James Osterberg is best known as...who? [Bonus: What is his (real) middle name?]

Iggy Pop - The Iguana - James Newell Osterberg

Iggy Pop is correct, but "Newell" is not.

It's James Jewel Osterberg.

There seems to be disgreement over his middle name.

Newell
Who2.com
Wikipedia

The Internet Movie Database

Rock On the Net

Jewell/Jewel

Artist Facts

MVD Base

San Diego Union-Tribune, Reuters, Toronto Sun

The same disagreement plagues my library LOL... Marquis' Who's Who In America 2002 cites Newell, while the 3rd Edition of the Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll gives his middle name as Jewel.

According to Michigan.gov it's Newell. I've tried searching birth certificates (no luck) but did find his mother's SSN and found her death record on the SS Death Certificates site. No luck finding an obit for her tho.

Surely the Michigan Historical Center, Department of History, Arts and Libraries has access to official records. Since there seems to be no other governmental body saying otherwise and there is nothing to indicate that Pop has publicly said anything about it, Newell should be accepted as his given middle name.