MTV’s award trophy was commonly called the Moonman before MTV renamed it the Moon Person in 2017.
The trophy depicts an astronaut standing on the lunar surface with a flag bearing the MTV logo. The design developed from MTV’s original channel identification, whose logo and imagery were linked to a moon-landing theme. For decades, winners and audiences generally referred to the statuette as the Moonman.
In 2017, MTV began using the gender-neutral name Moon Person. The physical trophy retained its astronaut design, so the change affected the award’s official terminology rather than its recognizable appearance.
The trophy is presented at the MTV Video Music Awards, first held in 1984. The awards are often called the VMAs and honor music videos, artists, directors, and technical contributors. “Moonman” can still appear in older reporting and fan discussion, while “Moon Person” is the later official wording. It is distinct from the Grammy statuette, which depicts a gramophone.