Real Name: Demi Gene Guynes Ghost star Demi Moore didn’t randomly choose her new last name. Long before she was linked to Bruce Willis or Ashton Kutcher, she was briefly married to a singer named Freddy Moore. But even before they made it official, she decided to borrow his surname to use professionally. And though their relationship didn’t stick, that moniker did. For stars who didn’t marry other stars, check out 28 Celebrities Who Married Normal, Non-Famous People. Real Name: Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar Rapper Cardi B’s stage name is adapted from a nickname she got during her childhood in the Bronx, New York. Since her older sister is named Hennessy and the two were always together, she was often called Barcardi—another boozy beverage. Real Name: Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore Oscar-winning actor Mahershala Ali’s pastor mother picked his name out of the Bible, according to the Guardian. He changed his last name from Gilmore to Ali when he converted from Christianity to Islam in 2000, and several years later shortened his first name in the hopes that it would advance his career. For more big names in the business, check out The Biggest Star Who’s the Same Age as You. Real Name: Diane Hall It’s pretty wild that actor Diane Keaton was actually born Diane Hall, when she’d go on to fame playing a character who shares her original last name. Keaton is her mother’s name, which the star chose to go by before she hit it big. Real Name: Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell Music superstar Billie Eilish goes by her first and middle names professionally. Her full name is as impressive as her catalog and includes a second middle name picked out by her older brother and collaborator Finneas O’Connell (Pirate) as well as both of her parents’ last names. For more entertainment and celebrity trivia sent right to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. Real Name: Steveland Judkins When Stevie Wonder first signed with Motown, he legally changed his name from Steveland Judkins to Steveland Morris, taking on his mother’s maiden name. However, when Motown record executive Berry Gordy started calling him “Wonder,” Stevie changed his name yet again, and thus the musician’s stage name was born. Real Name: Elizabeth Stamatina Fey While Fey is her real last name, Tina is actually a shortened version of her middle name, Stamatina. Funnily enough, the actress’ given first name is Elizabeth, which she used as the inspiration for the name of her 30 Rock character, Liz Lemon. For more beloved series, check out The 50 Most Popular TV Shows of All Time. Real Name: Paul David Hewson Bono may only have one name now, but the U2 frontman was born with three: Paul David Hewson. As for his cognomen, the musician found his inspiration in his hometown of Dublin—from the name of a hearing aid shop, of all things. Real Name: Christopher Catesby Harington The Game of Thrones star’s real name is Christopher Catesby Harington, but he didn’t know his name wasn’t Kit Harrington until he was 11 years old. He told Glamour: “Kit is traditionally an offshoot of Christopher, it’s just not used that often. My middle name is Catesby.” For more pairs like Harrington and Rose Leslie, check out 15 Onscreen Couples You Totally Forgot Dated in Real Life. Real Name: Mark Sinclair That’s right, pick your jaw off the floor: Vin Diesel is not the name on the action star’s birth certificate. He was first given the much more traditional name of Mark Sinclair. While the actor hasn’t confirmed the origin of his stage name, it supposedly stems from Vincent—the last name the family took on when his mother remarried—and his own energetic personality. Another Hollywood legend is that he had to change his name to protect himself when he worked as a bouncer, pre-stardom. Real Name: Natalie Hershlag For many years, Israeli American actress Natalie Portman did some acting work under her given name, Natalie Hershlag. It was only while filming Luc Besson’s Leon in the early 1990s that she decided to go by Portman, taking on her paternal grandmother’s maiden name. Real Name: Vera Chokalingam Though actress Mindy Kaling was born Vera Chokalingam, she always went by her middle name, Mindy, even before stardom. And when she started taking on big acting roles, Mindy decided to shorten her last name down to “Kaling,” giving her the moniker she uses today. Real Name: Winona Laura Horowitz There was nothing wrong with the name Winona Laura Horowitz, of course, but the Girl, Interrupted actress decided to take on the surname Ryder anyway. The decision came rather serendipitously for Horowitz/Ryder, as her father happened to be listening to a Mitch Ryder album when her agent asked her how she wanted to be credited in the 1986 film Lucas. Real Name: Peter Gene Herandez “[The stage name] Bruno is after Bruno Sammartino, who was this big, fat wrestler,” Bruno Mars, born Peter Gene Herandez, told the Associated Press. “I was this chunky little baby, so my dad used to call me that as a nickname.” And his surname? “‘Mars came up because a lot of girls say I’m out of this world!” Real Name: Eilleen Edwards Pop icon Eilleen Edwards, better known as Shania Twain, chose her last name in honor of her Ojibwe stepfather, Jerry Twain. “Shania” is an Ojibwe name meaning “on my way,” though the singer has neither confirmed nor denied that she chose it for that reason. Real Name: Krishna Pandit Bhanji Schindler’s List and Iron Man 3 actor Sir Ben Kingsley’s real name is actually Krishna Pandit Bhanji. The star changed his name long before making it onto the A-list, using his dad’s nickname (Ben) and his grandfather’s nickname (King Clove) to create his moniker. Real Name: Amanda Lee Rogers Though born Amanda Lee Rogers, Arrested Development actress Portia De Rossi legally changed her name at the age of 15. In an interview with The Advocate, she explained that she chose the name Portia after the Shakespeare character in The Merchant of Venice and de Rossi because, “I was Australian and I thought that an exotic Italian name would somehow suit me more than Amanda Rogers.” Real Name: Maurice Micklewhiteae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb His real name is Maurice Micklewhite, but actor Michael Caine has been going by his stage name since 1954. And recently, the screen legend actually made the name change official, noting that airport security was becoming too much of a hassle with two separate names. As for the inspiration behind his name? Well, the thespian originally wanted to be Michael Scott, but when someone of that name was already prominent in London where his career began, he changed his to “Caine” after spying a poster for the Humphrey Bogart vehicle The Caine Mutiny. Real Name: Caryn Elaine Johnson Once upon a time, this comedien was known by friends and family as Caryn Elaine Johnson. However, when she decided to try her luck in Hollywood, Caryn changed her name entirely, with Whoopi coming from her fondness for flatulence and Goldberg from a Jewish ancestor. Real Name: Tara Patrick It was in 1991 that Tara Patrick became Carmen Electra. That year, the aspiring actress met Prince, who told her that she looked like an Electra, as she relayed to The Yo Show. Though she was hesitant to use the name at first—“It sounded kinda like a superhero type of name."—Carmen Electra stuck, and the rest is Hollywood history. Real Name: Ramon Gerard Estevez Ramon Gerard Estevez decided to adopt the professional moniker of Martin Sheen when he entered the acting world and realized that he was being typecast. As for where his appellation derives from, Estevez chose Martin after his agent and Sheen in honor of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen. (And in case you’re wondering, this does mean that Charlie Sheen’s real last name is also Estevez, and that Martin’s other son, Emilio Estevez, stuck with the name he was born with.) Real Name: Emily Stone “My real name is Emily Stone, but when I started acting, that name was already taken by another actress, so I had to come up with a different one,” Emma Stone explained to W Magazine about her moniker. Originally she opted for Riley, but after hearing the name out loud on the set of Malcolm in the Middle, she realized that it didn’t fit her at all. Real Name: Chaim Witz When his family immigrated to America from Israel, Gene Simmons changed his name from Chaim Witz to Gene Klein. Eventually, Klein decided to take on Simmons for professional purposes. Real Name: Jelena Hadid Though her real name is Jelena Hadid, this supermodel has been going by Gigi since elementary school. She explained to Vogue: “In first or second grade, there was a girl named Helena and it got confusing with the teacher who had to call out our names. So the teacher asked my mom, ‘If I needed to call Jelena a nickname, what would it be?’ And my mom was like, ‘I call her Gigi sometimes,’ and the name stuck.” Real Name: Julie Smith “When I went to join the Screen Actor’s Guild (SAG) as Julie Smith, they were like, ‘There’s a Julie Smith, there’s a Julie Anne Smith. You have to choose another name,’” the actress explained to The Hollywood Reporter. “My dad’s name was Peter Moore Smith, and my mother’s name was Anne Smith, [so] I used both their names so I wouldn’t hurt anybody’s feelings.” Real Name: Ella Yelich-O’Connor Her real name is Ella Yelich-O’Connor, but unless you’re her close friend or classmate, it’s more likely that you know her by her stage name, Lorde. The singer concocted the moniker at just 16 years old, explaining on 60 Minutes that she “loved the way” Lord sounded, but wanted to “add an e to feminize it.” Real Name: Eric Marlon Bishop When he had ambitions of playing for the Dallas Cowboys or becoming a professional pianist, Eric Marlon Bishop had no problem using his given name. It was only when Bishop began to perform at comedy clubs in 1989 that he took on the name Jamie Foxx (after Redd Foxx), hoping to be mistaken for a woman. See, at the time, women were often called to the stage ahead of the male comics, and Foxx just didn’t have the patience to wait until a later slot. Real Name: Jonah Feldstein Actor Jonah Hill’s last name is actually Feldstein—but why he chooses not to use his given surname is something of a mystery. When one journalist from The Guardian asked Hill about his decision, “his palpable self-control [broke] down” and he simply replied, “Can we just not?” His actor sister Beanie Feldstein uses their actual last name, however, which is why you may not have realized that the Booksmart star is his sibling. Real Name: Margaret Hyra When registering for SAG, Margaret Hyra ditched her last name in favor of her maternal grandmother’s maiden name, Ryan. Real Name: Declan Patrick McManus As you might imagine, the King of Rock and Roll has something to do with Elvis Costello’s stage name. Born Declan Patrick McManus, the maestro originally went by D.P. Costello, with the last name coming from his father Day Costello. When he went solo, the rocker changed D.P. to Elvis. Real Name: Jennifer Linn Anastassakis Somewhere along the way, Jennifer Linn Anastassakis became Jennifer Aniston. How? Her family changed their surname to “Aniston” on the on the advice of Jennifer’s godfather, actor Telly Savalas. Real Name: Lawrence Zeiger Lawrence Zeiger became Larry King while working at a small radio station in Miami Beach. While there, the general manager of the station told him that his last name was too ethnic, and so minutes before going on air, he chose the surname King, borrowing it from an advertisement in the paper for King’s Wholesale Liquor. Real Name: Richard Starkey He may go by Ringo Starr, but the drummer’s real name is actually Richard Starkey. As for the origins of his chosen title, Ringo was inspired by the gold ring he always wore, and Starr came from his former colleagues, who used to call his drum solos “Starr Time” as a play on his last name. Real Name: Olivia Cockburn After playing Gwendolen in her high school’s production of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, Olivia Cockburn decided to change her last name to Wilde. Real Name: Reginald Dwight On Jan. 7, 1972, Reginald Dwight legally changed his name to Elton John, paying homage to former Bluesology bandmembers Elton Dean and Long John Baldry. The story is retold in the recent biopic about the legend, Rocketman. Real Name: Christopher Edwin Breaux Christopher Edwin Breaux changed his name to Christopher Francis Ocean in 2014. Later, the singer shortened it to Frank Ocean. He told Complex of his decision, “It just felt cool. None of us are our names. If you don’t like your name, then change your name.” Real Name: Katheryn Hudson Katheryn Hudson adopted the moniker Katy Perry because she didn’t want to be confused with Kate Hudson. Perry is her mother’s maiden name. Real Name: Onika Tanya Maraj It actually wasn’t Onika Tanya Maraj’s idea to change her name to Nicki Minaj. “One of the first production deals I signed, the guy wanted my name to be Minaj and I fought him tooth and nail,” Minaj told The Guardian. “But he convinced me. I’ve always hated it.” Real Name: Thomas Mapother IV Born Thomas Mapother IV, this action star was happy to shed his estranged father’s last name and instead use his middle name when he rechristened himself Tom Cruise. For this reason, you may not have realized that he’s related to Lost actor William Mapother—his first cousin. Real Name: Robyn Rihanna Fenty Though born Robyn Fenty, this soulful singer goes by her middle name, Rihanna. However, if you’re a fan of the Barbadian-born beauty, then you probably already knew her last name, given that it’s also the name of her cosmetics and lingerie lines. Real Name: Christopher Brian Bridges Christopher Brian Bridges reportedly took the stage name Ludacris to honor the name his parents chose for him. In a Reddit AMA, he answered a question about his stage name by saying, “My first name is ‘Chris’ and if you look in the dictionary under the term ’ludicrous’ then it means ‘crazy, wild, ridiculous’—which pretty much explains everything about me.” Real Name: Nayvadius DeMun Wilburn This Atlanta-based rapper’s real name is Nayvadius DeMun Wilburn, but he prefers to go by Future. According to an interview he did with MTV, the name was given to him by G-Rock, a member of the musical collective Dungeon Family, when he told a young Wilburn, “You’re the future. You’re the future. You’re a young man. You got energy. You’re ambitious. You’re the future of the Dungeon Family.” Real Name: Destiny Hope Cyrus When Destiny Hope Cyrus was a baby, her family called her “Smiley.” She dropped the “S” and legally changed her name to Miley Ray Cyrus in 2008, both keeping her family name and honoring her father, singer Billy Ray Cyrus, in the process. She legally changed her name again when she married Liam Hemsworth, but the stars have since divorced. Real Name: Calvin Broadus Jr. As you might have already guessed, Snoop Dogg isn’t the rapper’s real name. Born Calvin Broadus, Jr., his “Snoop Dogg” nickname stems from the fact that as a child, his mother used to say that he looked like Snoopy, Charlie Brown’s canine sidekick. “I used to love Peanuts and Charlie Brown—Snoopy was my favorite cartoon character growing up,” Snoop told Esquire. “I watched so much, I started to look like him.” Real Name: Adam Wiles Calvin Harris has taken quite a bit of flak for the reasoning behind his stage name. The DJ, born Adam Wiles, told Digital Spy: “My first single was more of a soul track, and I thought ‘Calvin Harris’ sounded a bit more racially ambiguous. I thought people might not know if I was Black or not. After that, I was stuck with it.” Real Name: Nikolina Konstantinova Dobreva When she began to make a name for herself in Hollywood, Bulgarian-born actress Nikolina Konstantinova Dobreva shortened her name to Nina Dobrev, hoping to make it more pronounceable and Americanized. Real Name: David John McDonald The Doctor Who and Good Omens star couldn’t go by his given name of David McDonald, because there was another working actor with that name. So, he told The Late Late Show host James Corden, he turned to a music magazine for inspiration. Then just 16, he ended up “sort of” naming himself after Pet Shop Boys member Neil Tennant. “I could have been anything,” he joked. “Bojangles MacDuff.” Real Name: Alicia Augello-Cook Considering her incredible talent, it’s no wonder Alicia Keys adopted such a musical stage name. Born Alicia Augello-Cook, the writer and performer first considered using “Wild” as a stage name. Her mother, she told Newsweek, said that Alicia Wild sounded like “a stripper,” and thus she moved on. Real Name: Joaquín Rafael Bottom Though his given name is Joaquín Rafael Bottom, the Oscar-winning actor and his family changed their surname to the symbolic Phoenix when he was still a toddler, after they left a strict religious sect. Early in his acting career, Joaquin Phoenix went by the first name “Leaf,” to be in line with his artist siblings River and Rain, but changed it back when he was still a teen. Real Name: Elizabeth Woolridge Grant Elizabeth Woolridge Grant doesn’t have quite the same old-Hollywood ring as Lana Del Rey, and that was the point. “I wanted a name I could shape the music towards,” the musician told Vogue. “I was going to Miami quite a lot at the time, speaking a lot of Spanish with my friends from Cuba—Lana Del Rey reminded us of the glamour of the seaside. It sounded gorgeous coming off the tip of the tongue.”
