Friday, August 29, 2025
  • Lowyat.NET
  • Lipstiq
  • Murai MY
  • Miss Murai
  • Varnam
  • Moviedash
  • Autofreaks
No Result
View All Result
Hype Malaysia
  • Hype Picks
    • Go
    • Eats
    • Style
    • Streams
    • Concerts
  • Celebs
    • K-pop
  • Music
    • Reviews
    • Interviews & Features
  • Movies & TV
    • Movies
    • TV
    • Features
  • Lifestyle
    • Tech
    • Travels
    • News
  • Giveaways
    • Contests
Hype Malaysia
  • Hype Picks
    • Go
    • Eats
    • Style
    • Streams
    • Concerts
  • Celebs
    • K-pop
  • Music
    • Reviews
    • Interviews & Features
  • Movies & TV
    • Movies
    • TV
    • Features
  • Lifestyle
    • Tech
    • Travels
    • News
  • Giveaways
    • Contests
No Result
View All Result
Hype Malaysia
No Result
View All Result
Home Celebrity

10 Celebs Who Changed Their Names, & For Good Reasons!

by Lainey
September 26, 2014
319
SHARES
Share on FacebookShare on Whatsapp

Think you know everything about your favourite celebrity or some of the world’s most popular people? Think again! You see, the media will often tell you everything from what’s hot to what’s not, to what’s happening and who’s dating – but more often than not they don’t tell you who Ella Maria Lani Yelich-O’Connor is 😉

There are a lot of stars who’ve changed their real names before they were famous, whether it’s because their real names are long and therefore hard to remember or they just simply want interesting monikers. For example, Miley Cyrus’ real name is actually really sweet and pretty – Destiny Hope Cyrus. We know, right?

Here are some other celebrities whose real names will surprise you:

1. Born: Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson

Katy Perry Real Name

Nope, not Goldie Hawn’s daughter aka Kate Hudson! We’re talking about pop superstar, Katy Perry. The quirky singer changed her last name to Perry (her mother’s maiden name) to avoid being mistaken for the actress Kate Hudson. Can’t blame her, it was too easy, just too easy.

2. Born: Natalie Hershlag

Natalie Portman Real Name

After landing her first role in Luc Besson‘s “Leon the Professional”, Natalie changed her surname. She took her paternal grandmother’s maiden name, “Portman”, as her stage name in the interest of privacy and to protect her family’s identity. She kept it to protect her privacy even as her (now highly successful) acting career continued.

3. Born: Joaquin Rafael Bottom

Joaquin Phoenix Real Name

Gosh, the kids in school must’ve had a field day during his time. Luckily, Joaquin Phoenix’s changed the family’s last name after leaving the “Children of God” religion in the 70s. To be fair, his late brother also suffered the same fate of carrying the same surname until it was changed. His brother’s name was River Jude Bottom aka River Phoenix.

4. Born: Olivia Jane Cockburn

Olivia Wilde Real Name

Olivia Wilde changed her named in high school and well, we can see why. It’s amazing that she made it all the way right into high school well and sane! She adopted her stage name in honour of Irish author Oscar Wilde. Talk about the coolest stage name. Ever. Definitely made up for the not-so-cool high school times.

5. Born: Maurice Joseph Micklewhite

Michael Caine Real Name

Michael Caine’s first stage name was Michael Scott, but it was already taken—and the name he settled on was inspired by the fact that he happened to see “The Caine Mutiny” was playing at a theatre at the moment he had to decide. Today, Michael Caine is synonymous with Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” trilogy character Alfred Pennyworth aka Batman’s loyal and trustworthy butler.

6. Born: Demetria Guynes

Demi Moore Real Name

Demi Moore got her last name from her first husband, Freddy Moore. Before their marriage, Demi began using Freddy’s surname as her stage name. While the new name worked out well, their marriage didn’t. But the name stuck even after her marriages with Bruce Willis (with whom she has 3 daughters) and Ashton Kutcher.

7. Born: Caryn Johnson

Whoopi Goldberg Real Name

Her stage name was taken from a Whoopee Cushion. She once said, “You know, when you work in the theater sometimes, you do quick changes and you’re running around and, sometimes you’re just letting go. And it became, that was the joke: Whoopi.” Her mother told her she would do better in Hollywood with a Jewish surname – Hence, Whoopi Goldberg.

8. Born: Peter Gene Hernandez

Bruno Mars Real Name

This dude now goes by the nickname his father gave him as a youngster – Bruno. And he chose the surname “Mars” because, well, his Hispanic surname meant that people from the music industry would try to pigeonhole him as another Latino artist, and even convince him to sing in Spanish. So he changed it to “Mars” to avoid being stereotyped. Bruno Mars.

9. Nikolina Konstantinova Dobreva

Nina Dobrev Real Name

Friends and family know her by that name, they don’t call her anything else. But as an actress, the “The Vampire Diaries” star assumed the abbreviated title of Nina Dobrev. Her given birth name, however, is an impressively long one, and telling of her Bulgarian roots. Hmm. Doesn’t Nikolina sound like an authentic vampire-ish name though? It’s meant to be!

10. Ella Maria Lani Yelich-O’Connor

Lorde Real Name

This artiste’s real name is Ella Maria Lani Yelich-O’Connor, a beautiful name if you ask us. But she decided to go with a stage name for her pop persona. Why? She explained, “Lorde is a character. Ever since I was a little kid, I have been really into royals and aristocracy. So to make ‘Lord’ more feminine, I just put an ‘e’ on the end! Some people think it’s religious, but it’s not.”

Which one surprised you the most? Do you know of any other celebs with “secret real names” that you’d like to share with us? Leave us a comment in the comments box below!

Lorde Real Name
https://lomp.at/qazee
Share128SendTweet80Share

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news. 

FOLLOW THE HYPE

SOURCES: TIKTOK (@buletintv3) & YOUTUBE (Rusa Music)
Celebrity

(Video) Aliff Syukri Tears Up After Being Freed Of Charges For His Controversial “Kelepok Raya” MV

by Adleena
August 28, 2025

In 2022, local entrepreneur Aliff Syukri sparked outrage with his “Kelepok Raya” music video, as many deemed it inappropriate for...

Read more
Source: IG/amiraaothman's profile pictureamiraaothman, TikTok/modemiroljonit
Celebrity

Collab Or Fitting? Amira Othman Meets Wedding Fashion Designer Mirol Jonit

Singer Amira Othman certainly made heads turn after recently posting a video of her in wedding attire. Many of her...

Read more
by Afiq Amin
August 28, 2025
Source: IG/andytehkh
Celebrity

Local Actor Andy Teh Clarifies Misconceptions About His Race & Religion

One of the great things about living in a multicultural country is seeing it reflected in our TV series and...

Read more
by Afiq Amin
August 28, 2025
SOURCES: FACEBOOK (李连杰 Jet Li) & XIAOHONGSHU (要点星闻)
Celebrity

(Video) Jet Li Sparks Concern Over Recent Airport Appearance After Undergoing Surgery

Earlier this month, Chinese martial arts icon Jet Li (李连杰) sparked concern after sharing photos and videos of himself at...

Read more
by Adleena
August 28, 2025
SOURCES: INSTAGRAM (@datin_lyanaz_official) & TIKTOK (@aliffbusu2)
Celebrity

(Video) Local Entrepreneur Datin Lyanaz Hassan Exposes Homestay Staff For Recording Her Showering

There have been many unfortunate cases where homestay guests revealed that they have been spied on or secretly recorded when...

Read more
by Adleena
August 27, 2025
SOURCES: TIKTOK (@imeringue2) & INSTAGRAM (@imranbard)
Celebrity

(Video) Imran Bard Is Not Giving Up Modeling Dream Even After Getting Rejected By 10 Agencies

Success doesn’t come overnight, and many people spend years getting to where they are now. Recently, local influencer Imran Bard...

Read more
by Adleena
August 27, 2025
SOURCES: XIAOHONGSHU (Zikiii & if)
Celebrity

(Video) Fans Crowd Pavilion KL For Eason Chan’s First Appearance In KL After 2 Years

It’s been a while, but Hong Kong singer Eason Chan (陈奕迅) is finally back in Malaysia! The Cantopop icon recently...

Read more
by Adleena
August 27, 2025
SOURCE: INSTAGRAM (@taylorswift)
Celebrity

(Photos) Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce Announce Engagement After 2 Years Together

It’s official - she said YES! American pop star Taylor Swift just broke the internet after announcing her engagement to...

Read more
by Adleena
August 27, 2025
Load More


TOP STORIES TODAY

  1. 1

    (Video) Local Entrepreneur Datin Lyanaz Hassan Exposes Homestay Staff For Recording Her Showering

  2. 2

    KLIA Airspace To Close This Week For Merdeka Celebrations; MAS Flights Retimed

  3. 3

    TWICE To Hold Concert In Malaysia Soon? Organiser Teases Fans

  4. 4

    (Videos) Meet The 14 Contestants Of The 2025 Miss HK Beauty Pageant

  5. 5

    Local Content Creator Huan Ooi Apologises For Inappropriate Behaviour Towards Women

Malaysia’s live-wire for the latest news, trends, and entertainment is finally here. We are your calendar, your grapevine, your comic relief, your post-event coverage, and your celebrity stalker. Did we also mention that we are also your gateway to the world?



Contact us: newsdesk@hype.my



  • About
  • Advertise
  • Jobs
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy

©2025 Vijandren Ramadass. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Hype Picks
    • Go
    • Eats
    • Style
    • Streams
    • Concerts
  • Celebs
    • K-pop
  • Music
    • Reviews
    • Interviews & Features
  • Movies & TV
    • Movies
    • TV
    • Features
  • Lifestyle
    • Tech
    • Travels
    • News
  • Giveaways
    • Contests

©2025 Vijandren Ramadass. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Hype Picks
    • Go
    • Eats
    • Style
    • Streams
    • Concerts
  • Celebs
    • K-pop
  • Music
    • Reviews
    • Interviews & Features
  • Movies & TV
    • Movies
    • TV
    • Features
  • Lifestyle
    • Tech
    • Travels
    • News
  • Giveaways
    • Contests

©2025 Vijandren Ramadass. All Rights Reserved.