# Entertainers who took their name from/share one with historical or literary figures **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 8, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858 "2009-02-08T00:12:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/21 "2009-02-08T03:46:49Z")
John Wayne took his last name from Revolutionary War General [“Mad Anthony” Wayne](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Wayne). It actually was supposed to be Anthony Wayne, but the studio rejected it. Winston S. Churchill, author and British Prime Minister, shared a name with the forgotten American author [Winston Churchill](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winston_Churchill_(novelist)). ---
**Author:** ![DaveRaver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daveraver/32/1078_2.png) [@DaveRaver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveRaver)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/22 "2009-02-08T03:57:08Z")
Chevy Chase ---
**Author:** ![Liddle\_Lamsy\_Divey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Liddle\_Lamsy\_Divey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liddle_Lamsy_Divey)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/23 "2009-02-08T04:16:21Z")
[Franz Ferdinand](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Ferdinand_(band)) the band, named after[Franz Ferdinand](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archduke_Franz_Ferdinand_of_Austria), the archduke. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/24 "2009-02-08T05:22:32Z")
> [@scifisam2009](#): > > The Marx Brothers. The Marx Brothers were born the Marx Brothers. They didn’t take on the name. And none of them was named Karl. Adolph, yes. Karl, no. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/25 "2009-02-08T05:48:55Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Actor Matt Dillon shares his name with the marshall on “Gunsmoke.” > > Several entertainers changed their names precisely BECAUSE there was already another celeb by the same name. > > 1. Michael Keaton’s real name is Michael Douglas > 2. Albert Brooks’ real name is Albert Einstein > 3. Stewart Granger’s real name was Jimmy Stewart A slight hijack from the OP, but goes along with the above post. Charlton Heston’s born name was John Carter. Not that anyone was using it, but I imagine the Burrough’s connotations would have been difficult. However, he’d been using the name Heston since high school(his step-father’s name) and used his mother’s maiden name Charlton after that. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/26 "2009-02-08T05:53:34Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Paul Revere of the group PAUL REVERE & THE RAIDERS really was born with that name, though his name at birth was Paul Revere Dick. He sliced it off to go into show biz. I can imagine him arguing with obnoxious fans who didn’t believe him: “My name really _is_ Paul Revere, Dick!” ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Prize](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d2c977/32.png) [@Sir\_Prize](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Prize)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/27 "2009-02-08T14:43:37Z")
Iwas going to say [Alice Cooper](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Cooper) but apparently that was just a story the band made up. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/28 "2009-02-08T14:59:08Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Engelbert Humperdinck (born George Dorsey, took his name from the [19th century German composer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engelbert_Humperdinck)). Wait. What? That’s the sort of name you run away from, not to! ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/29 "2009-02-08T15:48:03Z")
Davy Jones. It’s his real name, but he shares it with the maritime legend. Little Nell, from **Rocky Horror** (Has Tiny Tim been mentioned?) Marc Anthony ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/30 "2009-02-08T16:15:56Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > The Marx Brothers were born the Marx Brothers. They didn’t take on the name. And none of them was named Karl. Adolph, yes. Karl, no. I know. The OP asked for people who either took their names from famous people _or_ people who shared names with famous people - being born with them, like all the others I suggested. > [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > Wait. What? That’s the sort of name you run away from, not to! That was my first thought too. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/31 "2009-02-08T16:47:41Z")
Sebastian Bach from Skid Row Nicholas Cage allegedly named himself after superhero Luke Cage Actress Holly Golightly ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/32 "2009-02-08T17:17:20Z")
> [@scifisam2009](#): > > I know. The OP asked for people who either took their names from famous people _or_ people who shared names with famous people - being born with them, like all the others I suggested. I assumed that sharing them had to mean the whole name. Otherwise you descend into absurdity like Dinah Washington and Aretha Franklin. Or Count Basie. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/33 "2009-02-08T17:53:37Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > 1. Michael Keaton’s real name is Michael Douglas > 2. Albert Brooks’ real name is Albert Einstein > 3. Stewart Granger’s real name was Jimmy Stewart Fannie Flagg’s real name is Patricia Neal (Oscar winning star/Mrs. Roald Dahl much better known in the '50s when Fannie was starting out). ---
**Author:** ![De\_La\_Rue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@De\_La\_Rue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/De_La_Rue)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/34 "2009-02-09T01:40:54Z")
> [@DaveRaver](#): > > Chevy Chase Chase was apparently nicknamed after a song (“The Ballad of Chevy Chase”), which in turn refers to a Scots-English battleground. I thought he named himself from the town in Maryland, but he grew up in New York so it’s unlikely. Either way he was named after a place, which is a category we haven’t yet considered. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/35 "2009-02-09T03:08:41Z")
In the mid-70s the Australian pop music scene was graced by a truly dreadful pop singer who called himself - or more likely his agent made him call himself - [William Shakespeare](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shakespeare_(singer)). ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/36 "2009-02-09T14:26:52Z")
My name is Bond. [James Bond](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Bond_(ornithologist)), ornithologist. I chase birds. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/37 "2009-02-09T15:59:31Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > In the mid-70s the Australian pop music scene was graced by a truly dreadful pop singer who called himself - or more likely his agent made him call himself - [William Shakespeare](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shakespeare_(singer)). So who did Yahoo Serious name himself after? ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/38 "2009-02-09T16:16:18Z")
We had the novelty pop singer Napoleon XIV, named after a French king and emperor, but I suppose that’s too ridiculous to count. And then we had the pop singer Phoebe Snow, named after an old-time railroad advertising icon, about whom **Cecil** once wrote a snippy column. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/39 "2009-02-09T16:26:11Z")
John Adams is both a contemporary opera composer and the 2nd president of the USA. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2009, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858/40 "2009-02-09T16:29:06Z")
Justus E McQueen is better known as the obscure actor L.Q. Jones. His most recent role was Chuck Akers, the country/gospel singer who dies in [A Prairie Home Companion.](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0420087/) His first part was as Pvt. L. Q. Jones in the 1955 movie [Battle Cry](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047860/) He changed his name after that part. He has never been a headliner, but he has 158 credited performances listed at IMDB. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-who-took-their-name-from-share-one-with-historical-or-literary-figures/484858.md?page=3)