Carly Rae Jepsen Reveals the Funny Story Behind Her Stage Name
Written by WorldOneFm on October 10, 2026
Carly Rae Jepsen has revealed that a simple administrative mistake led to the name she has used throughout her music career.
During an appearance on the Therapuss podcast hosted by Jake Shane, the “Call Me Maybe” singer explained that she originally auditioned for Canadian Idol in 2007 under the name Carly Jepsen.
Jepsen said her full legal name is Carly Rae Jepsen, and although her mother had always called her Carly Rae, most people knew her simply as Carly.
When auditioning for the show, contestants were asked to write their full names. Jepsen followed the instructions literally, and producers began referring to her as Carly Rae.
Rather than correcting them, she decided the longer name might help her stand out in the competition.
“I was like, ‘All right, maybe it’s more memorable,’” she recalled, explaining that the name stuck and became her professional identity.
Jepsen finished third on Canadian Idol, a result she now considers fortunate. She told Shane that the exposure helped launch her career while allowing her to secure a management team and record deal afterward.
The Canadian singer-songwriter went on to achieve international success with her second studio album, Kiss, and its hit single “Call Me Maybe,” released in 2011.
