Tyler, the Creator's Real Name: Tyler Gregory Okonma

Quick answer: Tyler, the Creator's documented name is Tyler Gregory Okonma. AllMusic and Encyclopaedia Britannica both record that form and date his birth to March 6, 1991, in Hawthorne, California (AllMusic; Encyclopaedia Britannica).

Real name and early life

He is known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, and also as Tyler Okonma. Britannica says his mother, Bonita Smith, a health spa worker, raised him in Hawthorne; the name of his father is not publicly known, the article says. AllMusic adds that he split time between Ladera Heights and nearby Hawthorne in Los Angeles County. Britannica says he taught himself piano, was inspired by Pharrell Williams, and first used "Tyler, The Creator" as a MySpace profile name. After he turned 16, his mother moved to Sacramento and he stayed in Los Angeles with his grandmother.

Career highlights

Around that time he cofounded the Los Angeles collective Odd Future (also called Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All). AllMusic and Britannica both note his deep involvement in related projects, including producing much of Earl Sweatshirt's Earl and contributing to Odd Future's The OF Tape, Vol. 2 (2012). His solo mixtape Bastard appeared in 2009. He signed with XL Recordings and released Goblin (2011), which AllMusic says debuted at number five on the Billboard 200, followed by Wolf (2013) and Cherry Bomb (2015). Britannica records that some early lyrics drew criticism, that a 2015 protest campaign led him to cancel an Australian tour, and that he was temporarily banned from the United Kingdom over lyrics on Bastard. Flower Boy (2017) was more widely acclaimed and earned a Grammy nomination for best rap album. Igor (2019) and Call Me If You Get Lost (2021) both debuted at number one and won Grammy Awards for best rap album, Britannica says. Later albums include Chromakopia (2024), which Britannica, citing Billboard, says had the strongest opening sales of his career, and Don't Tap the Glass (2025). He also founded the clothing line Golf Wang in 2011 and the Camp Flog Gnaw festival in 2012, names Britannica describes as anagrams of Wolf Gang. AllMusic notes his production work on Frank Ocean's Grammy-winning Channel Orange.

Name notes for searchers

Tyler Gregory Okonma is the documented name; the professional name is Tyler, the Creator. Searchers looking for a founder of Odd Future, or for the artist behind Flower Boy and Igor, are usually aiming at the same person.