We Bet You Don't Know These Stars' Real Names

What is in a name? For these stars, a whole lot.

Because if you ever wondered how their monikers seemed too good to be true is because, well, they are. Indeed, many of your favorite celebrities switched up their names before they skyrocketed to superstardom. Why? Well, for some, their fans had a hard time remembering their names. And, for others, it's simply a childhood nickname they didn't want to shake. (Yes, we're looking at you Miley Cyrus, who legally changed her name from Destiny Hope Cyrus in 2008.

But regardless the reason, plenty of famous faces have decided to reinvent themselves.

For Frank Ocean (born: Christopher Edwin Breaux), changing his name "was the most empowering shit I did in 2010, for sure," he admitted. "It just felt cool. None of us are our names. If you don't like your name, then change your name...I'll be boarding planes as Christopher Francis Ocean."

He's not alone in that belief.

Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Aniston, Ricky Martin and Lady Gaga all remade themselves by making a tweak years ago, and we can't even imagine thinking that they could go by anything other than their well-known stage names.

But can you guess the names they ditched from their birth certificates?

Keep reading to learn what all your favorite stars were originally called...

Jason Sudeikis confirmed on Today that he was named Daniel after his father, but following some confusion, his mom started using his middle name Jason to avoid confusion. 

Shania Twain shared the origin story of her stage name during an appearance on Apple Music's Home Now Radio: "In short, I was born, Eilleen Regina Edwards, and then I was adopted and I became Eilleen Regina Twain. Then I became a professional singer and I needed a stage name that sounded a little less like my grandmother's name, because I'm named after my grandmother, both my grandmothers, Eilleen and Regina. I think, in my mind, I was just not really wanting to be called my grandmother's name onstage, so I decided to change it to Shania Twain. I met somebody with the name Shania, thought it was beautiful, and Shania Twain was born."

Cardi B took on the name Bacardi after family and friends started calling her sister Hennessy. Later on she shortened the name to something that suited her quite a bit more.

Oddly enough, Gigi Hadid got her stage name in school when the teacher would confuse her and a girl named Helena. Since her mom called her "gigi" as a term of endearment at home, she told the teacher to just call her Gigi and it simply stuck. 

If you're looking for an explosive action-star name, how about Vin Diesel instead?

Before she became the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle was briefly known as Rachel. 

Miley Cyrus' bright smile is what inspired her childhood nickname, Smiley. Eventually the name was shortened to Miley and it stuck. 

Apparently the singer looked more like a Bruno than a Peter, so one day his dad started calling him Bruno. Ever since, he has been known as Bruno Mars.

Before the meat dresses and chart-topping music, Lady Gaga was just an everyday girl from New York.

Turns out Reese isn't even Reese Witherspoon's middle name. The actress chose the moniker in honor of her mother, whose maiden name is Reese.

Every artist has an alter ego, and Lana Del Rey just happens to be the persona of choice for the singer. 

In 2014, Frank Ocean legally changed his name because, why not? 

A little known fact about 30 Rock's Tina Fey is that she is actually named Elizabeth. The comedian made a not so subtle tribute to her birth name by naming her character Liz Lemon.

This pioneer of West Coast rap would later go on to be known as Snoop Dogg.

Turns out the "Royals" singer is really into learning about the aristocracy, hence the reason why she chose the name Lorde, but with a feminine 'e.'

Before he started shaking his bonbon for the masses, music superstar Ricky Martin went by this everyday name.

It's hard to believe that Iggy Azalea was born Amethyst Kelly!

Fans were confused when Taylor Swift thanked then-boyfriend Adam in an acceptance speech, which lead people to the discovery that Calvin Harris is simply a stage name. The DJ told Shortlist magazine he chose the name because his first single was more soulful and wanted something a bit more "racially ambiguous."

Before she became a household name, this was what erstwhile Friend Jennifer Aniston answered to.

Alicia Keys didn't always have such a musical name.

Before he became arguably the biggest movie star in the world, Tom Cruise went by this name.

Back when she was born in 1980, this was how the future bigtime actress Natalie Portman greeted the world.

Before she became a big-time TV star and married Ellen DeGeneres, this was the name Portia de Rossi answered to.

Guess music superstar Elton John didn't think his original name would be a hit with audiences.

Check former Paris Hilton BFF Nicole Richie's birth certificate and this is the name you'll see.

All it took was a nickname from some high school friends, and U2 frontman Bono's famous moniker was born.

We agree. Carmen Electra is much more effective when it comes to selling a sexy Baywatch persona.

True, Jamie Foxx just seems more fitting for an Oscar-winning Hollywood party guy.

Before she'd starred in dozens of huge Hollywood movies and married two Tinseltown A-listers, this was the name Demi Moore went by.

Jay-Z is definitely a more fitting name for a hip-hop impressario.

A version of this story was originally published on Thursday, March 28, 2019 at 6:20 a.m. PT.

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