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By Chelsea Peng
published
"That's not my name. That's not my name." —the Ting Tings and the following 42 stars, who, for whatever reason, decided to adopt 42 different pseudonyms.
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Fergie
In a previous life, she was known as Stacy Ann Ferguson. Then she did the duch*ess thing.
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Ashton Kutcher
Goes by his middle name(fromChristopher Ashton Kutcher).
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Kelly Rowland
It's "Kelendria Trene Rowland."
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Carmen Electra
Much sexier than Tara Leigh Patrick, TBH. (Props to the belated Prince forcoming up with the new version.)
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Nina Dobrev
Nikolina Konstantinova Dobrevahas a certain ring to it, no?
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John Legend
It takes balls to go fromJohn Roger Stephensto "Legend," but he did it.
Pink
One name is *always* better than three, even if it's "Alecia Beth Moore."
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Blake Lively
BornBlake Ellender Brown, she adopted her mom's last name when she started acting.<3
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Lorde
Some of her squad members/friends still call her Ella (Yelich-O'Connor).
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Lady Gaga
Meanwhile, thoughthey're no more, ex-fiancé Taylor Kinney definitely called her by her given name Stefani (Joanne Angelina Germanotta).
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Reese Witherspoon
To quote a fellow editor: "My fave different name is Reese Witherspoon, because her name is Laura. And it's like, you look way more like a Laura, TBH." (Reese is her second middle name.)
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Rihanna
Youknow about the Fenty part. But did you know her real first name's Robyn?
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Theo James
Because "Theodore Peter James Kinnaird Taptiklis" wouldn't fit on a marquee/anything, really.
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Rooney Mara
It's actually Patricia.
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Lana Del Rey
Elizabeth Grant would not get summertime sadness. Lana Del Rey freaking*invented* summertime sadness.
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Miley Cyrus
Shelegally changed her nameto Miley Ray Cyrus from "Destiny Hope."
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Kat Dennings
Last name Litwack, first name still Kat (fromKatherine).
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Jon Stewart
Another one wholegally changedhis name—fromJonathan Stuart Leibowitz—to what he goes by on stage.
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Jay Z
You know this one:Shawn Corey Carter.
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Drake
And probably this one, from that GIF of young Aubrey Graham dancing in a tiny vest.
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Calvin Harris
Before they were kaput/sworn enemies, Taylor Swift called him by his real name:Adam Richard Wiles.
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Mila Kunis
Milena Markovna Kunis sounds pretty too.
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Emma Stone
True story: Shechanged her nameto Emma from Emily Jean because of her obsession with the Spice Girls, particularly Baby Spice/Emma Lee Bunton.
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Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj, which is like an anagram. IS IT AN ANAGRAM?
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Bruno Mars
It's Peter Gene Hernandez. But he'll always be Bruno in our hearts.
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Iggy Azalea
Amethyst! Amelia! Kelly!
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Kim Cattrall
ICYMI, she's British. Which explains the Clare Woodgate.
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Brad Pitt
Because William Bradley Pitt sounds like the friend of a friend of a Founding Father.
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Marilyn Monroe
No Norma Jean Mortensen for this one.
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Diane Keaton
Yup—Diane Hall, like Annie Hall.
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Audrey Hepburn
Edda Kathleen van Heemstra Hepburn-Ruston...yeah.
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Helen Mirren
Similarly,Ilyena Lydia Mironoff.
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Natalie Portman
If we were going by birth names, her Oscar would read "Natalie Hershlag."
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Kit Harington
Real name: Christopher Catesby Harington. Awwww.
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Lily James
Following the trend of compact, easy-to-pronounce names, hers isLily Chloe Ninette Thomson.
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Demi Moore
Once upon a time,Demetria Guynesmarried singer Freddy Moore and kept his name after the divorce. A true Hollywood fairytale.
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Julianne Moore
Julie Anne stitched her two names together...and emerged an Oscar winner and Tom Ford muse.
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Alicia Keys
"Keys" is maybe a little more apt job-wisethan "Alicia Augello Cook."
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Lucy Hale
Karen, but she goes by a shortened version of her middle name–Lucille.
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Olivia Wilde
No relation to Oscar Wilde, except in a literary sense. (Shedropped co*ckburnin honor of the writers in her family.)
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Tina Fey
Funny howElizabeth Stamatina Fey went on to play a Liz (Lemon).
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Katy Perry
Simple: Kate Hudson was already taken.
Chelsea Peng
Assistant Editor
Chelsea Peng is a writer and editor who was formerly the assistant editor at MarieClaire.com. She's also worked for The Strategist and Refinery29, and is a graduate of Northwestern University. On her tombstone, she would like a GIF of herself that's better than the one that already exists on the Internet and a free fro-yo machine. Besides frozen dairy products, she's into pirates, carbs, Balzac, and snacking so hard she has to go lie down.
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