Listen Live
Close

Today is National Name Yourself Day! You can rename yourself for the day or get it permanently changed, it’s completely up to you. Take a look at these celebrities who changed their name.

National Name Yourself Day: Celebrities Who Changed Their Names was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc

1. John Legend

John Legend

John Legend was born John Rodgers Stephens. The “Legend ” part of his name came from a childhood nickname that turned into his stage name.

(AP)

National Name Yourself Day: Celebrities Who Changed Their Names was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc

2. Lil Wayne

Lil Wayne

Lil Wayne’s real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.

(AP)

National Name Yourself Day: Celebrities Who Changed Their Names was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc

3. Bruno Mars

Bruno Mars

Bruno’s real name is Peter Gene Hernandez. He changed his name so that he wouldn’t become a stereotype in Latin music.

(AP)

National Name Yourself Day: Celebrities Who Changed Their Names was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc

4. Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys real name is Alicia Augello Cook. She’s an amazing piano player no naturally she changed her name to Keys.

(AP)

National Name Yourself Day: Celebrities Who Changed Their Names was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc

5. Jamie Foxx

Jamie Foxx

Foxx’s real name is Eric Marion Bishop. When he was first starting out as a comedian, Foxx noticed that female comedian would get called first so he chose a gender-neutral name.

(PR Photo)

National Name Yourself Day: Celebrities Who Changed Their Names was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc

6. Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj

Nicki’s real name is Onika Tanya Maraj.

(AP)

National Name Yourself Day: Celebrities Who Changed Their Names was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc

7. Drake

Drake

Drake’s real name is Aubrey Drake Graham. I think you can guess why he goes by Drake, however, Aubrey is a great name.

(AP)

National Name Yourself Day: Celebrities Who Changed Their Names was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc

8. Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi was born Caryn Elaine Johnson. That’s nowhere near close to her stage name. In the pass, she’s said that her name comes from whooppee cushion.

(AP)

National Name Yourself Day: Celebrities Who Changed Their Names was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc

9. Jay-Z

Jay-Z

Jay-Z’s real name is Shawn Carter. As a kid he was called Jazzy but when he got older he wanted to pay tribute to Jay-O so he choose Jay-Z.

(AP)

National Name Yourself Day: Celebrities Who Changed Their Names was originally published on ioneblackamericaweb.staging.go.ione.nyc