D is for Dylan Thomas

The Welsh poet who also wrote short stories and scripts for film and radio, which he often performed himself. His public readings, particularly in America, won him great acclaim for his voice, superb craftsmanship and compressed lyrics. It is assumed Bob Dylan legally changed his name in August 1962 to Dylan out of respect for the poet, but on other occasions he attributed his choice to Marshall Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke.

In Chronicles, he explained "you name yourself what you want". It was really just one of many reinventions of himself and his life that are the hallmarks of the man and his music.