Barbra Streisand take on one " a " out of her name because she " want to be unique , but [ she ] did n’t desire to change [ her ] name because that was too false . "
People pursuing careers in Hollywood use stage names for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes you might not even notice it because they only changed part of their name.
Here are 17 celebs who changed their first names for fame:
1.Shania Twain’s real first name is Eilleen.
She say on her Apple Music showHome Now Radio , " I became a professional singer , and I necessitate a stage name that vocalise a small less like my grandmother ’s name , because I ’m named after my grandma — both my grandmothers , Eilleen and Regina [ her middle name ] . I reckon , in my mind , I was just not really wanting to be call off my grandmother ’s name onstage , so I determine to exchange it toShania Twain . I encounter somebody with the name Shania , thought it was beautiful , and Shania Twain was born . "
2.Tina Fey’s first name is Elizabeth.
Her stage namecomesfrom her center name , Stamatina . She on purpose appoint her30 Rockcharacter , Liz Lemon , using part of her own first name .
3.Halsey is actually Ashley Frangipane.
" Halsey " is ananagramof Ashley .
They toldCosmopolitan , " [ change my name ] hand me the chance to make a new character that was n’t spring by the prospect I had for myself or the limitation that others pose on me because of my upbringing or my socioeconomic situation . I create a person , and she could do everything . There was no way that Ashley was going to become a king , but I made a Modern name for myself and took her to paranormal , supernatural heights . "
4.Shay Mitchell’s name is Shannon.
She toldGlamour , " I love J.Lo , Jennifer Lopez . And when I was in high school , mass would be like , ' Shay - Lo , ' and then ' Shay ' kinda stuck . We dropped ' Lo , ' because no one can be J.Lo . When I was auditioning , I would go into room , and because it was a singular name , they ’d require me about it . So that would get me another minute in the elbow room , which is always great . "
5.Idris Elbagoes by a shortened version of his name, Idrissa.
As a teenager , he began going by " Idris " to guard off bully he ’d fight for razz him because they thought " Idrissa " sounded feminine .
He toldNew York magazine , " I quickly get well known because I was improbable and was n’t taking any whoreson . "
6.Tess Holliday’s given name is Ryann.
She cycled through several leg names before signing with MILK Model Management , when she determine to stick with her then - fiancé ’s last name . She kept the last name professionally after their divorce .
She toldPeoplemagazine , " I [ originally ] chose ' Tess Typhoon ' because it sounded right , and then I chose ' Tess Munster ' because I wish TV showThe Munsters . "
7.Jude Law’s first name is David.
He ’s gone by his middle name since he enrolled in drama school as a teenager , but it on occasion caused disarray .
He toldCosmopolitan , " [ I was ] assign to the girls ' hall and quiescence quarters when I was a teen , and I joined the National Youth Music Theatre . Someone took a face at my name and clearly thought , It has to be a girl . How wrong can you get ? "
8.Ashton Kutcher is actually Christopher.
He started going by his midway name when he began modeling .
On theChicks in the Officepodcast , he said , " When I was turn up — so my first name ’s Chris , and when I moved to New York , when I first come here , I incur a modeling federal agent and she was like , ' We have like three Chris K. ’s at the agency . There was another Chris K. and there was a couple of other Chrises , and she ’s like , ' What ’s your middle name ? ' I told her and she ’s like , ' That ’s your name now . ' "
9.Erykah Badu goes by a different spelling of her legal first name, Erica. Her legal last name is Wright.
Shereportedlychanged the spelling because she thought Erica was a " striver name . "
The " kah " isreportedlytaken from an ancient Egyptian Good Book signify " inner self . "
10.Julianne Moore’s stage name is a combination of her real first and middle names, Julie Anne.
She also had to ditch her existent last name , Smith , because of Screen Actors Guild rules that no two histrion can register under the same name .
She told theHollywood Reporter , " When I go to join SAG as Julie Smith , they were like , ' There ’s a Julie Smith , there ’s a Julie Anne Smith . You have to choose another name . My dad ’s name was Peter Moore Smith , and my mother ’s name was Anne Smith , and I used both their name so I would n’t hurt anybody ’s feeling . "
11.Barbra Streisand slightly altered the spelling of her given name, Barbara.
She toldCBS News , " I was 18 and I wanted to be unequalled , but I did n’t need to change my name because that was too false . You know , citizenry were saying , ' You could be Joanie Sands , ' or something like that . [ Her in-between name is Joan . ] And I said , ' No , permit ’s see , if I take out the ' a , ' it ’s still ' Barbara , ' but it ’s unequaled . "
12.Emma Stone is actually Emily.
She toldW cartridge , " My real name is Emily Stone , but when I started acting , that name was already take by another actress , so I had to come up with a unlike one . For a 16 - yr - onetime , picking a Modern name is an interesting prognosis , and back then I said , ' I ’m now cash in one’s chips to be Riley Stone ! ' So for about six month , I was called Riley . I set ashore a guest slur onMalcolm in the Middle , and one daylight they were calling , ' Riley ! Riley ! Riley ! We need you on set , Riley ! ' and I had no idea who they were talking to . At that moment , I realized that I just could n’t be Riley . So I became Emma . But I miss Emily . I would love to get her back . "
13.Frank Ocean’s birth name is Christopher.
He was bear Christopher Breaux , but in 2015 , he legallychangedhis name to Frank Ocean .
14.Reese Witherspoon’s given name is Laura Jeanne.
Shereportedlychose to use her middle name professionally in honor of her mom , whose maiden name is Reese .
15.Zayn Malik changed the spelling of his first name, Zain.
He alsodecidedto dangle his last name when he went solo .
16.Mindy Kaling’s first name is actually Vera.
Her stage name consists of her middle name and a shortened interpretation of her last name , Chokalingam .
She toldNHPR , " I shortened my name because emcee for these drollery shows would have bother pronouncing it , and then they ’d make a joke about my last name . … [ There are several large ] comedians who change their names , and I feel it was the easiest matter for me to do , and at long last it was really beneficial to do it . It was something that I had a lot of sundry notion about . But my parents did n’t mind . I blab out to them about it . And then I ended up shortening it . It ’s bittersweet , but I have to say , it was such a assistant to my calling to have a name that people could pronounce . "
17.And finally, Keke Palmer’s first name is Lauren.
She toldGlamour , " I actuallydon’tprefer to go by Keke rather of Lauren . The only people that called me Keke were hoi polloi in my kinsperson . Then one day , my manager at that time heard my mommy call me Keke because I was n’t listening . He articulate , ' That should be your microscope stage name . ' So [ Keke ] went from being just something that my family called me to being something that the whole world called me . And more than anything , I would jazz to go back to Lauren . "
