Beyoncé’s first name is Beyoncé, written with an acute accent over the final e.
She was born Beyoncé Giselle Knowles in Houston, Texas, on September 4, 1981. Her mother, Tina Knowles, has explained that the unusual name came from a family name connected with Beyoncé’s Creole heritage.
Beyoncé later used her married name, Knowles-Carter, after marrying rapper Jay-Z in 2008. In professional contexts, however, she is generally known simply by her first name. The accent is part of the standard spelling, although it is sometimes omitted in informal typing.
Her distinctive name became internationally recognizable through Destiny’s Child and her subsequent solo career. It is also the title of her 2013 studio album, which used her name as a direct statement of artistic identity.