YOU WON'T BELIEVE THESE CELEBS REAL NAME

TINA FEY - ELISABETH STAMATINA FEY

Comedienne Tina Fey is really Elisabeth Stamatina Fey. Based on that, it’s easy to see why she changed her name. “Tina Fey” has a way of just rolling off the tongue, doesn’t it? It’s certainly better from a professional standpoint than the mouthful she had to work with before.

STEVIE WONDER - STEVLAND HARDAWAY JUDKINS

When you consider how striking and yet beautifully simple the last name “Wonder” is, it’s easy to see why this famous musician changed his name from “Stevland Hardaway Judkins” – that one was probably hard to fit on the cover of a record!

MILEY CYRUS - DESTINY HOPE CYRUS

Destiny Hope Cyrus is a pretty name and it certainly says a lot about just how optimistic her dad Billy Ray really is. No word on whether she changed the name herself or was forced to as a result of one of Disney’s notoriously difficult contracts for child actors.

RALPH LAUREN - RALPH LIFSHITZ

In all of fashion, there are few names that carry more weight than Ralph Lauren. If your favorite designer handbag said Ralph Lifshitz on it, would that still be the case? It’s hard to say, but this is one change that definitely paid off.

NATALIE PORTMAN - NATALIE HERSCHLAG

Natalie Portman was born Natalie Herschlag, but that didn’t last long. Portman got her starring and career-making role in the movie “Leon: The Professional” when she was still a teenager, and she was already going by her new name at the time!

WHOOPI GOLDBERG - CARYN ELAINE JOHNSON

When you’re a comedienne, one of the major things that you want to do is attract attention in any way possible. Changing your name from Caryn Elaine Johnson to something as unique as “Whoopi Goldberg” is certainly one way to do exactly that!

JAMIE FOXX - ERIC MARLON BISHOP

The reason why Jamie Foxx changed his name is already the stuff that legends are made of. As a young stand up comic, he was supposedly having a hard time getting work at clubs around town. He changed his name to Jamie Foxx hoping that people would think he was a girl and therefore be more likely to book him. Going off of his career, it seems to have worked!

LADY GAGA - STEFANI JOANNE ANGELINA GERMANOTTA

It’s easy to see why Lady Gaga changed her name before she became one of the most famous singers of all time. “Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta” is probably a bit difficult to fit onto the cover of her latest CD!

ELTON JOHN - REGINALD KENNETH DWIGHT

Elton John may be impossibly famous, but this is one change that was probably a lateral move. “Sir Reginald Kenneth Dwight” certainly does invoke a certain sense of regency, doesn’t it?

DEMI MOORE - DEMETRIA GENE GUYNES

Demi Moore’s real name is Demetria Gene Guynes, which has the distinct honor of having not one but three words that are difficult to pronounce. It’s easy to see why she went in the complete opposite direction when picking a new name for herself when becoming an actor.

BOB DYLAN - ROBERT ALLEN ZIMMERMAN

Robert Allen Zimmerman is one of the most famous songwriters who has ever lived – though you probably know him as Bob Dylan! Dylan is famous for work that affects people from all walks of life, so changing his name from something so specific was probably a good move.

OLIVIA WILDE - OLIVIA JANE COCKBURN

Olivia Wilde was born Olivia Jane Cockburn, which is a perfectly fine name – though that was probably the problem. If you really want to stand out in a crowded sea of actresses, having the last name “Wilde” is a great way to do it.

HELEN MIRREN - ILYENA LYDIA VASILIEVNA MIRONOV

Helen Mirren still has the type of career that most actresses dream of well into her 60s. Would she still have had that type of longevity had she not changed her name from Ilyena Lydia Vasilievna Mironov? We may never know. She’s so good, though, that the answer is “probably.”

TIGER WOODS - ELDRICK TONT WOODS

Though we can only speculate why Tiger Woods changed his name from Eldrick Tont Woods, the reason is probably because “nobody would ever be able to pronounce over 60% of his name correctly, ever.” When you’re a golfer who is constantly talked about on live TV, that’s probably something that enters into your decision making process.

LANA DEL RAY - ELIZABETH WOOLRIDGE GRANT

Lana del Ray is one of the most successful young performers of her generation. Elizabeth Woolridge Grant is a perfectly fine name, but it doesn’t paint quite the same mental picture that something as powerful as Lana del Ray does.

WOODY ALLEN - ALLAN STEWART KONIGSBERG

Allan Stewart Konigsberg is one of the funniest men to ever live – though you probably know him as Woody Allen! The famous comedian and master filmmaker reportedly changed his name after coming to the decision that it sounded “too Jewish.”

BLAKE LIVELY - BLAKE ELLENDER BROWN

Blake Lively is the type of unique name that you just don’t hear every day. It’s probably because it’s completely made up – her real name is Blake Ellender Brown!

AUDREY HEPBURN – AUDREY KATHLEEN RUSTON

Audrey Hepburn is one of the most famous actresses ever. To preserve the anonymity of her family, she changed her name from Audrey Kathleen Ruston and never looked back!

RIHANNA - ROBYN RIHANNA FENTY

Rihanna didn’t necessarily change her name FROM Robyn Rihanna Fenty, she just chooses to go by her middle name to give her the unique persona that she is now famous for.

VIN DIESEL - MARK SINCLAIR VINCENT

When you consider that Mark Sinclair Vincent would go on to star in one of the most successful car-centric movie franchises of all time, changing your name to “Vin Diesel” was very much a good (and strategic!) career move.

CARMEN ELECTRA - TARA LEIGH PATRICK

Tara Leigh Patrick is a fine name, but it isn’t necessarily a name that screams “famous supermodel.” You know what name DOES scream famous supermodel, however? Carmen Electra.

KATY PERRY - KATHRYN ELIZABETH HUDSON

Kathryn Elizabeth Hudson changing her name to Katy Perry is a move that certainly seems to have paid off in a big bad way, considering the fact that she’s one of the most popular singers to come along in roughly 20 years.

JOAN RIVERS - JOAN ALEXANDRA MOLINSKY

Joan Rivers was so funny and so groundbreaking that she would have become a legend regardless of what her name was. She decided to change it early in her career from Joan Alexandra Molinsky and never looked back.

CHARLIE SHEEN - CARLOS IRWIN ESTEVEZ

Many people don’t realize that Charlie Sheen and Emelio Estevez are actually brothers! The fact that he changed his name from Carlos Irwin Estevez probably has a lot to do with it.

OPRAH WINFREY - ORPAH GAIL WINFREY

Oprah changing her name from Oprah Gail Winfrey was probably a good move – it saved her from eventually getting confused for her best friend in the world, Gail King!

JESSICA CHASTAIN - JESSICA HOWARD

When you consider that people already have a hard time telling Jessica Chastain and Bryce Dallas Howard apart, the problem would have been ten times worse if she had kept her real name – Jessica Howard!

NICKI MINAJ – ONIKA TANYA MARAJ

Nicki Minaj is the type of name that makes you stand up and pay attention whenever you hear it. Onika  TanyaMaraj is not, which is probably why she decided to change it before becoming a famous singer.

JULIANNE MOORE - JULIE ANNE SMITH

Julianne Moore was born Julie Anne Smith. Regardless of what her name is, she’s so talented that she could have been named “A Terrible Actress” and she would still be one of the most talented and celebrated performers to ever grace the silver screen!

DR. DRE - ANDRE ROMELLE YOUNG

Dr. Dre’s real name is Andre Romelle Young. Based on that, we’re not even sure that he’s a real doctor in the first place.

MARILYN MONROE - NORMA JEAN MORTENSON

Marilyn Monroe was so famous that she reportedly changed her name to try to preserve whatever semblance of a private life she was capable of hanging onto. When you hear stories of the tragic life she really led, this is one change that doesn’t seem to have worked.

NICOLAS CAGE - NICOLAS KIM COPPOLA

Nicolas Cage was originally Nicolas Kim Coppola, a member of the famous Coppola clan of Hollywood royalty!

REESE WITHERSPOON - LAURA JEAN WITHERSPOON

We’ve got to hand it to Reese Witherspoon – her name is certainly a lot more interesting now than it was when it was Laura Jean.

LORDE - ELLA MARIJA LANI YELICH-O’CONNOR

Lorde is such a stark and simple name, it’s easy to see why she got rid of Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor as quickly as possible.

ALICIA KEYS - ALICIA AUGELLO COOK

Alicia Keys is such a hugely talented performer that she probably would have still become famous even if she hadn’t changed her name from Alicia Augello Cook.

JOAQUIN PHOENIX - JOAQUIN RAFAEL BOTTOM

Joaquin Phoenix changing his name seems to have been a family decision – his brother River Phoenix made the same call!

PORTIA DE ROSSI - AMANDA LEE ROGERS

Amanda Lee Rogers isn’t necessarily a name that screams “famous actress.” Portia de Rossi, however, is a name that you can’t help but pay attention to.

BRUNO MARS - PETER GENE BEYOT HERNANDEZ

Bruno Mars is yet another in a long line of musicians to change his name before fame. It was originally Peter Gene Beyot Hernandez, which is certainly quite the mouthful!

IGGY AZALEA - AMETHYST AMELIA KELLY

If you’re going to change your name, changing it TO Iggy is a curious decision that leaves us scratching our heads. Maybe she’s a big Iggy Pop fan?

QUEEN LATIFAH - DANA ELAINE OWENS

Considering the fact that “Queen” isn’t a name but rather a title, the fact that Latifah changed her name from probably Dana Elaine Owens comes as no surprise. (Source: Daily Dish.com)