Just when you think you know celebs, they go and offer a new facet of themselves.
This could be a sibling we never knew about, an odd job they worked growing up, or even their real name.
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Yep, the celebs you know best may be hiding a whole other identity. Here are 10+ celebs who don’t use their real names.
1. The Weeknd
Born: Abel Makkonen Tesfaye
It should be pretty obvious that The Weeknd isn’t his real name.
In a Reddit Ask Me Anything , the singer revealed that he picked the stage name after he left home as a teenager.
“I hated my name at the time though so I tried it as a stage name,” he continued.
“It sounded cool. I took out the ‘e’ because there was already a Canadian band named the weekend (copyright issues).”
2. Cardi B
Born: Belcalis Almánzar
If the rapper’s name reminds you of Barcardi rum, that’s no coincidence. Cardi B explained to Jimmy Fallon that everyone used to call her Bacardi while she was growing up, and so eventually she changed her name!
3. Gigi Hadid
Born: Jelena Noura Hadid
Gigi seems to be a name that has been passed down! Gigi revealed to Vogue that her mother had the same nickname by her mother when she was a child too.
“I was called that around the house when I was really young, kind of like how my mom was called it.”
She continued on, saying that she adopted Gigi full-time in grade school.
That was because there was another girl in school named Helena who made thing things confusing when the teacher called out their names.
4. Calvin Harris
Born: Adam Richard Wiles
The Scottish DJ decided to change his name “to exploit the racial ambiguity of his stage name,” he told Shortlist .
He felt that the name Calvin Harris fit that more than his actual name.
5. Marilyn Monroe
Born: Norma Jeane Mortenson
Her name is one of the most iconic in the world, but she wasn’t born with it.
It all started when a 20th Century Fox executive suggested that she change her name for more star quality.
She soon landed on Monroe since it’s a family name. Then, when it came to her first name, the studio executive helped with that.
They suggested Marilyn since she reminded them of the 1920s Broadway starlet, Marilyn Miller.
6. Nicki Minaj
Born: Onika Tanya Maraj
The story behind Nicki’s stage name is a little sad.
In a 2012 interview with The Guardian , she revealed that someone in the industry actually changed her name, and she never liked it.
The rapper prefers to be called by her real first name by friends and family.
“My rule is, whatever you were calling me four years ago is what you should be calling me now, because I don’t like it when my family or close friends call me Nicki Minaj,” she explained to The Guardian . “To me I’m not Nicki Minaj when I’m with them.”
7. Emma Stone
Born: Emily Jean Stone
In the early days of her career, she changed her name since there was already an Emily Stone in Hollywood.
But she told W magazine that most people that know her well call her “M.”
8. Portia de Rossi
Born: Amanda Lee Rogers
The Australian actress and Ellen DeGeneres’ wife changed her name for fame — and to connect more with her sexuality.
She opened up about this to the LGBTQ+ news site, The Advocate .
She mentioned that because of her struggles, she just wasn’t connecting with who she was at birth and growing up.
She was looking for things she could identify with, and that included a new name for herself.
9. Halsey
Born: Ashley Frangipane
The story behind the singer’s name change is actually really sweet.
When talking to Vevo , she revealed that a friend lived on Halsey Street in Brooklyn and she spent a lot of time there making music. Plus, it’s a different way of spelling “Ashley.”
10. Joaquin Phoenix
Born: Joaquín Rafael Bottom
“Bottom” just doesn’t have the same kind of star quality as “Pheonix”…
His family had the last name until they left their religious group, the Children Of God, and chose Phoenix as their new surname.
11. Kit Harington
Born: Christopher Catesby Harington
Get this: The star’s parents didn’t tell him his real name was Christopher until he was 11.
“I think they could see that I wanted to be Kit,” Harington told Glamour .
“But Christopher was a bit of a tradition,” he continued. “My brother’s name is Jack, but his real name is John.”
“Kit is traditionally an offshoot of Christopher, it’s just not used that often. My middle name is Catesby.”
12. Natalie Portman
Born: Neta-Lee Hershlag.
Since she’s Jewish, this was her Hebrew birth name.
She adopted her paternal grandfather’s maiden name, Portman, as a way to protect her identity as a child actress. This was a super smart call!
13. Katy Perry
Born: Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson
“I created this wonderful character called Katy Perry that I very much am, and can step into all the time, but I created that character out of protection,” the singer told The Guardian .
14. Alicia Keys
The singer changed her last name from Alicia Augello-Cook to Alica Wild, before landing on Alicia Keys. She felt it would better suit her as a performer.
Since she plays the piano so much, this made complete sense to her.
15. Meghan Markle
The former duchess was born Rachel Meghan Markle , but shortened it only slightly for the entertainment world.
It definitely flows off the tongue better, but we are all going to remember her as the duchess anyhow!
16. Brad Pitt
This megastar was born William Bradley Pitt.
According to Page Six, the actor uses his first name, William, when he’s flirting with a woman. I’d be shocked though if they didn’t know it was him…
17. Lady Gaga
This Italian queen was born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta .
She decided to name herself Lady Gaga after being inspired by the famous 1984 Queen song “Radio Ga Ga.” It’s very on brand for her, to be honest.
18. Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus got her name because of a childhood nickname.
Her birth name, Destiny Hope, evolved to Miley because she was always smiling, so they’d call her Smiley. Smiley ended up becoming Miley.
19. Reese Witherspoon
This queen was born Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon, but decided to take her mother’s name as her first name.
I wonder if she still would have made it just as far in Hollywood with her real name.
20. Courtney Love
Surprisingly, this iconic rock star’s last name is not Love. But she has adopted the stage name for so long, people assumed it was!
Her birth name is Courtney Michelle Harrison. Doesn’t have quite the same ring to it, does it?
21. Spike Lee
Spike Lee, born Shelton Lee, is another celeb who got his stage name from a nickname.
When he was younger, his mother nicknamed him “Spike” because he was a baby with an attitude. He was, apparently, very tough.
22. Olivia Wilde
Olivia Wilde, born Olivia Cockburn, actually changed her name in tribute to Oscar Wilde.
When she was in high school, she played Gwendolen in Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest . She was so inspired that she changed her name!
23. Drake
Drake’s birth name is Aubrey Drake Graham .
While he was on Degrassi: The Next Generation , he was actually known as Aubrey Graham for a while. But once he turned to rap, he dropped the name and stuck to Drake.
24. Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey was born Elizabeth Woolridge Grant.
When she was 25 and started to really pursue her musical dream, she decided to become Lana Del Rey instead. It definitely sounds more dreamy to me.
25. Ashton Kutcher
Ashton Kutcher was Christopher Ashton Kutcher.
He revealed his full name at the 2013 Teen Choice Awards. He explained that when he was trying to make it in Hollywood, he dropped his first name and stuck to Ashton.
