10 Celebrities Who Changed Their Stage Name at the Top of Their Career

Some famous celebrities we know today didn’t have the names we know them by at the start of their career — most of them had to change them to avoid getting confused with other actors, which is why they came up with a unique stage name that is distinctive and draws our attention to them every time we hear it.

At Bright Side, we compiled a list of celebrities who changed their names along with the meaning behind them, which is very interesting.

1. Victoria Beckham

Prior to becoming known as the fashion diva, Victoria Beckham, back in the early days of the iconic group we love, Victoria Adams was the name used for her records. However, when the Spice Girls became rising stars, she changed her name to Posh Spice. Years later, she become the famous Victoria Beckham we know today.

2. Lisa Bonet

She was born with the name, Lisa Bonet, then she decided to change it in 1993 after her successful role on The Cosby Show to Lilakoi Moon. She stated that her decision to change her name was to honor her personal life and her image outside of Hollywood. Years later, the actress is now associated with Lisa Bonet.

3. Rachel Weisz

Early in her career, she changed her name to Rachel Vyce, but when people told her that it was too difficult to pronounce, she changed it to Kenya Campbell. She decided to keep it that way for a while, but she soon realized that it sounded unpleasant. The actress then decided to stay with Rachel Weisz and made a lot of iconic movies.

4. Alicia Keys

Her real name is Alicia Augello-Cook, but she changed it and decided to have her own different stage name with a special meaning behind it. She explained, “It’s like the piano keys, and it can also open a lot of doors,” and she ended up with the name Alicia Keys and broke multiple records in her career.

5. Iggy Azalea

Her birth name is Amethyst Amelia Kelly, and she ended up with Iggy Azalea because she has a dog named “Iggy,” and it became her nickname. She came up with the surname Azalea, as she explained, “Because that is a street name that my mom and family live on, and it sounds very feminine, and I thought it would balance out Iggy being so masculine.”

6. Tom Hardy

Before becoming Tom Hardy, his birth name was Edward Thomas Hardy, and he only used his first name before deciding to go by his middle name instead. Even though the Internet was aware of his true identity, it was not widely publicized.

7. Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren is an iconic name and brand, but he was not always known by that name. His real name is Ralph Lifshitz, but he decided to change it. He came up with “Lauren” as he explained, “My cousins who lived in California had changed their last name to Lawrence.” That was until he ended up with his own brand name, which is widely known today.

8. Aaron Paul

His full name is Aaron Paul Sturtevant, but when he went to auditions, no one could pronounce his surname, “Sturtevant,” so he had to change it so that everyone could say it, and then he shortened it when he entered Hollywood.

9. Elizabeth Banks

Her birth name is Elizabeth Irene Mitchell, but she couldn’t use it because it was already in use by another famous actress, so she had to come up with her own stage name. She settled on “Banks,” as she explained, “So I made a list and then alphabetized it, and Banks was the first one on the list.”

10. David Tennant

David Tennant is not his real name; his birth name is David John McDonald. And he chose this stage name because, as he said, “I did my first job at 16 years old, and I didn’t know actors, I didn’t know how you chose a name. So I flicked through a music magazine. So I’m sort of named after Neil Tennant from the Pet Shop Boys!”

Which one of these celebrities piqued your interest the most? And which celebrity shocked you with the meaning behind their stage name? Tell us in the comments.