Celebrities Who Changed Their Names Before Fame

A great stage name can do a lot. It can be shorter, easier to remember, more distinctive, or simply better suited to the image an artist wants to build.

In Hollywood and music, name changes are common. Some stars shorten long birth names. Some use middle names. Some pick names that avoid confusion with another performer. Others create a completely new identity before stepping into the spotlight.

SAG-AFTRA rules are also one reason many actors use stage names, because the union does not allow two members to work professionally under the same or very similar names.

Here are celebrities who changed their names before becoming famous.

1. Marilyn Monroe

Before she became Marilyn Monroe, she was born Norma Jeane Mortenson.

Her new name became one of the most famous in Hollywood history. “Marilyn” gave her a polished screen identity, while “Monroe” came from her mother’s family name.

Today, it is almost impossible to separate the name Marilyn Monroe from old Hollywood glamour.

2. Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga was born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta.

Her stage name helped her build a bold pop persona that felt larger than life. The name “Gaga” has often been linked to Queen’s song “Radio Ga Ga,” and it gave her the kind of unforgettable identity that matched her music, fashion, and performance style.

3. Bruno Mars

Bruno Mars was born Peter Gene Hernandez.

“Bruno” came from a childhood nickname, while “Mars” gave the name a more memorable show-business feel. Bruno Mars is among the celebrities who changed their names before becoming stars.

The name worked. It is short, catchy, and easy to remember.

4. Elton John

Elton John was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight.

He chose a new name as his music career developed, taking inspiration from musicians Elton Dean and Long John Baldry. The change helped him step into a new identity before becoming one of the biggest music stars in the world.

5. David Bowie

David Bowie was born David Robert Jones.

He changed his name to avoid confusion with Davy Jones of The Monkees. TIME reported that Bowie made the change as a young artist and took inspiration from Jim Bowie.

The name David Bowie became the starting point for one of music’s greatest reinventions.

6. Jamie Foxx

Jamie Foxx was born Eric Marlon Bishop.

He reportedly chose a gender-neutral first name early in his comedy career because female comics were often called to the stage first at open-mic nights. “Foxx” was a tribute to comedian Redd Foxx.

The name later followed him from stand-up into acting, music, and his Oscar-winning film career.

7. Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg was born Caryn Elaine Johnson.

Her stage name became as distinctive as her personality. “Whoopi” came from a playful nickname, while “Goldberg” gave her a memorable professional identity.

Goldberg is among the stars whose stage names became far better known than their birth names.

8. Vin Diesel

Vin Diesel was born Mark Sinclair.

The name came from his early life around New York clubs, where “Vin” was linked to his stepfather’s surname, Vincent, and “Diesel” reflected his high-energy personality.

It later became a perfect fit for the action-star image he built through The Fast and the Furious franchise.

9. Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman was born Natalie Hershlag.

She adopted Portman, her grandmother’s maiden name, as her professional surname. The name gave her more privacy as she began acting young and became known through films such as Léon: The Professional and Star Wars.

10. Reese Witherspoon

Reese Witherspoon was born Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon.

She chose to use “Reese,” her mother’s maiden name, professionally. PEOPLE lists Witherspoon among celebrities who changed or adjusted their names before fame.

The choice gave her a sharper, more memorable screen name while still keeping it connected to her family.

11. Emma Stone

Emma Stone was born Emily Jean Stone.

She changed her professional first name because another performer had already registered as Emily Stone. That kind of name conflict is common in Hollywood because actors often need a distinct professional name.

“Emma Stone” quickly became one of the most recognizable names of her generation.

12. Michael Keaton

Michael Keaton was born Michael Douglas.

He could not use his birth name professionally because actor Michael Douglas was already famous. So he adopted “Keaton,” reportedly inspired by classic Hollywood names.

The change helped him build his own identity through Beetlejuice, Batman, Birdman, and many more films.

13. Katy Perry

Katy Perry was born Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson.

She used the surname Perry, her mother’s maiden name, to avoid confusion with actress Kate Hudson. The name also fit the bright pop identity she later built through hits like “I Kissed a Girl,” “Teenage Dream,” and “Firework.”

14. Rihanna

Rihanna was born Robyn Rihanna Fenty.

She chose to use her middle name professionally. The name Rihanna became globally known through music, fashion, beauty, and business. Rihanna is among those stars who changed or shortened their names before becoming famous.

15. Keke Palmer

Keke Palmer was born Lauren Keyana Palmer.

“Keke” came from a family nickname, and it became the name audiences knew her by as she moved from child acting into music, hosting, and major film roles.

PEOPLE includes Palmer among celebrities whose professional names differ from their birth names.

16. Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus was born Destiny Hope Cyrus.

Her childhood nickname was “Smiley,” which was eventually shortened to Miley. She later legally changed her name. The name became famous through Hannah Montana and later through her music career.

17. Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage was born Nicolas Kim Coppola.

He changed his last name partly to avoid being seen only as Francis Ford Coppola’s nephew. “Cage” was inspired by comic-book character Luke Cage.

That decision helped him build an identity separate from one of Hollywood’s most famous film families.

18. Martin Sheen

Martin Sheen was born Ramón Antonio Gerardo Estévez.

He adopted his stage name early in his acting career, while his son Emilio Estévez later chose to keep the family surname professionally. PEOPLE lists Martin Sheen among celebrities who changed their names before becoming widely known.

19. Charlie Sheen

Charlie Sheen was born Carlos Irwin Estévez.

He followed his father’s professional surname and became famous as Charlie Sheen. The name became tied to films like Platoon, Wall Street, and the sitcom Two and a Half Men.

20. Meg Ryan

Meg Ryan was born Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra.

She shortened her professional name to Meg Ryan, using her maternal grandmother’s maiden name. Entertainment Weekly includes Meg Ryan in its guide to celebrities’ real names.

The shorter name fit the crisp, approachable screen image she later became known for.

21. Winona Ryder

Winona Ryder was born Winona Laura Horowitz.

She chose the surname Ryder for her acting career, reportedly inspired by musician Mitch Ryder. The name helped her stand out during her rise in films like Beetlejuice, Heathers, and Edward Scissorhands.

22. Olivia Wilde

Olivia Wilde was born Olivia Jane Cockburn.

She chose “Wilde” as a tribute to writer Oscar Wilde. The name gave her a literary, elegant professional identity before she became known for House, Tron: Legacy, and her directing career.

23. Ben Kingsley

Ben Kingsley was born Krishna Pandit Bhanji.

He changed his professional name early in his acting career. The name Ben Kingsley later became known worldwide through Gandhi, Schindler’s List, Sexy Beast, and many other roles.

24. Helen Mirren

Helen Mirren was born Ilyena Lydia Mironoff.

Her family name was changed to Mirren when she was young, and she later became famous under the name Helen Mirren. The name is now associated with one of Britain’s most respected acting careers.

25. Joaquin Phoenix

Joaquin Phoenix was born Joaquin Rafael Bottom.

His family changed their surname to Phoenix, symbolizing a new beginning. Joaquin also used the name Leaf Phoenix as a child actor before returning to Joaquin.

He later became known for Gladiator, Walk the Line, Her, and Joker.

26. Natalie Wood

Natalie Wood was born Natalia Nikolaevna Zakharenko.

Her screen name was chosen while she was still a child actor. “Natalie Wood” became much easier for Hollywood marketing and audiences to remember.

She later became one of the defining actresses of her era through Rebel Without a Cause, West Side Story, and Splendor in the Grass.

27. Cary Grant

Cary Grant was born Archibald Leach.

His new name helped shape the polished leading-man image that made him one of classic Hollywood’s greatest stars. “Cary Grant” sounded smooth, elegant, and perfectly suited to romantic comedies and thrillers.

28. Judy Garland

Judy Garland was born Frances Ethel Gumm.

She performed with her sisters as part of the Gumm Sisters before adopting the name Judy Garland. That new name followed her into The Wizard of Oz and one of the most famous careers in American entertainment.

29. Kirk Douglas

Kirk Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch.

He changed his name before becoming one of Hollywood’s biggest leading men. “Kirk Douglas” became associated with strong screen roles, including Spartacus, Paths of Glory, and Champion.

30. John Legend

John Legend was born John Roger Stephens.

“Legend” began as a nickname before becoming his professional name. It gave him a memorable identity as he moved from songwriter and collaborator to Grammy-winning singer and EGOT winner.

31. Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey was born Elizabeth Woolridge Grant.

Her stage name helped create a cinematic, vintage-inspired pop identity. Lana Del Rey is among those artists whose real names are very different from their stage names.

32. The Weeknd

The Weeknd was born Abel Makkonen Tesfaye.

His stage name helped build mystery around his early music. He later became one of the biggest pop and R&B stars in the world, known for Blinding Lights, Starboy, and After Hours.

33. Lorde

Lorde was born Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor.

She chose a stage name that felt dramatic and powerful, adding the “e” to make it softer and more feminine. The name became famous when she broke through as a teenager with “Royals.”

34. Chappell Roan

Chappell Roan was born Kayleigh Rose Amstutz.

Her stage name was inspired by family and helped her create a bold pop identity. Chappell Roan is among those celebrities whose real names are different from the names fans know.

35. Doja Cat

Doja Cat was born Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini.

Her stage name began from online culture and her own interests before becoming one of the most recognizable names in modern pop and rap.

36. Cardi B

Cardi B was born Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar.

Her name came from a nickname connected to Bacardi, which people used because her sister’s name is Hennessy. Cardi B later turned that nickname into a major music and media brand.

37. Queen Latifah

Queen Latifah was born Dana Elaine Owens.

She chose a name that reflected confidence, dignity, and identity. “Latifah” means delicate or kind in Arabic, and the full name helped her stand out in hip-hop before she expanded into acting, producing, and hosting.

38. Awkwafina

Awkwafina was born Nora Lum.

She created the name as a playful alter ego before becoming known as a rapper, comedian, and actress. The name followed her into films such as Crazy Rich Asians, The Farewell, and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

39. Elizabeth Banks

Elizabeth Banks was born Elizabeth Mitchell.

She changed her professional surname because another actress named Elizabeth Mitchell was already registered. Banks recently explained that she chose “Banks” partly because her mother worked at a bank and the name felt bright to her.

40. Brie Larson

Brie Larson was born Brianne Sidonie Desaulniers.

She adopted a shorter professional name that was easier for people to pronounce and remember. The name Brie Larson later became known through Room, Captain Marvel, and Lessons in Chemistry.