Tom DeLonge's Real Name: Thomas Matthew DeLonge

Quick answer: Tom DeLonge's real name is Thomas Matthew DeLonge (also styled Thomas Matthew DeLonge Jr.). He was born on December 13, 1975, in Poway, California. "Tom" is the everyday short form of Thomas (IMDb; Discogs / official bios).

Early life and blink-182

DeLonge grew up in San Diego County and met Mark Hoppus through a mutual friend. With Hoppus and later drummer Travis Barker he formed blink-182, whose pop-punk albums Enema of the State (1999), Take Off Your Pants and Jacket (2001) and blink-182 (2003) made the band a mainstream force. DeLonge co-wrote and sang hits including "All the Small Things," "What's My Age Again?" and "I Miss You" (Rock & Roll Hall of Fame context; Billboard artist coverage).

Exit, Angels & Airwaves, and returns

DeLonge left blink-182 in 2005, rejoined for a 2009–15 stretch, then left again before reuniting with the band for anniversary projects in the 2020s (including the 2023 album One More Time...). Outside blink he founded Angels & Airwaves (AVA), a more atmospheric rock project that has released multiple studio albums since 2006. He has also worked on film and multimedia tied to AVA's lore.

To The Stars and UFO advocacy

DeLonge is publicly associated with To The Stars (formerly To The Stars Academy of Arts & Science), a company he co-founded that publishes books and media about unidentified aerial phenomena and related research. Mainstream outlets have covered his advocacy and the company's collaborations with former government officials; claims about extraterrestrial contact remain contested and should be treated as advocacy, not settled science (New York Times and other outlets' UAP coverage; To The Stars public materials).

Personal notes

DeLonge has spoken openly about family life in Southern California and about prioritizing home during periods away from blink-182. He continues to record and tour with both AVA and, periodically, blink-182.

Songwriting role

Inside blink-182, DeLonge typically traded verses with Hoppus and co-wrote the band's biggest choruses. AVA let him write more earnest, concept-driven material. Fans tracking "Tom DeLonge real name" usually want confirmation that Tom is simply short for Thomas — not a fabricated persona — while the UFO work is a separate public advocacy lane.