Rod Stewart's Real Name: Roderick David Stewart

Quick answer: Rod Stewart's real name is Roderick David Stewart, and "Rod" is short for Roderick. He was born on January 10, 1945, in London. His raspy voice made him a star with the Faces and as a solo artist, beginning with Every Picture Tells a Story and "Maggie May" (1971). He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice (Britannica; Library of Congress).

Real name and early life

Britannica's quick facts give his name in full as Roderick David Stewart. The Library of Congress name authority files him as "Stewart, Rod," with the variants "Stewart, Roderick David" and the misprint "Steward, Rod." One LOC citation describes him as "Sir Roderick David Stewart, CBE; a.k.a. Rod the Mod; born 10 January 1945 in Highgate, London."

Britannica says he took an early interest in folk music and rhythm and blues. In the mid-1960s he sang with two lesser-known London bands, Steampacket and Shotgun Express. He then joined guitarist Jeff Beck and Ron Wood in the Jeff Beck Group.

Career highlights

In 1969 Wood persuaded Stewart to join the Faces, formerly the Small Faces. In the early 1970s the band was one of Britain's most popular live acts, and A Nod's as Good as a Wink…to a Blind Horse (1971) remains highly regarded. Stewart pursued a solo career alongside the band until 1975.

His debut solo album, An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down (1969), disappointed commercially, and Gasoline Alley (1970) did better. In 1971 Every Picture Tells a Story hit No. 1 in Britain and the United States at the same time, as did "Maggie May," and Rolling Stone named him rock star of the year. More hits followed: "You Wear It Well," "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)," "The First Cut Is the Deepest," "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" (1978), and a cover of Tom Waits's "Downtown Train" (1989).

From 2002 he released collections of traditional-pop standards that found a wide audience. Stardust…: The Great American Songbook Volume III (2004) won his first Grammy. He returned to songwriting with Time (2013), Another Country (2015), and Blood Red Roses (2018). He released Swing Fever (2024) with Jools Holland. He entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a soloist in 1994 and with the Faces in 2012. He was made a CBE in 2007 and published his autobiography, Rod, in 2012.

Name notes for searchers

Roderick is his legal first name, and Rod is the short form he uses. David is his middle name, and Stewart is his family surname. "Rod the Mod" is an early nickname that LOC records. LOC's later citations style him "Sir," reflecting his knighthood.