# Why do so many Hollywood folks change their names? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 25, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-hollywood-folks-change-their-names/572609 "2011-02-25T18:21:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-hollywood-folks-change-their-names/572609/61 "2011-02-28T03:28:23Z")
Oh, and about Hebrew names: I was raised Jewish (Reform), but the only time I was ever called by my Hebrew name was in Hebrew classes and at my Bar Mitzvah. I have heard Hebrew names used in a wedding or funeral ceremony, probably also at a bris. I don’t know exactly when the name was given, but there’s no mention of it on my birth certificate. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-hollywood-folks-change-their-names/572609/62 "2011-02-28T12:55:09Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > Yeah, it’s going to be quite mixed on “legal” vs. simply “stage name”, and at what point in their career a performer might decide to simply make their stage name a legal name. For what it’s worth the sons of Ringo Starr and David Bowie go by the names Starkey and Jones respectively. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-hollywood-folks-change-their-names/572609/63 "2011-02-28T17:24:17Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > I heard that Platoon did pretty well. > > Best wishes, > hh OK, Platoon, but it still doesn’t seem like such a long list for someone as famous as he is. Weren’t the Hot Shot movies more of the so bad they’re almost good variety? ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-hollywood-folks-change-their-names/572609/64 "2011-02-28T17:28:06Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > For one, you can’t have the same name as someone else already in the Screen Actor’s Guild. > > For example, [Michael J. Fox](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_J._Fox): > > People also change their names to sound “Less Jewish” or “Less Black” or “Less Latino” or even just “Less like the Midwestern kid I was when I first came to Hollywood” > > No, most folks in the US do not go through a name change. That’s true for other guilds as well. One of the producers of Futurama, David Cohen, is credited as David X Cohen. The X doesn’t stand for anything, but he needed to change his name somehow as there was already a David Cohen. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-hollywood-folks-change-their-names/572609/65 "2011-02-28T17:29:22Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > That’s true for other guilds as well. One of the producers of Futurama, David Cohen, is credited as David X Cohen. The X doesn’t stand for anything, but he needed to change his name somehow as there was already a David Cohen. “Change your name. There’s already a David Cohen.” “Well…I guess I could call myself David A. Cohen.” “No, I prefer David X. Cohen. Sounds cooler, because of the x!” ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-hollywood-folks-change-their-names/572609/66 "2011-02-28T17:55:18Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Weren’t the Hot Shot movies more of the so bad they’re almost good variety? No, they were more of the spoof variety, along the lines of Airplane! and Top Secret. I really like Hot Shots Part Deux. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-hollywood-folks-change-their-names/572609/67 "2011-02-28T21:38:59Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > No, they were more of the spoof variety, along the lines of Airplane! and Top Secret. I really like Hot Shots Part Deux. War. It’s Fantastic!😃 ---
**Author:** ![The\_MaD\_HaCkER](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@The\_MaD\_HaCkER](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_MaD_HaCkER)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-hollywood-folks-change-their-names/572609/68 "2011-04-01T15:21:03Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > In part that was because his co-star in _Hercules in New York_ was famed character actor Arnold Stang\*. “Strong” was close and descriptive, so you had Arnold Strong and Arnold Stang. I’m sure they would’ve tried another name, but that choice was sorta dictated by the circumstances, and for that one film. > > - A pairing this weird Arnold didn’t have again until he co-starred with Danny de Vito in _Twins_ and then _Junior_. Hercules in New York is/was/will forever be one of the worse movies ever made, But it made arnys rep. He showed up ontime, every day, ready to work and it made him a star.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-hollywood-folks-change-their-names/572609/69 "2011-04-01T16:14:39Z")
> [@trabajabamos](#): > > Doesn’t really answer the OP’s question, but I thought I’d share this interesting [list of 78 celebrities who changed their names](http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/celebrities-you-may-have-not-known-changed-their-n) that was published on BuzzFeed two days ago. Call it fodder for the discussion. I can certainly see why Chevy Chase made the switch. It’s strange that the entry on Frances Gumm/Judy Garland is illustrated with a photo of Judy Davis playing Judy Garland, instead of an actual picture of Judy Garland. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-hollywood-folks-change-their-names/572609/70 "2011-04-01T16:19:32Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > I believe Michael Keaton’s actual name is Michael Douglas. And had his father not changed his name, Michael Douglas would have been Michael Demsky. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-hollywood-folks-change-their-names/572609/71 "2011-04-01T16:25:04Z")
Albert Brooks’ real name is Albert Einstein. His brother is Bob (“Super Dave Osbourne”) Einstein. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-hollywood-folks-change-their-names/572609/72 "2011-04-01T16:40:51Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Oh, and about Hebrew names: I was raised Jewish (Reform), but the only time I was ever called by my Hebrew name was in Hebrew classes and at my Bar Mitzvah. I have heard Hebrew names used in a wedding or funeral ceremony, probably also at a bris. I don’t know exactly when the name was given, but there’s no mention of it on my birth certificate. I adopted a Hebrew name as an adult, when I converted to Judaism. The secular courts weren’t involved. My passport, driver’s license, etc, don’t include my Hebrew name. Mr. Neville got a Hebrew name when he was born (or at his bris- I don’t actually know). His Hebrew name does not appear on his passport or driver’s license, either. Our Hebrew names are on our ketubah, but they’re not on our marriage license from the state. Some Jewish parents make their kid’s legal name the same as his/her Hebrew name (I think my brother-in-law and sister-in-law did this for their new baby). I think that’s becoming more popular. For those who don’t do that, it’s common for the Hebrew name and English name to start with the same letter or sound. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-hollywood-folks-change-their-names/572609/73 "2011-04-01T19:03:52Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Natalie Portman’s real name is Natalie Hershlag. I think she made a wise choice just like many of them do for branding purposes. When she entered showbiz, it was for _The Professional_ - she was only 11 when she entered show biz. I read that her parents deliberately gave her a stage name to help protect her identity. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-hollywood-folks-change-their-names/572609/74 "2011-04-01T19:44:49Z")
An interesting case was Gale Storm born Josephine Cottle. The studio actually named the actor and then held a contest for the woman would “become” Gale Storm. Miss Cottle won the contest and the name. In the older days it was important to have a name that was easy to pronounce and was easy to spell. Now you can spell Arnold Schwarzenegger any way and it’s almost a cert to come up in a Google (or other) search. But before Internet if you were looking up things the correct spelling was more important. As for Emilio Estevez keeping his name, he stated that while he never wanted to change his name to Sheen (as his brother did), it wouldn’t have been a good move, since there would then have been two actors of roughly the same age with similar names. Sort of like people asking “Which Baldwin is that?” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-hollywood-folks-change-their-names/572609.md?page=3)