Celebs Who Changed Their Names : Celebrity Name Changers---Some stars had to ditch their original first and last for something that would sizzle in bright lights. Find out which of your favorite stars traded in their birth names for something more showbiz-friendly, and learn what they used to be called back in the day.
Take Katy Perry, She’s made quite a name for herself, but the name she made isn’t the one she was born with. She changed her last name to her mother’s maiden title to differentiate herself from an established, soundalike actress. Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson, katy perry boyfriend
There’s probably more than a few young Ashtons out there who were born after the actor’s breakout on “That ’70s Show.” Sure, it’s fashionable now, but there’s a reason it wasn’t a typical first name before: It wasn’t the name Ashton Kutcher was born with. christopher kutcher, ashton kutcher visited demi, ashton kutcher dated january jones,
Just looking at Nicki Minaj, it’s a safe bet that she’s… modified. People do not naturally come in quite so many colors. But Minaj’s personal metamorphosis included a name change, too. Onika Tanya Maraj,
He’s gone from being just a comedian to a respected member of the American media landscape — an election-influencer, even. But would Jon Stewart have gotten as far had he stuck with his birth name? Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz,
Oh, no worries. Drake’s name really is “Drake.” It’s just not his first name. At birth, this rapper was given a unisex name that doesn’t really fit into his chosen industry. Aubrey Drake Graham,
Charlie Sheen’s life is complicated for oh so many reasons, and his name strangeness doesn’t help. The son of actor Martin Sheen, Charlie inherited his dad’s stage title, but it’s not the one they gave him at birth. carlos irwin estevez, charlie sheen anger management,
It’s a strange case when “Garth” is the more normal-sounding of your given names, but that’s what happened with this country legend. Yes, his real first name is even more unusual. Troyal Garth Brooks
She’s one of the few stars who can dispose of her last name without seeming pretentious, but did you know that “Rihanna” isn’t even Rihanna’s real first name? Robyn Fenty, rihanna battleship,
She’s become one of the top names in comedy, but “Tina” isn’t Tina Fey’s real name, though “30 Rock” fans might be able to guess what is. No, her real name is considerably longer. elizabeth stamatina fey,
Demi’s ex-husband — err, the older one, that is — also grew up going by a name different than the one that eventually showed up on movie marquees. Maybe “Bruce Willis” just sounded cooler? walter willis, bruce willis emma heming age difference,
You have to wonder: Would Jennifer Aniston have risen to fame if she had entered showbiz with her birth name? Jennifer Anastassakis (Aniston),
Is “John” his last name or just part of a double first name? That’s a question only the man himself can answer. Elton John was born with three names, neither of which is “Elton” or “John.” Reginald Kenneth Dwight,
As a writer and actress, Mindy Kaling has often incorporated her Indian heritage into her work. But when she entered show business, this “The Office” star hacked a lot of letters off her name to make it easier for English-speakers to spell. Vera Mindy Chokalingam, mindy kaling book excerpt,
He may be known to most of the world as “Kumar,” but in real life, Kal Penn hasn’t even been “Kal Penn” all that long. In fact, his stage name is just a variation on the first name his parents gave him. Kalpen Suresh Modi,
Would you believe that someone would choose to be known as “Whoopi Goldberg”? Because this lady didn’t always have the name. Even more surprising, she got her first name from a nickname she got as a result of her reputation for being gassy. No, really. caryn elaine johnson,
Miley is actually just a nickname for “Smiley,” which her family once called her. And no, the real name isn’t “Hannah Montana.” Destiny Hope Cyrus, miley cyrus stoner,
Dakota Fanning’s days as Hollywood’s go-to moppet may have helped popularize her name, but she was born with a different, though equally fashionable, name. Hannah Dakota Fanning, dakota fanning fragrance banned,
Today, Reese Witherspoon has a style that you might call “classic Reese,” but she was born with a less “Hollywood” name. +Laura Jeanne Witherspoon, reese witherspoon python bag,
Jon Bon Jovi’s actual name isn’t all that different from his stage name. He switched because he wanted one that everyone could spell and pronounce. John Francis Bongiovi,
He’s not the only actor in the family, but Tom Cruise is the only one to go by the surname “Cruise,” which he borrowed from his great-great-grandfather to sound a little flashier. Tom Cruise born William Mapother IV ,
No, Demi Moore’s name doesn’t mean “half.” It’s a nickname. And she got her now-famous last name from her first husband, Freddy Moore. “Demetria Gene Guynes” (Demi Moore), Demi Guynes Kutcher, demi moore weight loss,
Though Natalie is probably quite proud of her family name, even she realized that it doesn’t have quite as nice a ring to it as her grandmother’s maiden name, Portman, does. Natalie Hershlag,
Olivia Wilde claims citizenship in both the U.S. and Ireland, and Irish playwright Oscar Wilde inspired her stage name. Why the change? Her actual last name was definitely not A-list material. Olivia Cockburn, olivia wilde prince,
Jamie Foxx improved on his more humdrum given name by paying tribute to one of his idols, comedian Redd Foxx. Jamie Foxx born Eric Marlon Bishop,
Take Katy Perry, She’s made quite a name for herself, but the name she made isn’t the one she was born with. She changed her last name to her mother’s maiden title to differentiate herself from an established, soundalike actress. Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson, katy perry boyfriend
There’s probably more than a few young Ashtons out there who were born after the actor’s breakout on “That ’70s Show.” Sure, it’s fashionable now, but there’s a reason it wasn’t a typical first name before: It wasn’t the name Ashton Kutcher was born with. christopher kutcher, ashton kutcher visited demi, ashton kutcher dated january jones,
Just looking at Nicki Minaj, it’s a safe bet that she’s… modified. People do not naturally come in quite so many colors. But Minaj’s personal metamorphosis included a name change, too. Onika Tanya Maraj,
He’s gone from being just a comedian to a respected member of the American media landscape — an election-influencer, even. But would Jon Stewart have gotten as far had he stuck with his birth name? Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz,
Oh, no worries. Drake’s name really is “Drake.” It’s just not his first name. At birth, this rapper was given a unisex name that doesn’t really fit into his chosen industry. Aubrey Drake Graham,
Charlie Sheen’s life is complicated for oh so many reasons, and his name strangeness doesn’t help. The son of actor Martin Sheen, Charlie inherited his dad’s stage title, but it’s not the one they gave him at birth. carlos irwin estevez, charlie sheen anger management,
It’s a strange case when “Garth” is the more normal-sounding of your given names, but that’s what happened with this country legend. Yes, his real first name is even more unusual. Troyal Garth Brooks
She’s one of the few stars who can dispose of her last name without seeming pretentious, but did you know that “Rihanna” isn’t even Rihanna’s real first name? Robyn Fenty, rihanna battleship,
She’s become one of the top names in comedy, but “Tina” isn’t Tina Fey’s real name, though “30 Rock” fans might be able to guess what is. No, her real name is considerably longer. elizabeth stamatina fey,
Demi’s ex-husband — err, the older one, that is — also grew up going by a name different than the one that eventually showed up on movie marquees. Maybe “Bruce Willis” just sounded cooler? walter willis, bruce willis emma heming age difference,
You have to wonder: Would Jennifer Aniston have risen to fame if she had entered showbiz with her birth name? Jennifer Anastassakis (Aniston),
Is “John” his last name or just part of a double first name? That’s a question only the man himself can answer. Elton John was born with three names, neither of which is “Elton” or “John.” Reginald Kenneth Dwight,
As a writer and actress, Mindy Kaling has often incorporated her Indian heritage into her work. But when she entered show business, this “The Office” star hacked a lot of letters off her name to make it easier for English-speakers to spell. Vera Mindy Chokalingam, mindy kaling book excerpt,
He may be known to most of the world as “Kumar,” but in real life, Kal Penn hasn’t even been “Kal Penn” all that long. In fact, his stage name is just a variation on the first name his parents gave him. Kalpen Suresh Modi,
Would you believe that someone would choose to be known as “Whoopi Goldberg”? Because this lady didn’t always have the name. Even more surprising, she got her first name from a nickname she got as a result of her reputation for being gassy. No, really. caryn elaine johnson,
Miley is actually just a nickname for “Smiley,” which her family once called her. And no, the real name isn’t “Hannah Montana.” Destiny Hope Cyrus, miley cyrus stoner,
Dakota Fanning’s days as Hollywood’s go-to moppet may have helped popularize her name, but she was born with a different, though equally fashionable, name. Hannah Dakota Fanning, dakota fanning fragrance banned,
Today, Reese Witherspoon has a style that you might call “classic Reese,” but she was born with a less “Hollywood” name. +Laura Jeanne Witherspoon, reese witherspoon python bag,
Jon Bon Jovi’s actual name isn’t all that different from his stage name. He switched because he wanted one that everyone could spell and pronounce. John Francis Bongiovi,
He’s not the only actor in the family, but Tom Cruise is the only one to go by the surname “Cruise,” which he borrowed from his great-great-grandfather to sound a little flashier. Tom Cruise born William Mapother IV ,
No, Demi Moore’s name doesn’t mean “half.” It’s a nickname. And she got her now-famous last name from her first husband, Freddy Moore. “Demetria Gene Guynes” (Demi Moore), Demi Guynes Kutcher, demi moore weight loss,
Though Natalie is probably quite proud of her family name, even she realized that it doesn’t have quite as nice a ring to it as her grandmother’s maiden name, Portman, does. Natalie Hershlag,
Olivia Wilde claims citizenship in both the U.S. and Ireland, and Irish playwright Oscar Wilde inspired her stage name. Why the change? Her actual last name was definitely not A-list material. Olivia Cockburn, olivia wilde prince,
Jamie Foxx improved on his more humdrum given name by paying tribute to one of his idols, comedian Redd Foxx. Jamie Foxx born Eric Marlon Bishop,
