Fan Base Nicknames: Beliebers, Directioners, Swifties + More (2024)

Ever wonder how artists' fan bases get their nicknames? Are you stumped when trying to remember what to call Katy Perry followers? Don't worry, PopCrush has you covered! From Justin Bieber's Beliebers to Kesha's Animals, our definitive guide to fan base nicknames will leave you wondering no more. Check them out the list below.

Justin Bieber Fans: Beliebers

We have to hand it to them: Justin Bieber's Beliebers were one of the first to kick off the fandom nickname trend, coming up with the perfect cross between the word "believers" and the singer's last name. Beliebers helped Justin rise to fame and are one of the most loyal fan bases out there, famously standing up for their idol.

Taylor Swift Fans: Swifties

Taylor Swift fans refer to themselves as Swifties, a cute play on the singer's last name. While some celebs like to bestow the nickname upon their fans, it looks as if the Swifties of the world came up with this one all on their own. Of course, Taylor is ever appreciative of her supporters, even going so far as to follow one lucky Swiftie walking around Nashville with a T. Swift shirt on. "I found her in a video game store and just kind of walked up to her and said, ‘Oh, hi. I wanted to meet you,'" Taylor recalled. "She had no idea what to say for about three minutes. Then her mom walked over, burst into tears, and proceeded to tell me that they’d driven all the way from Austin, Texas, just to see where I was discovered.” That's one lucky Swiftie indeed!

One Direction Fans: Directioners

Like Swifties, Directioners are another fan base that came up with the moniker themselves.

"The fans started the Directioners name early on in their career," One Direction's publicist Simon Jones told The Atlantic. "Once it gets to a certain point, the band themselves start using it to refer to their fans and it explodes and takes on a new level." That's for sure: Directioners are some of the most passionate fans out there today. But the guys of 1D are equally as protective of their fans. Harry Styles even helped save a Directioner from being trampled by the paparazzi.

Big Time Rush Fans: Rushers

Urban Dictionary defines a Rusher as "A Big Time Rush fan. They aren't JUST a fanbase, they are a family." While it's unclear whether BTR came up with the nickname or the fans created it themselves, the band's official fan club is called 'Club Rush,' and the name most likely developed from there. Regardless of how the nickname came to be, BTR clearly support the nickname and often refer to their fans as Rushers as well.

Cody Simpson Fans: Angels/Simpsonizers

This one is a little bit tricky! Australian cutie Cody Simpson refers to his fans as Angels (after the song 'Angels' off of his mixtape, 'Angels & Gentlemen'), but fans also call themselves Simpsonizers, which is clearly a play on the singer's last name. While either term is acceptable, it can definitely get confusing -- and one fan even posed the question herself on Simpson's message board.

Selena Gomez Fans: Selenators

How awesome is the nickname Selenator? Not only does it incorporate Selena Gomez's entire first name into the term (not an easy feat!), it also sounds a little like the Terminator, which makes us think of power and strength. Selena's fans are clearly one of her biggest priorities -- and she does more than just embrace the nickname. She even emblazons clothes with it! That's right, Selenators: You can even get sweatpants with your fan base nickname on them, designed by Ms. Gomez herself as part of her Dream Out Loud collection! (Check out the pics on Instagram.)

Demi Lovato Fans: Lovatics

According to Urban Dictionary, Lovatics are worlds away from being just casual fans of Demi Lovato. "There's a huge difference between Demi Fan and Lovatic. When a person really loves Demi Lovato, he is a Lovatic," the definition reads. "Lovatic is that one juicy girl who doesn't live without her. Lovatic is that one person who supports her, no matter what. Lovatic is that one person who doesn't leave her because she is not perfect, but loves her even more because of her flaws. Lovatic is an f----g SKYSCRAPER." And Demi loves her Lovatics equally as much, even getting the words "Stay" and "Strong" tattooed on her wrists in honor of her fans.

Katy Perry Fans: KatyCats

As the legend goes, fans of a prominent Katy Perry message board were the first to come up with the nickname KatyCats (based on the singer's love of cats, of course), and when a girl named Jen became the first forum member to meet the 'Dark Horse' singer, the moniker got the seal of approval from Katy herself. Today, the term is widely known and is often used by Katy on Twitter. One KatyCat who particularly enjoys the nickname? Katy's own feline companion, Kitty Purry.

Rihanna Fans: Rihanna Navy

Rihanna began calling her fans The Navy after she played a Naval officer in the 2012 movie 'Battleship,' and the fans went with it, launching countless fan sites, Twitter accounts and Tumblr pages bearing the name. Ri-Ri supports her Navy just as much, even penning them a heartfelt, handwritten letter in 2012 before the launch of her album 'Unapologetic.' So sweet!

Kesha Fans: Animals

Kesha's fans appropriately dubbed themselves "animals" after her debut album (and its title track), 'Animal.' Not only does the name provoke an image of wildness and fierceness, but the song is like an anthem for her fans, who proudly belt out the tune with her at shows. And Animals stick by the singer's side: she recently sent out a series of heartfelt tweets thanking fans for their unwavering support while she is in rehab dealing with an eating disorder.

Ariana Grande Fans: Arianators

Like Selenators, Arianators managed the nearly impossible task of fitting their idol's entire first name into their fan base nickname. Arianators were on the rise while Ariana Grande was starring on 'Victorious,' but the Arianator fandom really exploded when she released her first single, 'The Way.' Now, Arianators are one of the most active fan bases on Twitter and have a strong social media presence.

Austin Mahone Fans: Mahomies

Austin Mahone's fans are called Mahomies, a funny twist on Austin's last name and "homies," making the nickname sound a lot like "my homies," which is entirely fitting. The 'Mmm, Yeah' singer loves the term and frequently uses it on Twitter, even naming his official merchandise website Mahomies.net.

Little Mix Fans: Mixers

It's not hard to see where fans of Little Mix got their nickname -- it's right in the group's name. Mixers are such a strong fandom that they (almost) single-handedly got their idols to where they are now. After all, Little Mix couldn't have won 'X Factor' without their fans' votes!

Lady Gaga Fans: Little Monsters

Who invented the term 'Little Monsters': the fans or Lady Gaga herself? "That's Lady Gaga -- it came out of her brain," Martin Kierszenbaum, chairman of Cherrytree Records (a former imprint of Interscope, Gaga's record label), revealed to The Atlantic. Indeed, Mother Monster came up with the name during the summer of 2009, when she was working on her album 'The Fame Monster.'

Ed Sheeran Fans: Sheerios/Sheeranators

Like Cody Simpson's supporters, Ed Sheeran's fans seem to be at a crossroads about their nickname: Some refer to themselves as Sheerios, while others have dubbed themselves Sheeranators. The redheaded British cutie has admitted he has a favorite, though:

And there you have it.

Lucy Hale Fans: Halers

While Lucy Hale fans derived their nickname from the 'Pretty Little Liars' star's last name, the term is two-fold: Lucy's supporters also "hail" the actress/singer, idolizing her work and her life. Lucy embraces the nickname and often tweets messages using the #Halers hashtag.

Beyonce Fans: Bey Hive

Beyonce's fan base is one of the most creative, calling themselves by the buzzworthy nickname Bey Hive, with the 'Drunk in Love' singer front and center as Queen Bey. And just in case you're over the "bee" puns, we also think that the term sounds a little like the Austin Powers-esque "Oh, be-have," which would also make sense given the fact that Bey had a starring role in the series' third movie.

Chris Brown Fans: Team Breezy

Urban Dictionary defines Team Breezy as "the most loyal group of Chris Brown supporters." Indeed, Team Breezy (derived from Brown's nickname, Breezy) have stuck by the singer throughout his legal troubles and stints in rehab -- and he can't thank his supporters enough. After all, they are the ones who keep him going during the difficult moments.

Britney Spears Fans: Britney Army

While there does not seem to be a universal name for all of Britney Spears' loyal fans, the Britney Army is one term that pops up a lot on social media. Facebook pages, Twitter handles and fan sites bearing the fan base name have thousands of followers and seem to rally the Britney supporters together, unifying with one common thread: their undying passion for Britney Spears.

Miley Cyrus Fans: Smilers

It makes perfect sense that fans of Miley Cyrus call themselves Smilers. After all, that's how Miley got her own nickname! (She was born Destiny Hope Cyrus but was such a happy baby that her parents nicknamed her Smiley, which, in turn, was shortened to Miley.) Smilers love their idol, but the respect she has for them is just as great.

Mariah Carey Fans: Lambs

According to Mariah Carey's publicist, the singer's nickname for her fans came from a spiritual background. "She's a Christian, and it's basically a Lamb of God, and it's symbolic of the strength that she puts in her fans," Marvet Britto explains. "Lambs of God are supposed to be those individuals who carry forth the work of God. And so for her, those Lambs are her biggest evangelists."

Nicki Minaj Fans: Barbz

Nicki Minaj is the one responsible for her fans' nickname, calling them Barbiez, or Barbz for short. She originally coined the term for herself, but then spread it out to her followers. “I just said one day, you know I have a Nicktionary, it’s my own little terms and phrases, and one day I said, instead of saying ‘bye’ I said ‘It’s Barbie b---,’ ” the singer recalled. "Then all of the kids on Twitter just started saying it and then I started saying it. It just took on a life of its own."

But the most important part about nicknaming her followers, Minaj says, is because it helps her connect with the fan base. "When you connect with your friends in a way that they feel like they’re a part of a certain club, it boosts their self esteem because they’re no longer a fan, they become a friend.”

The Wanted Fans: Fanmily

Followers of the Wanted may have the most supportive nickname of all: The Wanted Fanmily. Not only are they a proud and tight-knit group, but the fans come together like a family, especially during difficult moments like when the band announced their hiatus. And all we have to say is: We like the nickname 'Fanmily' a whole lot better than what Tom Parker wanted the fans to call themselves: prisoners. Yikes!