MrBeast's Real Name: James Stephen Donaldson

Quick answer: MrBeast's real name is James Stephen Donaldson, widely called Jimmy Donaldson. He was born on May 7, 1998, in Wichita, Kansas, and works under the YouTube handle MrBeast.

Real name and early life

Britannica identifies MrBeast as the byname of Jimmy Donaldson, in full James Stephen Donaldson, born May 7, 1998, in Wichita, Kansas (Britannica). Donaldson is the family surname; James Stephen are the given names; Jimmy is the everyday short form. Raised mainly in Greenville, North Carolina, by mother Sue Donaldson after frequent moves tied to her military career, he began posting YouTube videos in 2012 at age 13. The channel name MrBeast6000 came from a randomly generated Xbox gamertag. He graduated from Greenville Christian Academy in 2016, briefly enrolled at East Carolina University, and dropped out within weeks to edit videos full time.

Career highlights

Early Let’s Plays and “how much do YouTubers make” videos built an audience; the 2017 endurance stunt “I Counted to 100,000!” went viral. He specialized in high-budget challenges, cash giveaways, and philanthropic spectacles (including funding cataract surgeries at scale and other large cash-drop videos). Forbes listed him on 30 Under 30 in the social-media category in 2021. By July 2024 Britannica notes his main channel as the first on YouTube to pass 300 million subscribers. Spin-offs include Feastables chocolate, MrBeast Burger virtual kitchens, Lunchly snack kits with Logan Paul and KSI, and Amazon Prime Video’s Beast Games. A widely viewed Squid Game-style recreation drew hundreds of millions of views. In July 2026 Britannica reports he married South African creator Thea Booysen. Business press tracks Feastables retail expansion and Beast Games viewership separately from the core long-form channel. Across platforms the brand stays MrBeast; the documented legal name is James Stephen Donaldson.

Name notes for searchers

MrBeast is a handle/brand, not a court-changed surname. “Jimmy” is the familiar form of James. Prefer Britannica over fan wikis for subscriber milestones and venture names. Handles on TikTok and other apps still resolve to Donaldson’s brand identity. Wikipedia is useful only as a pointer after primary citations.

By mid-2020s Britannica framed him as both entertainer and large-scale philanthropist within the YouTube economy.