the question about what it was like growing up “with a name like Billie,” asking: “How did it make you feel? Were you proud of your name, or were you embarrassed?”
Eilish responded, “I love this question! I absolutely hated my name when I was a kid,” stating that she only heard Billie “was a boy’s name” throughout her childhood.
She continued, “I remember being so mad, and all I wanted was to have a girly name, like Violet or Lavender, some sort of pretty flowery name. And it’s so funny because now, there’s no other name in the universe that could be my name besides Billie. I love my name so, so, so much. It really is the only possible choice for who I am.”
Eilish credited changing her mindset around her name to her grandfather, William (who everyone called Billy), who she was named after, and actress Billie Piper, the first woman she saw with her name.
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“The first female Billie I think I knew of was Billie Piper from Doctor Who,” she said. “I loved Doctor Who, so I was very, very excited about that. But then, at the same time, I was jealous and mad because I was like, ‘Why would anybody say my name and mean someone else? Unacceptable!’”
Eilish made headlines over the weekend after teasing her appearance at Coachella, and then making a special guest performance during Charli XCX’s main stage set, where the pair performed the hit single, Guess.
The release of Guess featuring Billie Eilish arrived during a mammoth 2024 for the pair, with both dropping critically acclaimed albums—Eilish with HIT ME HARD AND SOFT and Charli with Brat.
In February, Eilish played four nights each in arenas in Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne.
Reviewing her recent show at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, The Music’s Emma Newbury wrote, “Whether it was her playful interactions with the crowd, her steadfast political and environmental values, or her effortless ability to command a stage and balance singing with action, Eilish reinforced why she remains one of the largest artists of her generation. Eilish was made for a long career in music.”
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