25 Celebrities Who Don't Use Their Real Names
Did you ever wonder why some celebrities have catchy names that make them hard to forget? Some names just don't have a ring to them, prompting these celebs to ditch their birth names for a more star-like moniker. After all, Olivia Jack Cockburn doesn't have quite the same ring to it as Olivia Wilde.
You know their famous faces; now check out their pre-fame names. These 25 Hollywood stars took on stage names that made them far more autograph-worthy.
Image via © Efren Landaos/Press Line/Splash/Corbis
Julia Roberts: Julie Roberts
Julia Roberts didn't stray too far from her chosen name, Julie. But she did change it to Julia because early in her career, the star discovered there was already an actress name Julie Roberts. Looks like this Julie Roberts emerged as the true star.
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Reese Witherspoon: Laura Jean Reese Witherspoon
Miss Laura Jean is just about as Southern as it gets. The star took on her mother's maiden name, Reese, and turned it into her professional name. If you love the The Hot Pursuit star's name, it's still low on the popularity list, ranking #164 out of 1000 on the Nameberry List, so go ahead steal it if your preggers.
Lorde: Ella Marie Lani Yelich O'Conner
Incase you were wondering if someone actually names their daughter Lorde, the answer is no. Lorde was given the name Ella Marie Lani Yelich O'Conner. But because the "Pure Heroin" singer didn't see the name as destined for royalty, she found something much more regal.
Mindy Kaling: Vera Mindy Chokalingam
It turns out the actress and producer never went by her birth name, Vera Mindy Chokalingam. Her Nigerian parents wanted a cute name, so they dubbed her Mindy. When Mindy began her stand-up career the MCs' couldn't pronounce her last name, so what's a gal to do but shorten it?
Olivia Wilde: Olivia Jack Cockburn
Born Olivia Jack Cockburn, the actress' parents, Andrew and Leslie Cockburn, are well-known international journalists. But Wilde reportedly decided to ditch her moniker after playing Gwendelon in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest in high school. Maybe she wanted to stand out on her own. The name is sort of catchy.
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Jason Derulo: Jason Joel Desrouleaux
The "Talk Dirty" singer didn't want to overcomplicate things when it came to pronouncing his name, so Jason Joel Desrouleaux chose the stage name Jason Derulo. Derulo is actually just an alternate spelling of his last name, which shares the same pronunciation.
Carmen Electra: Tara Leigh Patrick
Because she can! And, it sounds MUCH more star-worthy than Tara Leigh Patrick. Actually, though, it was Prince who convinced her to change her name. The two dated for a while before the Playboy Playmate became a star.
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David Tennant: David McDonald
Tennant's name change was due to a legal issue rather than a desire to simply pick a stage name. The acting union, Equity, actually made the Dr. Who star change his name because there was already a David McDonald registered with the union. The Scottish actor chose the name from one of his favorite singers, Pet Shop Boys, Neil Tennant.
Elle Macpherson: Eleanor Gow
Sexy supermodel Elle Macpherson decided that she would change her name to launch her career. The runway queen claims that unglamourous names are awash in the industry, and Eleanor Gow just wasn't living up to her fashion forte.
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Vin Diesel: Mark Sinclair Vincent
The Fast and the Furious star actually adopted two of his nicknames to create his stage name Vin Diesel. Mark Sinclair Vincent's friends used to call him Vin, from his last name Vincent, and because he never ran out of energy some of his pals called him "Diesel." Hence, Vin Diesel.
Whoopi Goldberg: Caryn Elaine Johnson
Believe it or not funny gal Whoopi Goldberg chose her first name because her friends said she sounded like a whoopee cushion, and contrary to most people moving away from their ethnic names in Hollywood, Goldberg's mom didn't think Caryn Elaine Johnson sounded Jewish enough to make it in La La Land. And so, Whoopi Goldberg was born.
Jamie Foxx: Eric Bishop
The Oscar winner actually changed his name from Eric Bishop to Jamie Foxx to put him ahead of the line in stand-up comedy, where women are usually called up before men. Eric Bishop thought a gender-neutral name like Jamie would move him up a few spots at least. He chose Foxx as an ode to one of his favorite perfomers, Sanford & Son's Redd Foxx.
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Mariah Carey: Maria Nunez
Grammy-winning diva Mariah Carey was born Maria Nunez, but Carey adopted her Venezuelan grandfather's name, Carey, which he changed from Nunez after emigrating to the U.S. Mariah's first name is from the song, "They Call The Wind Maria," from the 1950s Broadway musical, Paint Your Wagon. At the time it was pronounced Mariah.
Bruno Mars: Peter Gene Hernandez
Born Peter Gene Hernandez, the Honolulu-born singer didn't want to be stereotyped into just creating Latin music, so he came up with a stage name to skyrocket his career. The crooner took on his childhood nickname, Bruno, given to him because he was both strong-willed and a brute. Mars came about as the singer thought he was "out of this world."
Winona Ryder: Winona Laura Horowitz
After being spotted by director David Seltzer, Winona Laura Horowitz was cast in the '80s film Lucas. When Seltzer called the actress to ask her how she would like her name to appear in the credits, the 13-year-old said "Winona Ryder", as her father's favorite Mitch Ryder album was playing in the background. The rest is history.
Coco Rocha: Mikhaila Rocha
Some models need fab names to sound uber sexy and launch their professional careers. Mikhaila Rocha was no exception. Coco is much more runway worthy.
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Alicia Keys: Alicia Augello Cook
The singer born Alicia Augello Cook took to the dictionary to choose her stage name. When Keys settled on Wild, her mom dissuaded her, saying it sounded too much like a stripper's name. After that she decided to use Keys because the name is "like the piano keys and can open many doors."