It's a common practice for celebrities to go by stage names that differ from the moniker given to them at birth, but while we know that stars like Lorde weren't bestowed with such a royal name by their parents, not every stage name is as obvious.
There are a ton of reasons why a celebrity would want to change their name on their way to making it big, even if the stage name they end up choosing isn't particularly glamorous. Click through to read about the celebs who switched out their monikers once they hit star-status.
Katy Perry
The “Dark Horse” singer was born Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson — she used her mother’s maiden name to avoid confusion with actress Kate Hudson.
Michael Keaton
The Birdman actor could have shared a name with another famous actor — he was born Michael Douglas.
Natalie Portman
They called for Natalie Portman when she accepted the Best Actress Oscar for Black Swan, but her birth name is actually Natalie Hershlag.
Miley Cyrus
Cyrus’ birth name actually sounds like more of a stage name than Miley does. Her parents named her Destiny Hope Cyrus, but her nickname “Smiley Miley” caught on, so much so that she legally changed her name to Miley Ray Cyrus at 15.
Lana Del Rey
The “West Coast” singer’s real name is Elizabeth Grant, but that’s not nearly as chic as Lana, right?
Michael J. Fox
Fox was born with the same first and last name that he uses publicly — it’s only his middle initial that changed. Fox was actually born Michael Andrew Fox, but, according to Cracked, switched out the initial because the Screen Actors Guild didn’t allow duplicate names.
Demi Moore
The eternally-youthful actress’ face may never change, but her name did — her real name is Demetria Guynes. She changed it to Moore when she married singer Freddy Moore and kept his name after the divorce.
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| Celebrities You Didn’t Know Were Using a Stage Name |
The “Dark Horse” singer was born Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson — she used her mother’s maiden name to avoid confusion with actress Kate Hudson.
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| Mike Coppola/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images |
The Birdman actor could have shared a name with another famous actor — he was born Michael Douglas.
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| Isaac Brekken/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images |
They called for Natalie Portman when she accepted the Best Actress Oscar for Black Swan, but her birth name is actually Natalie Hershlag.
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| Chelsea Lauren/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images |
Cyrus’ birth name actually sounds like more of a stage name than Miley does. Her parents named her Destiny Hope Cyrus, but her nickname “Smiley Miley” caught on, so much so that she legally changed her name to Miley Ray Cyrus at 15.
Lana Del Rey
The “West Coast” singer’s real name is Elizabeth Grant, but that’s not nearly as chic as Lana, right?
Michael J. Fox
Fox was born with the same first and last name that he uses publicly — it’s only his middle initial that changed. Fox was actually born Michael Andrew Fox, but, according to Cracked, switched out the initial because the Screen Actors Guild didn’t allow duplicate names.
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| Rochelle Brodin/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images |
The eternally-youthful actress’ face may never change, but her name did — her real name is Demetria Guynes. She changed it to Moore when she married singer Freddy Moore and kept his name after the divorce.
