List of Celebrity Real Names – Real Names Before They Became Famous
Written by Jay on July 2, 2008 – -
I looked around and supposedly in the early days, Hollywood stars were told to use a formula such as: Use the middle name for the first name, use the street where you grew up as your last name and different things like that.
Every in red was recently added. Also, these celebrity real names were found from various sources so if they are incorrect, do not hold me responsible!
Anyways, below is a list of Celebrity Real Names (I will continue to update this page as I find more so feel free to subscribe to my RSS Feeds or enter your e-mail below so you get updated!):
| Celeb name | Real name | How they’re famous? |
| (MC) Hammer | Stanley Kirk Burrell | Rapper(?) |
| 50 Cent | Curtis Jackson | Rapper |
| Aaliyah | Aeliyatt Dana Haughton | Singer |
| Akon | Aliaune Damala Bouga Puru Nacka Lu Badara Akon Thiam | Singer |
| Alan Thicke | Alan Willis Jeffrey | Actor |
| Alicia Keys | Alicia Augello Cook | Singer |
| Andy Garcia | Andres Arturo Garcia Menendez | Actor |
| Antonio Banderas | Jose Antonio Dominquez Bandera | Actor |
| Babyface | Kenneth Brian Edmonds | Singer |
| Bernie Mac | Bernard Jeffrey McCullough | Comedian/Actor |
| Beyonce Big Boi | Beyonce Giselle Knowles Antwan Andre Patton | Actress/Singer Rapper |
| Bjork Bo Bice | Bjork Gudmundsdottir Harold Elwin Bice Jr | Singer Singer |
| Bob Dylan | Robert Zimmerman | Singer |
| Bob Hope | Leslie Townes Hope | Comedian/Actor |
| Bono | Paul Hewson | Singer |
| Bow Wow | Shad Gregory Moss | Rapper/Actor |
| Brad Pitt | William Bradley Pitt | Actor |
| Brandy Bruce Willis |
Brandy Rayonda Norwood Walter Bruce Willison | Actress/Singer Actor |
| Busta Rhymes | Trevor Tahiem Smith | Rapper |
| Carmen Electra | Tara Patrick | Actress |
| Carrot Top | Scott Thompson | Comedian/Actor |
| Chaka Khan | Carole Yvette Marie Stevens | Singer |
| Chamillionaire | Hakeem Seriki | Rapper |
| Charlie Sheen | Carlos Irwin Estevez | Actor |
| Chevy Chase | Cornelius Crane Chase | Comedian/Actor |
| Christopher Walken | Ronald Walken | Actor |
| Chyna | Joan Marie Laurer | Wrestler |
| Clay Aiken | Clayton Holmes Grissom | Singer |
| Coco Crisp | Covelli Crisp | Pro Baseball Player |
| Coolio | Artis Leon Ivey Jr | Rapper/Actor |
| Courtney Love | Love Michelle Harrison | Singer |
| Da Brat | Shawntae Harris | Rapper |
| David Bowie Dean Cain | David Robert Jones Dean Tanaka | Singer Actor |
| Demi Moore | Demetria Gene Guynes | Actress |
| Dr. Dre | Andre Young | Rapper/Producer |
| Elle MacPherson | Eleanor Gow | Model |
| Elton John | Reginald Kenneth Dwight | Singer |
| Eminem | Marshall Bruce Mathers III | Rapper |
| Erykah Badu | Erica Wright | Singer |
| Faith Hill | Audrey Faith Perry | Singer |
| Foxy Brown | Inga Marchand | Rapper |
| Freddy Prinze | Frederick Karl Pruetzel | Actor |
| Freddie Mercury Gene Simmons | Farrokh Bulsara Chaim Witz | Lead Singer Queen Rock Star |
| George Burns | Nathan Birnbaum | Comedian/Actor |
| Ginuwine | Elgin Baylor Lumpkin | Singer |
| Gloria Estefan | Gloria Maria Fajardo | Singer |
| Hugh Laurie | James Hugh Calum Laurie | Actor |
| Hulk Hogan | Terry Bollea | Wrestler/Actor |
| Ice Cube | Oshea Jackson | Rapper/Actor |
| Ice-T | Tracy Morrow | Rapper/Actor |
| J.C. Chasez | Joshua Scott Chasez | Singer |
| Ja Rule | Jeffrey Atkins | Rapper |
| Jackie Chan | Kong-Sang Chan | Actor |
| James Earl Jones | Todd Jones | Actor |
| Jamie Foxx | Eric Bishop | Comedian/Actor/Singer |
| Jane Seymour | Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenerg | Actress |
| Jason Alexander | Jay Scott Greenspan | Actor |
| Jay Leno | James Douglas Muir Leno | TV Host |
| Jay-Z | Shawn Carter | Rapper |
| Jenna Elfman | Jennifer Mary Butala | Actress |
| Jennifer Aniston | Jennifer Linn Anastassakis | Actress |
| Jennifer Jason Leigh | Jennifer Lee Morrow | Actress |
| Jennifer Tilly | Jennifer Chan | Actress |
| Jerry Lewis | Joseph Levitch | Comedian/Actor |
| Jet Li | Li Lian Jie | Actor |
| Joan Crawford | Lucille Fay LeSueur | Actress |
| Jodie Foster | Alicia Christian Foster | Actress |
| John Wayne | Marion Morrison | |
| Johnny Knoxville Jon Bon Jovi Joni Mitchell Julia Child | Phillep John Clapp John Bongiovi Roberta Joan Anderson Julia Carolyn McWilliams | Actor Actor/Singer Singer Chef/Author |
| Kate Beckinsale Kathy Lee Gifford | Kate Beckinsale Loe Kathryn Epstein | Actress TV Host |
| Kato Kaelin | Brian Jerard Kaelin | Actor |
| Keifer Sutherland | William Frederick Dempsey George Sutherland | Actor |
| Kid Rock | Robert James Ritchie | Rock Star |
| Kim Cattrall | Clare Woodgate | Actress |
| Larry the Cable Guy | Daniel Lawrence Whitney | Comedian/Actor |
| Lil’ Wayne | Dwayne Carter Jr | Rapper |
| LL Cool J | James Todd Smith | Rapper/Actor |
| Lucy Lawless | Lucille Frances Ryan | Actress |
| Ludacris | Christopher Bridges | Rapper/Actor |
| Macy Gray | Natalie Renee McIntyre | Singer |
| Marc Anthony | Marc Antonio Muniz | Singer |
| Marilyn Manson | Brian Warner | Rock Star |
| Martin Sheen | Ramon Estevez | Actor |
| Meg Ryan | Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra | Actress |
| Mel Brooks Method Man | Melvin Kaminsky Clifford Smith | Actor Rapper/Actor |
| Michael Keaton | Michael Douglas | Actor |
| Mickey Rourke | Philip Andre Rourke Jr | Actor |
| Miley Cyrus | Destiny Hope Cyrus | Actress/Singer |
| Minnie Driver | Amelia Driver | Actress |
| Missy Elliot | Melissa Arnette Elliot | Rapper |
| Mos Def | Dante Terrell Smith | Rapper/Actor |
| Mr. T | Lawrence Tureaud | Actor |
| Muhammad Ali | Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr | Pro Boxer |
| Nat King Cole | Nathaniel Adams Cole | Singer |
| Nicholas Cage | Nicholas Kim Coppola | Actor |
| Pink | Alecia Moore | Singer |
| Portia De Rossi | Amanda Lee Rogers | Actress |
| Prince | Prince Rogers Nelson | Singer |
| Queen Latifah | Dana Owens | Actress/Singer |
| Ray Stevens | Harold Ray Ragsdale | |
| Reese Witherspoon | Laura Jean Reese Witherspoon | Actress |
| Rick James | James Johnson | Singer |
| Ricky Martin | Enrique Jose Martin Morales | Singer |
| Sade | Helen Folasade Adu | Singer |
| Sally Field | Sally Mahoney | Actress |
| Seal | Henry Olusegun Olumide Samuel | Singer |
| Shania Twain | Eileen Regina Edwards | Singer |
| Sinbad | David Atkins | Comedian/Actor |
| Sisqo | Mark Durell Andrews | Singer |
| Snoop Dogg | Cordazer Calvin Broadus | Rapper/Actor |
| Soulja Boy | DeAndre Ramone | Fake Rapper |
| Spike Lee | Shelton Jackson Lee | Actor/Filmmaker |
| Sting | Gordon Sumner | Singer |
| Tammy Faye Bakker Taye Diggs | Tamara Faye LaValley Scott L Diggs | TV Host Actor |
| Tea Leoni | Elizabeth Tea Pantaleoni | Actress |
| The Rock | Dwayne Douglas Johnson | Actor |
| Tia Carrere | Althea Janairo | Actress/Singer |
| Tiger Woods | Eldrick Woods | Pro Golf Player |
| Tina Turner | Anna Mae Bullock | Singer |
| Tony Bennett | Anthony Dominick Benedetto | Singer |
| Tori Amos | Myra Ellen Amos | Actress/Singer |
| Triple H | Paul Michael Levesque | Wrestler/Actor |
| Tupac Shakur | Lesane Parish Crooks | Rapper |
| Vin Diesel | Mark Vincent | Actor |
| Whoopi Goldberg | Caryn Elaine Johnson | Actress |
| Will Ferrell | John William Ferrell | Comedian/Actor |
| Woody Allen | Allen Stewart Konigsberg | Actor/Filmmaker |
| Wynonna Judd | Christina Claire Ciminella | Singer |
| Xzibit | Alvin Joyner | Rapper |
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Tags: actors, actresses, celebrities, celebrity real names, comedians, hollywood, musicians, rappers, Sexy Women, singers
Posted in Celebrity Stuff, Random | 19 Comments »
July 2nd, 2008 at
i didn’t realise that keys wasnt alicia keys real last name. reckon she changed it because she plays piano
Tom – StandOutBlogger.coms last blog post..StumbleUpon: Make Your Blog Famous For A Moment
July 2nd, 2008 at
Tom – Yeah, I figured it wasn’t… but she’s beautiful, talented and um, yeah… lol
Jay
July 6th, 2008 at
wow, some of these people’s REAL names are just something else.
Gerri – Show Me The Moneys last blog post..Cash In With Klusters Knewsroom
July 7th, 2008 at
[...] you know celebrities don’t use their real names? Well, here’s a List of Celebrity Real Names , I’m pretty sure you’ll be shocked at some of these like I [...]
July 8th, 2008 at
[...] Did you ever notice that a lot of celebrities change their real names before they get famous? A bunch of celebrities don’t keep their real names because some want that easy-to-remember name that stands out or maybe they had foreign names and wanted something a little more American *cough* Akon; whatever it is, there are some interesting changes. I looked around and supposedly in the early days, Hollywood stars were told to use a formula such as: Use the middle name for the first name, use th Source: List of Celebrity Real Names – Real Names Before They Became Famous [...]
July 9th, 2008 at
Jackie Chan’s real name was Cheng Long not whatever you have here
July 9th, 2008 at
Michael – That was his birth name and I researched it a little bit and a majority of these websites says Jackie Chan’s real name is “Kong-Sang Chan” so I’m not sure what’s right.
Jay
July 13th, 2008 at
I like how souja boy’s job says “fake rapper” all too true.
July 14th, 2008 at
i’d like to contribute to the list:
celeb name: Joni Mitchell
real name: Roberta Joan Anderson
famous as: singer
celeb name: David Bowie
real name: David Robert Jones
famous as: singer
celeb name: Freddie Mercury
real name: Farrokh Bulsara
famous as: lead singer Queen
July 14th, 2008 at
Lola – LOL! Hey, not a fan, that’s why I put that.
Menke – I’ll add those tomorrow. Do you have a website? If so, I’ll give you a backlink to your site, if you want.
Jay
July 16th, 2008 at
hey u forgot someone
johnny knoxville-phillep john clapp
July 17th, 2008 at
[...] believe a lot of people treat it like celebrity real names in the sense that they use a different name rather than their real names… personally, I just [...]
July 18th, 2008 at
rihanna’s name is Robin Rihanna Fenty
July 22nd, 2008 at
[...] Olivia Wilde was born with the name Olivia Jane Cockburn (I need to add that to my List of Celebrity Real Names) on March 10th, 1984 in New York [...]
July 29th, 2008 at
Sally Field. Her mother’s second husband was actor Jock Mahoney. He’s her step-father.
August 13th, 2008 at
i can’t believe that michael keaton’s real name is Michael Douglas…
March 7th, 2009 at
Yep, you can definitely see why this lot have decided on a name change, as their original names are really bad. But sometimes the name they change to is real bad also. My vote in this category goes to Chamillionaire. I remember once hearing the rapper saying this was a mix of Champagne and Millionaire. Umm, don’t think it works.
Suzannah Moores last blog post..Beauty And The Beast – Information, Photos, Wallpapers 1280×1024,1024×768,1280×800
April 29th, 2009 at
Some of these names are just too funny! If I were Melvin Kaminsky, I’d change my name too.
-Amy
gossip gals last blog post..Jennifer Love Hewitt is sexy in green
December 25th, 2009 at
Add:
Tom Cruise – Thomas Cruise Mapother IV – Actor