Miley Cyrus dropped her surname, and her father, country star Billy Ray Cyrus, said he fully supports the decision.
In a social media post, Billy Ray described the change as a natural step for his daughter and said he had discussed it with her before it became public.
Sharing a throwback photograph of himself with a young Miley, Billy Ray wrote, “Family means more than ever now. I always called my little girl Miley. Just … Miley.” He added that he has always referred to his son the same way, writing, “Just like I always called my little boy Braison.”
Billy Ray also drew a parallel to his own career, revealing that he once performed simply as Cyrus. “Bet you didn’t know … I was just CYRUS before Achy Breaky Heart came out in 92,” he wrote. He added that his merchandise at the time featured the phrase “CYRUS SOME GAVE ALL,” along with an image of the POW/MIA flag and the words, “You are not forgotten.”
Family means more than ever now. I always called my little girl Miley. Just … Miley. Just like I always called my little boy Braison. Bet you didn’t know … I was just CYRUS before Achy Breaky Heart came out in 92. All of my swag and T shirts only read. CYRUS SOME GAVE ALL… pic.twitter.com/7g7MI8xrJA
— Billy Ray Cyrus (@billyraycyrus) September 2, 2026
Billy Ray said he and Miley had discussed the change privately before it became public. “I told @miley yesterday I felt good about her going with her first name,” he wrote, comparing her with artists known professionally by a single name, including Dolly Parton, Cher, Elvis Presley and Prince.
“It’s a natural progression for an iconic superstar legend,” he added. “And the legend continues! Looking forward to the new album.”
How Miley’s name change happened
Miley’s name change comes as she prepares to release Bass Persuades, her 10th studio album and first release under Atlantic Records, on September 18.
In the days leading up to the announcement, Miley shared several signs of the rebrand. She posted a red-and-black image containing only the word “MILEY,” while her social media usernames and official website adopted the single-name branding.
Miley announced the album on September 1 and revealed two live shows at the Hollywood Bowl, scheduled for October 16 and 18. The announcement came after she moved to Atlantic Records at the end of July.
A family history behind the headlines
The name change drew added attention because of the Cyrus family’s well-documented public history. Billy Ray and Miley’s mother, Tish Cyrus, announced their divorce in 2022. Billy Ray later married singer Firerose, while Tish married actor Dominic Purcell. Public speculation about tensions within the family intensified after Miley did not mention her father during her 2024 Grammy acceptance speech.
Despite the speculation, Miley and her father have since publicly shown signs of reconciliation. During her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in May, Miley credited her father with teaching her that success comes through persistence, recalling his advice that “a skyscraper starts with a jackhammer.”
The two also worked together again on Disney+’s Hannah Montana 20th anniversary special. Billy Ray told People, “The past is over and done. The future is what we have, and we got to look forward.”
He has also continued collaborating musically with his children, working with son Braison on “The Hill,” while daughter Noah contributed to the new album.
A separate report offered a different account of Billy Ray’s private reaction. A family source told Rob Shuter‘s Substack page that he has mixed feelings about no longer publicly sharing a surname with his daughter, saying, “Billy is deeply hurt. He’s incredibly proud that Miley has become bigger than the Cyrus name.”
The loss of Dolly Parton
The rollout of Bass Persuades and Miley’s surname announcement also came amid the death of Dolly, a longtime friend of Billy Ray’s and Miley’s godmother.
Dolly became Miley’s godmother in 1992 through her friendship with Billy Ray. She later appeared as “Aunt Dolly” on Hannah Montana, a role she said Miley personally asked her to take.
Miley shared her tribute to Parton on Instagram, writing, “The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly is beyond what feels right to share. Our most sacred moments were private and they’ll stay there behind the stage, beneath the glamour & between our hearts.”
She continued, “What I KNOW is Dolly would want me to feel it, write a song about it and then continue on and be strong. I have an angel by my side. I always have.” Miley said one of their last conversations was about “music and metamorphosis” and that her heart broke for “the world, her family and friends who will miss her deeply.”
Miley Cyrus pays tribute to her godmother Dolly Parton:
“The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly is beyond what feels right to share. Our most sacred moments were private and they'll stay there behind the stage, beneath the glamour & between our hearts. What I KNOW is Dolly would… pic.twitter.com/UD4zI86dAZ
— Pop Base (@PopBase) August 26, 2026
Billy Ray also paid tribute to Dolly, recalling their decades-long friendship. “Like every little boy, I grew up loving Dolly Parton,” he wrote. “She was a part of our lives, on our TV’s, right in our living rooms.”
He said Dolly had recently sent him a message telling him she loved him “with her whole heart,” a sentiment he said he would return “always.”
Dolly’s death was publicly announced by her nephew and longtime head of security, Bryan Seaver.
