6 Reasons Why People Change Their Names

In the United States, about 17,000 people change their name every year. This includes women taking their husband's name, as well as changing it altogether.

It is always funny to find out that your favorite actor or singer had a completely different name before they became famous, but it is more common than you think. Celebrities are not the only ones doing this however, every day people change their names for many different reasons.

Your Name Turns into a Nickname

Some nick names stick around for a couple months in middle school and then you grow out of it. Some, however, stick around for life. Some well-known celebrities with nick names as real names include Miley Cyrus (Destiny Hope Cyrus) and Whoopi Goldberg (Caryn Johnson).

Имена, которые звучат как Inappropriate Вещи

In recent news, a great example of this is Richard Handler—or as some have been calling him, “Dick Handler”—because he has been criticized for avery high incentive bonus. Since he is the CEO of a huge company, Richard might consider a name change to something where a nick name resembles profanity a bit less (like Moody’s CEO Raymond McDaniel).

Too Common Names

Many people change their names because they are too common or there is already someone well-known with that same name. Names that are overly common often leave people wanting to find a more original name so they are not hearing it everywhere they go. For example, Portia de Rossi was born Amanda Rogers, Fergie’s was originially Stacey Ferguson, and Katy Perry was born Kate Hudson.

Names that are Hard to Say

A lot of people have this problem. A friend of mine had a name that confused everyone, and at the off chance someone said it correctly she would always be shocked. It is frustrating when people cannot say or spell your name, and can end up being very time consuming. Many celebrities with this problem have gone ahead and changed their name to avoid confusion, like Jennifer Aniston, whose last name was originally Anastassakis, or Natalie Portman, originally Natalie Hershlag.

Getting Married or Divored

Lastly, another very common form of name change is when someone gets married or divorced. A lot of women chose to take their husband's name when they get married. On the other hand, a lot chose to take their maiden name back if they get a divorce. This is sometimes true with their kids as well.