Celebrities’ real names revealed
By Denise Martin, Special to The Times and Stephanie Lysaght, Times Staff Writer
It’s official: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is dropping the name-making “The Rock” from his moniker in an attempt to distance himself from such wrestling career trademarks as “the People’s Eyebrow” and the signature phrase “Can you smell what the Rock is cooking?” But Johnson, who next stars opposite Steve Carell in the comedy “Get Smart,” isn’t alone in wanting a solid stage name. (Just look at Sean Combs, who raps he’s going back to “Puff Daddy” on a remix of O’Neal McKnight’s “Check Your Coat” but took it back last week and said he’s still Sean Combs, or Diddy, whichever strikes his mood.)
We take a look at the former names of others in the showbiz ranks, many of whom simply thought they knew better than their parents. (Matt Sayles / Associated Press)
Stage name: 50 Cent
Birth name: Curtis James Jackson III
Jackson adopted the name 50 Cent from a well-known New York robber, Kelvin 50 Cent Martin, who made his name by stealing from and murdering local hustlers. Im the same kind of person 50 Cent was. I provide for myself by any means. (Jim Cooper / Associated Press)
Stage name: Alicia Keys
Birth name: Alicia Augello Cook
The Grammy-award winning soul singer and piano playing prodigy renamed herself after the piano keyboard. (Sean Gardner / Getty Images)
Stage name: Axl Rose
Birth name: William Bruce Rose Jr.
Named for his birth father, William Rose changed his name to Axl, after a band he once played in. He also played in bands called Rapidfire, Rose, LA Guns and Hollywood Rose. Hes right, they dont have the same ring as Axl. (Timothy A. Clary / Getty Images)
Stage name: Barry Manilow
Birth name: Barry Alan Pincus
The Mandy crooner had no say in his surname; his mother renamed him when she changed her own surname back to her maiden one, Manilow. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Stage name: Busta Rhymes
Birth name: Trevor Smith
Public Enemys Chuck D gave Smith his moniker -- after football player George Buster Rhymes -- after watching him perform. The rapid-fire rapper explained to MTV News: [Chuck] was just like, ‘Yo, you seem like the football player as an MC. Just the aggressiveness and that strength that you command. (Ann Johansson / For The Times)
Stage name: Carrot Top
Birth name: Scott Thompson
The comedian, named, obviously, for his unruly ginger locks, currently performs at Vegas Luxor casino. Among the infamous props he uses is in his act are a variety of microphones, including Whitney Houston’s, which is attached to a bong, and Rush Limbaughs, which dispenses pills (Andrew Gombert / EPA)
Stage name: Elton John
Birth name: Reginald Kenneth Dwight
When Reginald Kenneth Dwight changed his name to Elton John, anagram enthusiasts never forgave him. Johns original moniker is full of possibilities, including the anagram, the weird England night. John is said to have settled on his moniker by mixing the names of musicians Elton Dean and Long John Baldry. (YM Yik / EPA)
Stage name: Jason Alexander
Birth name: Jay Greenspan
By 14, Jay Greenspan was perfecting his tap-dancing and dreaming about his first Tony. By 17, he had changed his name professionally, although he never changed it legally. (Kane Hibberd / Getty Images)
Stage name: Marilyn Manson
Birth name: Brian Warner
Back in the late ‘80s, Brian Warner formed a band called Marilyn Manson and the Spooky Kids. Eventually, the name was shortened; because if you have to tell people youre spooky, youre probably not. (Rick Nederstigt / EPA)
Stage name: Portia De Rossi
Birth name: Amanda Lee Rogers
In an interview with Advocate.com, De Rossi said that her sexual preference had a lot to do with her choice of stage name. When I was 15, I changed it legally, explained De Rossi. In retrospect, I think it was largely due to my struggle about being gay. Everything just didnt fit, and I was trying to find things I could identify myself with, and it started with my name. (Damon Winter / Los Angeles Times)
Stage name: Tom Cruise
Birth name: Thomas Cruise Mapother IV
By the time he became famous, Cruise had dropped his fathers name. When talking to Parade magazine, Cruise described his dad as a bully and a coward the person where, if something goes wrong, they kick you. (Peter Kramer / Associated Press)
Stage name: Whoopi Goldberg
Birth name: Caryn Johnson
Believe it. Goldberg actually got her first name from the whoopee cushion.
When youre performing on stage, Goldberg told The New York Times Magazine, you never really have time to go into the bathroom and close the door. So if you get a little gassy, youve got to let it go. So people used to say to me, ‘You are like a whoopee cushion.’ And thats where the name came from. (Jeff Christensen / Associated Press)
