# Successful/ known under both maiden and married name. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 31, 2012, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/successful-known-under-both-maiden-and-married-name/629984 "2012-07-31T19:31:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/successful-known-under-both-maiden-and-married-name/629984/21 "2012-08-01T01:59:51Z")
Phylicia Ayers-Allen became Phylicia Rashad. Giuliana DePandi became Giuliana Rancic. Both were/are known before and after for the same roles. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/successful-known-under-both-maiden-and-married-name/629984/22 "2012-08-01T02:29:37Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > She wasn’t really well-known until she married Bill Clinton in 1975. Although she was successful as a law student and a lawyer, she probably wasn’t known until she was the first lady of Arkansas. > > So she’s only really been “known” as Hillary Rodham Clinton. I seem to remember she was just Hillary Clinton all during the campaign in '92 and during the first few months or so Bill’s presidency. Then, almost overnight, the media universally started adding the ‘Rodham’ in the middle. Me thinks an edict went out to the then droolingly obedient liberal media… 😃 Anyway, **Pamela Anderson** was **Pamela Lee** for awhile. Or maybe Pamela Anderson-Lee. Then she went back to Pamela skank-whore-whose-dirtbag-husband-gave-me-cooties Anderson… ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/successful-known-under-both-maiden-and-married-name/629984/23 "2012-08-01T02:35:54Z")
Tennis player **Chris Evert Lloyd** was a champion before and after getting hitched. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/successful-known-under-both-maiden-and-married-name/629984/24 "2012-08-01T02:36:22Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3: Viva La Fiesta! I would also change my name if I were going to be in this movie. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/successful-known-under-both-maiden-and-married-name/629984/25 "2012-08-01T03:16:10Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > I seem to remember she was just Hillary Clinton all during the campaign in '92 and during the first few months or so Bill’s presidency. Then, almost overnight, the media universally started adding the ‘Rodham’ in the middle. Me thinks an edict went out to the then droolingly obedient liberal media… 😃 Methinks the exact moment came on the night of January 20, 1993 when the two of them made their entrance at an Inagural Ball and were officially introduced as “The President and Hillary Rodham Clinton.” Or are you suggesting that the fair and balanced thing to do would be for the media to NOT refer to a person by the name they prefer to be called by, even if they happened to change it only after their husband got elected? ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/successful-known-under-both-maiden-and-married-name/629984/26 "2012-08-01T04:03:21Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > She wasn’t really well-known until she married Bill Clinton in 1975. Although she was successful as a law student and a lawyer, she probably wasn’t known until she was the first lady of Arkansas. > > So she’s only really been “known” as Hillary Rodham Clinton. Hillary went by her maiden name, Hillary Rodham, long after she married Bill Clinton, and through his first term as governor of Arkansas. As the First Lady of Arkansas, she was known as Hillary Rodham. It was only when he ran for governor the third time (after being defeated the second time), that she changed her name to Hillary Clinton. As **kunilou** mentioned, she changed to Hillary Rodham Clinton when Bill became president. So she’s really been successful and well-known under all three: maiden name, married name, and combo. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/successful-known-under-both-maiden-and-married-name/629984/27 "2012-08-01T04:11:48Z")
> [@sisu](#): > > Evonne Goolagong and the Evonne Cawley [AO, MBE] comes to mind. > > Pretty famous Aussie Aboriginal tennis player, you know won 7 grand slams, finaled in 18 and all that… Did you know you posted this on her birthday? ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/successful-known-under-both-maiden-and-married-name/629984/28 "2012-08-01T04:33:50Z")
Ronnie Bennett was one of the original “bad girls” of rock & roll and the lead singer for the girl group the Ronettes. After the Ronettes broke up, she married their frequent producer Phil Spector (yes THAT Phil Spector) and took his name. After literally escaping confinement by Phil, Ronnie Spector didn’t have huge success, but was very in demand as a backup vocalist, including a very prominent part on Eddie Money’s top 5 hit “Take Me Home Tonight.” (“Just like Ronnie sang…be my little baby…”) She’s since gone back to being Ronnie Bennett. And now for something completely different. While marriage didn’t have anything to do with it, at least one male singer had successful career using different surnames: John Cougar (“Cougar” being a stage-name some producer convinced to use - hey, it was the early 80s.) John Cougar Mellencamp John Mellencamp. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/successful-known-under-both-maiden-and-married-name/629984/29 "2012-08-01T05:16:47Z")
> [@minlokwat](#): > > Tennis player **Chris Evert Lloyd** was a champion before and after getting hitched. My nominee. Also, I’m throwing a penalty flag on Victoria Adams. I was like, “who?” ---
**Author:** ![Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hershele_Ostropoler)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/successful-known-under-both-maiden-and-married-name/629984/30 "2012-08-01T05:24:09Z")
LBJ biographer Doris Kearns/historian Doris Kearns Goodwin ---
**Author:** ![denquixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@denquixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/denquixote)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/successful-known-under-both-maiden-and-married-name/629984/31 "2012-08-01T05:30:42Z")
Helen Gahagan was a well-known broadway actress who married Melvin Douglas and subsequently made one movie “She” under her own name in 1935. She entered politics as Helen Gahagan Douglas in the 1940’s and was elected to the House of Representative three times. She the ran for Senate against Richard Nixon in 1950 and lost, but not before giving him the label “Tricky Dick.” ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/successful-known-under-both-maiden-and-married-name/629984/32 "2012-08-01T10:29:59Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > Hillary went by her maiden name, Hillary Rodham, long after she married Bill Clinton, and through his first term as governor of Arkansas. As the First Lady of Arkansas, she was known as Hillary Rodham. It was only when he ran for governor the third time (after being defeated the second time), that she changed her name to Hillary Clinton. As **kunilou** mentioned, she changed to Hillary Rodham Clinton when Bill became president. > > So she’s really been successful and well-known under all three: maiden name, married name, and combo. Would have to disagree. She was not successful in her own right until the mid 80’s by which time she had taken his name. What she is known for, she accomplished with his name, not hers. She was an up and coming lawyer before that, in the mid 80’s she was considered one of the top lawyers in the country. She would undoubtedly achieved that even without his name (less so her later political success) but I have to disagree with the last line there. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/successful-known-under-both-maiden-and-married-name/629984/33 "2012-08-01T12:14:01Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > And now for something completely different. While marriage didn’t have anything to do with it, at least one male singer had successful career using different surnames: > > John Cougar (“Cougar” being a stage-name some producer convinced to use - hey, it was the early 80s.) > > John Cougar Mellencamp > > John Mellencamp. In a similar vein, when WWE wrestler The Rock started doing movies, he went by just “The Rock” (Scorpion King, Walking Tall, etc.). At some point, he began appearing as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The first time I saw him billed simply as “Dwayne Johnson” I thought to myself, “He’s pulled off the full Mellencamp!” ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/successful-known-under-both-maiden-and-married-name/629984/34 "2012-08-01T14:26:10Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Marie Blake was a mildly successful supporting actress in the 30s and 40s, enough to have a career. She married Clarence Rock and, using her middle name, she became minor TV icon as > Blossom Rock – Grandmama Addams of **The Addams Family.** If you’re counting mildly successful supporting actresses, Nancy Davis/Nancy Reagan would probably qualify. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/successful-known-under-both-maiden-and-married-name/629984/35 "2012-08-01T14:34:10Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Ziggy says 42.9% odds her next professional name will be Meredith Baxter Navritilova. You + Charlotte = beer ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/successful-known-under-both-maiden-and-married-name/629984/36 "2012-08-01T14:50:14Z")
Grace Kelly/Princess Grace of Monaco ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/successful-known-under-both-maiden-and-married-name/629984/37 "2012-08-01T15:21:07Z")
Sarah Michelle Gellar nowadays goes by Sarah Michelle Prinze, her married name. While not as well known as her birth name, I have seen a reasonable number of references, online and elsewhere, to her under that name (usually with at least a parenthetical reference to “Gellar”). ---
**Author:** ![denquixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@denquixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/denquixote)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/successful-known-under-both-maiden-and-married-name/629984/38 "2012-08-01T16:31:57Z")
[quote=“hogarth, post:34, topic:629984”] If you’re counting mildly successful supporting actresses, Nancy Davis/Nancy Reagan would probably qualify. If she had accomplished anything as Nancy Reagan. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2012, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/successful-known-under-both-maiden-and-married-name/629984/39 "2012-08-01T17:38:10Z")
> [@denquixote](#): > > If she had accomplished anything as Nancy Reagan. If the words “Just say no” mean anything at all related to drugs to you, then she accomplished _something_. ---
**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:** [August 1, 2012, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/successful-known-under-both-maiden-and-married-name/629984/40 "2012-08-01T17:46:44Z")
> [@denquixote](#): > > Helen Gahagan was a well-known broadway actress who married Melvin Douglas and subsequently made one movie “She” under her own name in 1935. She entered politics as Helen Gahagan Douglas in the 1940’s and was elected to the House of Representative three times. She the ran for Senate against Richard Nixon in 1950 and lost, but not before giving him the label “Tricky Dick.” To be fair, he saddled her with “the Pink Lady” first… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/successful-known-under-both-maiden-and-married-name/629984.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/successful-known-under-both-maiden-and-married-name/629984.md?page=3)