# Famous people with names that sound like pseudonyms but aren't **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 26, 2011, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-names-that-sound-like-pseudonyms-but-arent/594190 "2011-08-26T16:07:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-names-that-sound-like-pseudonyms-but-arent/594190/141 "2011-09-12T19:00:56Z")
[Man Ray](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_Ray) was born Emmanuel Radnitzky. Very early in life, his brother suggested the family change their last name to Ray. Young Emmanuel decided “Man” would be a cooler nickname than “Manny”–like all the other guys on the block. So his name was changed–legally–\*long \*before he knew he was going to be a famous artist & photographer. Then, there’s **Benedict Cumberbatch**. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-names-that-sound-like-pseudonyms-but-arent/594190/142 "2011-09-12T19:37:21Z")
Nickelodeon “Tween” pop star [Victoria Justice](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Justice). I’m still not convinced. I double-checked again right before I posted it. Yes, her parents’ last name is Justice. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-names-that-sound-like-pseudonyms-but-arent/594190/143 "2011-09-12T19:40:42Z")
Holy Cats! I can’t believe I forgot [Bent Fabric](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bent_Fabric)!!! ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-names-that-sound-like-pseudonyms-but-arent/594190/144 "2011-09-12T19:46:13Z")
I mentioned one Zappa drummer upthread (Artie Tripp); I should also mention the distinctly percussive-sounding **Chad Wackerman.** ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-names-that-sound-like-pseudonyms-but-arent/594190/145 "2011-09-12T20:36:32Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > According to Wikipedia, his name is still Richard Fliehr. So that would mean that “Ric Flair” is a pseudonym. Fliehr is also apparently pronounced closer to “fleer” (like the baseball cards – do they still make those? lol) than “flair”, so it’s not even a non-pseudonym from a purely spoken standpoint. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-names-that-sound-like-pseudonyms-but-arent/594190/146 "2013-07-18T12:57:42Z")
Resurrecting this because I don’t want to start a whole new thread just to add **Rocky George** to the list. For some reason I was compelled to Google his name a minute ago and I was certain it was a pseudonym, but apparently, as far as I can tell, that’s his real name. ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-names-that-sound-like-pseudonyms-but-arent/594190/147 "2013-07-18T13:18:18Z")
How about Morticia Addams’ Grandmama, [Blossom Rock](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blossom_Rock)? ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-names-that-sound-like-pseudonyms-but-arent/594190/148 "2013-07-18T13:48:10Z")
> [@Toxylon](#): > > [Kristian Kristiansen](http://www.historiskastudier.gu.se/english/Staff/kristian-kristiansen) (the Scandic spelling of the same name), is a renowned Danish professor of Archeology in Sweden. I would say that Christian is the common spelling, not Kristian, which just looks strange to me. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-names-that-sound-like-pseudonyms-but-arent/594190/149 "2013-07-18T14:17:52Z")
> [@Reeses\_Monkey](#): > > How about Morticia Addams’ Grandmama, [Blossom Rock](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blossom_Rock)? Who was, coincidentally and off-topically, the sister of Jeanette MacDonald. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-names-that-sound-like-pseudonyms-but-arent/594190/150 "2013-07-18T14:33:28Z")
His name is Robert De Niro? Do his good friends call him Bobby Money? ---
**Author:** ![Werekoala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7993a0/32.png) [@Werekoala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Werekoala)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-names-that-sound-like-pseudonyms-but-arent/594190/151 "2013-07-18T15:57:08Z")
CoCo Crisp. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-names-that-sound-like-pseudonyms-but-arent/594190/152 "2013-07-18T17:57:58Z")
> [@Pyper](#): > > Southern California weatherman Dallas Raines. I saw an interview with him a few years ago in which he confirmed that, yes, that really is his real name. [Freese-Notis Weather](http://www.weather.net), founded by a couple of Iowa State University meteorologists named Harvey Freese and Charlie Notis. They started out working for a Des Moines radio station and everybody assumed the name was “Freeze Notice Weather.” ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-names-that-sound-like-pseudonyms-but-arent/594190/153 "2013-07-18T18:06:06Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > Johnny Cash …was born with just initials: J.R. He only took the name John when the Air Force insisted he have a real first name. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-names-that-sound-like-pseudonyms-but-arent/594190/154 "2013-07-18T18:15:31Z")
Brooklyn Decker ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-names-that-sound-like-pseudonyms-but-arent/594190/155 "2013-07-18T19:54:59Z")
[Bojana Panic](http://www.supermodels.nl/bojanapanic?iframe=true&width=80%25&height=80%25) ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-names-that-sound-like-pseudonyms-but-arent/594190/156 "2013-07-18T20:44:20Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > [Picabo (pronounced “Peek-a-boo”) Street](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picabo_Street) Too bad hospital administrators won’t let her answer the phone in the Intensive Care Unit. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-names-that-sound-like-pseudonyms-but-arent/594190/157 "2013-07-18T20:46:47Z")
> [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](#): > > Radio hostess [Kim Komando](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Komando). Does she wear underwear? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-names-that-sound-like-pseudonyms-but-arent/594190/158 "2013-07-18T20:50:28Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Too bad hospital administrators won’t let her answer the phone in the Intensive Care Unit. 😃 Just noticed **I** already made this joke 2 years ago. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-names-that-sound-like-pseudonyms-but-arent/594190/159 "2013-07-18T21:36:12Z")
Who could forget those two famous soldiers Flex Plexico and Max Fightmaster? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Woo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@Dr.Woo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Woo)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-names-that-sound-like-pseudonyms-but-arent/594190/160 "2013-07-18T22:16:18Z")
> [@Reeses\_Monkey](#): > > How about Morticia Addams’ Grandmama, [Blossom Rock](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blossom_Rock)? This one really cracks me up. There’s a rock in San Francisco Bay, prominent on all the charts, that’s called Blossom Rock after the ship (the SS Blossom) that came to grief after striking the rock. It’s very well known to recreational sailors and racers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-names-that-sound-like-pseudonyms-but-arent/594190.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-with-names-that-sound-like-pseudonyms-but-arent/594190.md?page=9)