Ringo Starr has said that his stage name never quite fit in with his Beatles teammates John, Paul, and George's more commonplace names. The 84-year-old drummer reflected on how he came to be known as "Ringo Starr" and how his early love of wearing several rings shaped his persona as a budding musician during a special Town Hall interview on SiriusXM's The Beatles Channel.
Born Richard Starkey, Starr claimed that after he transitioned to playing music full-time in his twenties, he and his bandmates decided to rebrand themselves with stage names. Starr simplified "Rings," which was already a moniker, to "Ringo," and then to "Ringo Starr," removing what he mockingly referred to as the less "rocking" "Ringo Starkey." Even yet, he acknowledges that he finds it all kind of funny, especially when he is surrounded by George, Paul, and John.
The English drummer also revealed how, when he first attempted writing songs, his fellow Beatles would make fun of him for "rewriting someone else's song." Starr, however, is still proud of his uniqueness, and their latest performance at London's O2 Arena demonstrated their ongoing friendship.