Famous people who changed their names and why

Famous people who changed their names and why

What’s in a name? Well, quite a lot actually. For those who seek fame and fortune, some names just don’t sound right. Whether it’s actors and actresses who adopt a stage name that looks better in lights, inventors or designers who feel a better name will help with branding; even royals have embraced something they consider a little more suitable.
Let’s take a look at a variety of famous people who opted to move away from their birth names, and why they chose to do so.

Ralph Lauren

There’s no doubt that many of us will have worn Ralph Lauren clothing, jewelry or fragrances. We might even have visited Ralph Lauren stores or dined at branded restaurants, bars, and cafes located around the United States. But what do we know about the man behind the brand itself, aside the fashion and retail empire he started more than fifty years ago?

Ralph decided to keep his forename, although he felt a smoother sounding surname would better suit his commercial enterprises. Simple to understand, really, because Ralph’s original surname was Lifshitz. Now think about that and whether you’d don a Lifshitz Polo shirt.

Charles Fey


While the name of Charles Fey might not be all that famous, what he invented certainly is. During the late 19th century, he invented the automatic slot machine, with his basic concept still going strong at casinos from Las Vegas to Macao. Indeed, his concept became one of the most popular forms of online gambling in the digital age, and now people manage all over the world are bagging themselves promotions and deals when they sign up to play. For example, BonusFinder has an exclusive bonus offer for Rizk Casino Canada, where hundreds of variations on the slot machine can be played.

Fey was originally born in the Bavarian town of Vöhringen, Bavaria, and while many migrants to the United States often changed their surnames by anglicizing them, the slots inventor decided to keep his family name. Instead, he adopted Charles as his forename for quite an amusing reason. Originally christened as August, he adopted Charles instead because he was tired of people calling him “Gus” for short.

Prince Harry


Very much in the headlines of late, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle the Duke and Duchess of Sussex recently decided to step away from their royal duties. But did you know his name isn’t even Harry? The second son of Charles, Prince of Wales , and Diana, Princess of Wales, Prince Harry was actually christened Henry Charles Albert David.

Soon after his birth and christened with an official name, Charles and Diana made the announcement that amongst friends and family, their son would more commonly be known as Harry for short. From that moment on, Prince Harry stuck, with the media and general public referring to him by that name ever since.
What Name Would You Choose?

Most of us go through our lives quite content with our given names. However, if you were thrust into the spotlight of fame and celebrity, would you change your name or proudly maintain the name you were born with? Sometimes it’s fun to think about changing our name to something more exciting or even one that sounds a little crazy, while friends and family might already have nicknames for us, which we sometimes use more frequently than our birth names.