If you saw the credits roll at the end of the Wicked movie and felt a little confused, you definitely aren't the only one. Right there in big letters, instead of the name we've seen on every album cover for a decade, was a hyphenated surprise. It turns out, Ariana Grande-Butera is the singer's actual, legal birth name.
Most of us have just called her Ariana Grande since the Nickelodeon days. It's punchy. It’s iconic. But honestly, the "Butera" part has been there the whole time, tucked away behind the scenes of her massive pop career.
Why bring it back now? Why did she drop it in the first place? It’s actually a pretty emotional story about family, identity, and coming home to herself.
What is Ariana Grande real name, exactly?
Let's get the facts straight. On June 26, 1993, a baby was born in Boca Raton, Florida, to Joan Grande and Edward Butera. They named her Ariana Grande-Butera.
She doesn't have a middle name. Seriously.
For years, fans on the internet swore her middle name was Joan (after her mom), but Ari cleared that up on Twitter ages ago. She’s just Ariana. The "Grande" comes from her mother’s side of the family, and "Butera" comes from her father.
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The Italian Roots You Might Not Know
The names aren't just random sounds; they carry a ton of history.
- Grande: This is her mother’s maiden name. Joan Grande is the CEO of Hose-McCann Communications, and the family has deep roots in Brooklyn.
- Butera: This is a distinctly Sicilian surname. In fact, Butera is an actual town in the province of Caltanissetta, Sicily.
Growing up, she was "little Ari" with a hyphenated name that reflected both sides of her heritage. But as she started getting famous—first on Broadway in the musical 13 and then as Cat Valentine on Victorious—the "Butera" part started to fade away from her public persona.
Why did she drop "Butera" for so long?
You’ve probably heard the lyrics in "Thank U, Next" where she mentions her dad: "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." That wasn't just a catchy line. Ariana had a very public and very difficult falling out with her father, Edward Butera, around 2013. In interviews with magazines like Seventeen, she admitted that losing touch with him was one of the hardest things she’d ever dealt with.
When you’re a rising star trying to build a brand, and you’re also dealing with family heartbreak, sometimes you just simplify. "Ariana Grande" was easier to market, and it felt like a fresh start away from the "drama" she referenced in her music.
For about ten years, the "Butera" was basically ghosted.
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The "Wicked" Homecoming
Fast forward to 2024 and 2025. When the movie adaptation of Wicked hit theaters, fans noticed the credit: Ariana Grande-Butera.
This wasn't a typo. It was a conscious choice.
She told interviewers that playing Glinda felt like a "homecoming." When she first saw Wicked on Broadway at age ten, she was still that little girl using her full, hyphenated name. Reclaiming the "Butera" for this specific project was her way of honoring that 10-year-old version of herself. It was a full-circle moment.
Plus, she and her dad have clearly put in the work to reconcile. They’ve been seen together at the Grammys, and he’s a regular fixture in her life again. Using the name is a public "thank you" to both parents.
Wait, how do you actually say "Grande"?
This is the part that killa-mostly breaks people's brains.
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Ariana revealed in a Beats 1 interview that her family actually pronounces the name "Gran-DEE." Her grandfather, Frank, Americanized it because he thought it sounded "more chill."
It was actually her brother, Frankie Grande, who decided they should use the more traditional Italian "Gran-DAY" pronunciation when they got into show business. He thought it sounded more "grand" and theatrical.
So, technically, we’ve all been saying her name "wrong" for years, but she’s totally fine with it. She basically lets the public use the stage pronunciation while her family sticks to the "Gran-DEE" version at home.
Summary of the Name Breakdown
- Full Birth Name: Ariana Grande-Butera.
- Middle Name: None (confirmed by the artist).
- Heritage: Half Sicilian, half Abruzzese (Italian-American).
- Stage Name: Ariana Grande (simplified for branding).
- Pronunciation: Traditionally "Gran-DEE," professionally "Gran-DAY."
What this means for her future
Don't expect her to change her name on Spotify anytime soon. For her upcoming tour and future pop albums, she’s still "Ariana Grande." That’s the brand.
However, she has signaled that acting—specifically under her full name—is where her heart is right now. We might see "Ariana Grande-Butera" on more movie posters in the future as she leans into this new era of her career.
If you're a fan, the best thing you can do is appreciate the nuance. It's not just a name; it's a reflection of her journey from a theater kid in Florida to a global superstar who finally made peace with her roots.
Next Steps for Fans:
If you want to see the name in action, go back and watch the end credits of Wicked: Part One. It’s a small detail, but knowing the history makes that one line of text feel a whole lot more meaningful. You can also check out her older interviews from 2014 to see just how far she's come in her relationship with her family name.