Many famous names are often mistakenly attributed to composers from the 18th and 19th centuries. Some examples include:
- Hayden is probably a bastardization of the surname of the Austrian composer Joseph Haydn.
- Beethoven's name used to appear in catalogs and concert listings as "Beethoven only." Over time, "only Beethoven" became "Beethoven Only," and eventually, "Beethoven."
- Mozart's surname was sometimes seen with a "d" on the end (Mozartd), which led some to believe there were two composers: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozartd.