Famous faces who don’t use their real names: From Tom Cruise to Meghan Markle

The former Suits actress’ full name is actually Rachel Meghan Markle – the same first name as her film character Rachel Zane.

The mother of two never explained the reason for her name change. We suspect that, like many actors, the star abandoned her original nickname in favor of a catchier stage name.

Anchorman star Will Ferrell found his first name John William Ferrell “embarrassing.”

“I remember being so embarrassed because my real name is John, John William Ferrell, so on the first day of school I would be John,” he said on the MeSsy podcast.

“The teacher then said something like ‘John Ferrell?’ and I was so embarrassed to have to say: ‘Here, but my name is Will, not John.'”

When asked why he decided to dump John, he said, “It wasn’t my decision. My parents called me John, but they called me Will. I grew up as Will, but on the playbill my legal name is John Ferrell.”

Emma Stone was born Emily Jean Stone, but had to give up her first name after joining the Screen Actors Guild and discovering there was another girl with the same name.

However, in a recent interview, the Cruella star admitted that she would “like” to be addressed by her real name whenever possible.

In response to the question from The Hollywood Reporter When asked if she would correct a fan who called her Emily instead of Emma, ​​she replied, “No. That would be so nice. I would love to be Emily.”

Katy was born Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson to Pentecostal pastors Mary Christine (née Perry) and Maurice Keith Hudson, but Katy adopted the surname of her uncle, filmmaker Frank Perry, as her stage name.

Mission Impossible star Tom Cruise’s full name is Thomas Cruise Mapother IV, named after his father, Thomas Mapother III, but he shortened his nickname before his Hollywood career took off.

Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta got her stage name from one of her producers, Rob Fusari. Rob texted her the Queen song “Radio Gaga,” but somehow “Radio” autocorrected to “Lady,” and thus Lady Gaga was born.

Reese’s birth name is Laura Jean Reese Witherspoon, but before she began her acting career in the ’90s, she shortened her nickname to her mother’s maiden name, Betty.

To avoid the dreaded label “Nepo Baby,” Nicolas changed his last name from Coppola to Cage.

He chose a different name to avoid being associated with his famous uncle Francis Ford Coppola. Nicolas was reportedly inspired by the comic book hero Luke Cage.

American supermodel Gigi Hadid changed her name from Jelena to her nickname “Gigi.” According to Vogue Paris, the model’s famous mother, Yolanda, invented the name “Gigi.”

Speaking to Style.com, the blonde beauty revealed: “In first or second grade, there was a girl named Helena and it got confusing because the teacher had to call out our names. So the teacher asked my mom, ‘If I had to give Jelena a nickname, what would it be?’ And my mom was like, ‘Sometimes I call her Gigi,’ and the name stuck.”

Sir Elton John’s real name is Reginald Kenneth Dwight. Later in life, the star reportedly disliked his name. In a 1987 interview, the Rocket Man singer explained: “When I became Elton John, it was like a new life.”

“I didn’t particularly like being Reg Dwight. It brought back too many unhappy memories.”

According to various reports, the global star’s new first name was inspired by his bandmate Elton Dean. The name John comes from the musician Long John Baldry.

Lana Del Rey’s full name is Elizabeth Woolridge Grant. She experimented with the stage name Lizzy Grant before settling on Lana Del Rey.

Her source of inspiration? A road trip through Miami with her sister, during which she realized that she “wanted a name that sounded somehow exotic and reminded me of the sea on the Florida coast.”

Peter Gene Hernandez is now known as Bruno Mars. The star’s father is reportedly behind the name change. “My father has called me Bruno since I was two years old,” he told Latina Magazine.

And his last name? “I actually wanted to be called ‘Bruno’, just a name. Mars just joked that it sounded unbelievable. That’s it, it’s as simple as that,” he explained.

Dame Helen was born Ilynea Lydia Mironoff. In 1951, her father – a Russian taxi driver – changed the family name to the anglicised Mirren.

Despite her Russian birth name and Russian ancestry, she does not speak Russian but is fluent in French.