What is the stage name of U2's guitarist?

The stage name of U2's guitarist David Howell Evans is The Edge. He is U2's lead guitarist and also contributes keyboards, vocals, songwriting, and production.

Evans was born in Barking, Essex, in 1961 to Welsh parents and was raised in Ireland. At Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Dublin, he joined the band formed after Larry Mullen Jr. posted a notice seeking musicians in 1976. Evans initially played alongside his older brother Dik, who later left the group.

The nickname “The Edge” was associated with the Lypton Village group connected to Bono. Its exact origin is debated: the angular shape of Evans's head is one commonly cited explanation, while other accounts connect it to his personality or guitar style. The band member is also sometimes called simply “Edge.”

His sound became central to U2's identity. He is known for chiming guitar textures, delayed echoes, sustained notes, harmonics, and carefully layered effects. Although he is primarily the guitarist, he occasionally plays piano, keyboards, bass, and lap steel guitar.