Why Is Bruce Springsteen Called the Boss? A Look at the Nickname That Stuck for Life

If you've ever heard someone refer to Bruce Springsteen as “The Boss” and thought, “Wait, why are we calling him that?” — you’re not alone. It’s one of those nicknames that comes with an interesting backstory.

Turns out, Bruce never asked for this nickname. Furthermore, he doesn’t even like it. That, however, didn’t stop it from sticking to him — hard.

So, why exactly is Bruce Springsteen called the Boss? It all started long before the world knew his name, back when he was just a guy doing gigs with his band and keeping things organized behind the scenes.

Before Bruce became a rock and roll legend, he was the guy in charge of collecting and distributing the band’s pay after shows. Not because he was power-hungry or trying to climb some corporate ladder — he just happened to be the most responsible one in the group.

According to Ultimate Classic Rock, it was a kind of running joke: Bruce handled the cash, so the band called him “The Boss.” At first, it was just among close friends — almost like calling your friend “Captain” because he drives the car.

Even longtime bandmate Steven Van Zandt remembered it that way. In Peter Ames Carlin’s 2012 biography Bruce, Steven recalled, “I remember people calling him that and not taking it seriously. Not ‘til I started calling him the Boss. Then they took it seriously because I was a boss, too. So when I started calling him the Boss, the vibe was, ‘If Stevie’s doing it, there’s something to this!’”

The moment Steven started using the nickname, so did everyone else. Roadies started using it. Fans overheard it. And then — you guessed it — it escaped into the wild. By the time "Born to Run" dropped in 1975, “The Boss” was on its way to becoming one of the most famous nicknames in music history.

Here’s where things get interesting. You’d think someone with that kind of nickname would lean into it — maybe use it as a stage persona or slap it on merch. Not Bruce. He wasn’t into it at all.

According to BBC News, in Eric Alterman’s biography It Ain’t No Sin to Be Glad You’re Alive, Bruce said flat out: “I hate bosses. I hate being called the boss.”

That statement pretty summed up his vibe. This was the guy who wrote songs like “Factory” and “Born in the U.S.A.” — gritty, grounded, anti-authority anthems for people just trying to make it. So, the idea of being referred to as “The Boss” clashed with everything his music often stood for.

Even has Bruce cringed every time someone referred to him as “The Boss,” the nickname was quickly picked up by fans, DJs, and journalists. Unfortunately, despite all his protests, the nickname wasn’t going anywhere.

In May 2025, Bruce opened up about his disdain for his nickname on The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast. The musician explained that the nickname has followed him like a plague his entire life. He, however, admitted that he has gotten used to it and “given up” on trying to fight it.