Billy Ray Cyrus reacted to Miley dropping her last name, sharing his own desire to be referred to as just 'Cyrus'
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GooglePop star Miley and her father, Billy Ray Cyrus have been part of the childhoods of 90s and early 2000s kids through their appearance in Disney's Hannah Montana. But unlike their enduring on-screen role, their real-life dynamics were quite complex. Miley and Billy's relationship has experienced significant public strain, particularly following his 2022 divorce from Miley’s mother, Tish Cyrus.
However, after several years of estrangement, Miley and her father have mended things. Amid that, came another blow when Miley dropped her last name from her social media accounts on August 30, 2026. After a few days of online speculation about a possible escalation of issues between the father-daughter duo, Billy issued a clarification.
Dropping their last name has almost become a trend among Hollywood celebrities these days. However, most who opt for this change do so to cut ties with their fathers, as seen in the cases of Brad Pitt's and Tom Cruise's kids. Because of that, Miley's fans thought she might be having fresh issues with her dad, Billy, which led her to drop the famous Cyrus surname. Amid the speculation around the same, Billy broke his silence on the matter.
Billy mentioned that family means a lot more to him now, and that the rumors about his strained relationship with the Flowers singer are untrue. The 65-year-old artist revealed that he himself always called his kids by their first names rather than their full names or surnames. Then he went on to cite the example of how he was addressed by others.
Billy shared that for the longest time he was called "just Cyrus" and not Billy or Billy Ray Cyrus. Thus, the use of only one part of the name seemed normal to him. Regarding that, he stated:
“Family means more than ever now. I always called my little girl Miley. Just…Miley. Just like I always called my little boy Braison.”
Billy also cited some more examples of popular entities who have been addressed by just one part of their full name. He shared that he told Miley that he liked her going with only her first name. Sharing examples of the legendary Dolly Parton, Cher, Prince Rogers Nelson and Elvis Presley, he assured Miley that her decision to drop her surname was not a bad idea. As per Billy, it was a natural step as someone's career takes new heights.
Billy then jovially stated that he would also have thought of going with just Cyrus and dropping Billy Ray for professional reasons, if Mercury Records and its parent company, PolyGram, hadn't insisted that he keep his first and middle names. Billy personally felt having just Cyrus elevated his "swag" element, but for Miley, her first name better suited her. In his words:
"I told @miley yesterday I felt good about her going with her first name. I mentioned Dolly and Cher. Thinkin about it more and more Elvis.. Prince ...and so on. It's a natural progression for an iconic superstar legend...Now ... if only Mercury / Polygram would have just not insisted on the "Billy Ray" part and just let me be CYRUS...... I could have done something!!! Ha ha!!!"
In Hannah Montana, Billy portrayed 'Robby Ray Stewart', the father of Miley's 'Miley Stewart', and their father-daughter chemistry was the heart and soul of the show. After the show ended in 2011, the following years were anything but easy for the Cyrus family, as relationships started to fall apart. Things got more complicated when Billy Ray and his wife, Tish Cyrus, filed for a divorce after about three decades, finalizing it in 2022.
After a turbulent phase between the father-daughter duo, there were signs in 2025 that things were improving between them. Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus reunited for Braison's birthday. She also released an emotional song, Secrets, widely seen as a peace offering to her father, which the latter had openly appreciated.
What are your thoughts on Billy Ray Cyrus' reaction to Miley dropping her last name? Let us know.
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