21 Times Celebrities Changed Their Names Before Stepping Into Fame

What if I told you that your favorite celebrity's name is not their initial names?

Maryjane

• Published in Film & TV
• April 4, 2022

One thing that everyone possesses is names, even though other people use them more than we, the true owners, but I guess that is how it’s supposed to be. We were all given names when we were young, and sometimes when we come of age, we might want to change it to a name that we like.

There are other reasons that might make someone change their name, but it all depends on a particular individual. But what if I told you that your favorite celebrity's name is not their initial names?

Well, the same way you can change yours is the same way they can change theirs, but they do have different reasons for it. Let’s take John Legend, for instance.

Well, it might be interesting to know that his name is John Roger Stephens. According to him, "Legend" was a nickname his friends always called him.

Tim Allen also uses his middle name as his stage last name. You know why? because he did not want to bear the name Tim Dick.

Yes, that was his name. Well, it happened that he was asked to take another name because they could not write "Tim Dick" on the screens. Below, we’ve gathered some of these celebrities and their real names.

So scroll down and be entertained.

1. Alicia Keys born as Alicia Augello Cook

Alicia Keys said she wanted to use Alicia Wild as a stage name. Her mother said it sounds like a stripper. So, Alicia settled on the last name Keys.

2. Olivia Wilde born as Olivia Cockburn

After playing Gwendolen in her high school's production of Oscar Wilde’s, Olivia changed her last name to Wilde.

3. Erykah Badu born as Erica Abi Wright

She changed the spelling of her name from Erica to Erykah. She chose Badu as her last name because it was her favorite jazz scat sound.

4. Joaquin Phoenix born as Joaquin Rafael Bottom

His parents changed their family's surnames from Bottom to Phoenix.

5. Demi Moore born as Demi Gene Guynes

Demi married musician Freddy Moore at 18 and took his last name.

6. Julianne Moore born as Julie Anne Smith

Julianne tried to join SAG but there was already a Julie Smith in SAG. Her dad's name was Peter Moore Smith and her mom's name was Anne Smith, so she combined both.

7. John Legend born as John Roger Stephens

John Legend started out as a nickname that his friends always call him.

8. Blake Lively born as Blake Ellender Brown

Blake took her mom's surname Lively.

9. Aaron Paul born as Aaron Paul Stutevant

Albert L. Ortega / Getty Images

Aaron dropped his real last name because it was too difficult for people to pronounce.

10. Nicolas Cage born as Nicolas Kim Coppola

Nicolas is the nephew of director Francis Ford Coppola. He apparently changed his name to avoid the nepotism accusation.

11. Tim Allen born as Timothy Allen Dick

Tim was told to think of another name because they refused to have "Tim Dick" written on the screen.

12. Katy Perry born as Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson

Katy changed her name so as not to be confused with Kate Hudson.

13. Jonah Hill born as Jonah Hill Feldstein

His sister, Beanie Feldstein uses their family's last name.

14. Natalie Portman born as Natalie Hershlag

Natalie Portman's family changed the Hershlag surname to Portman.

15. Chelsea Kane born as Chelsea Kane Staub

Chelsea started used her middle name because it's easier to pronounce.

16. Courtney Love born as Courtney Michelle Harrison

Courtney stopped using her stage name as it was a "way to oppress me.”

17. Julie Bowen born as Julie Bowen Luetkemeyer

She hasn't spoken publicly as to "Luetkemeyer" was dropped, but often actors change their names to one that's easier to spell and pronounce.

18. Theo James born as Theodore Peter James Kinnaird Taptiklis

After attending the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in England, he decided to do a name change.

19. Michael Keaton born as Michael Douglas

Michael changed his last name to avoid being confused with the other big actor named Michael Douglas.

20. Stevie Wonder born as Steveland Judkins

When Stevie's parents got divorced, his mom legally changed his surname from Judkins to Morris. Then, a record producer gave him the stage name Little Stevie Wonder.

21. And lastly, Winona Ryder born as Winona Laura Horowitz

She was asked how she wanted her name to appear in the credits, she allegedly chose Ryder.

Names are personal, and it’s entirely up to the bearer to decide to keep or discard them. These celebrities had reasons for dropping their names, and it’s totally fine as long as they love it.

Have you had a change of name before? Tell us your thoughts about this post in the comments below.

Maryjane