For some celebrities, there’s a lot of luggage to unpack within a name. From living under the shadow of a famous parent to avoiding scandals, there are a myriad of reasons why some rising stars would choose to change their birth names, just as these 10 celebrities did before they hit the big leagues.
10. Sophie Dahl (born Sophie Holloway)
While most celebrities change their names to avoid being linked to their famous parents, some choose to embrace it. Ex-model turned author Sophie Holloway changed her name to honor her maternal grandfather’s, Roald Dahl’s, literary legacy.
9. WILLOW (born Willow Smith)
Instead of changing her last name, Willow Smith dropped the Fresh Prince legacy altogether. Will Smith and Jada Pinkett’s daughter uses only her first name (in all caps) for her musical career.
8. Olivia Jade (born Olivia Jade Giannulli)
Born to actress Lori Loughlin and designer Mossimo Giannulli, Olivia Jade ditched the Giannulli name to build a brand of her own. She’s now a popular YouTube influencer revered among makeup enthusiasts.
7. Samia (born Samia Najimy Finnerty)
Daughter of Hocus Pocus’s Kathy Najimi and actor Dan Finerty, Samia goes by her first name only whenever she’s on tour, following the same naming convention as legends like Madonna or Cher.
6. Shiloh Jolie (born Shiloh Jolie-Pitt)
Shiloh Jolie abandoned the Pitt part of her birth name on her 18th birthday, distancing herself from her father. She made the decision as a way to establish her own personality separate from her iconic parents.
5. Charlie Sheen (born Carlos Irwin Estévez)
We might be pushing the term “kid” just a little with this entry, but Charlie Sheen is one of the most notorious celebrities who changed their names. Unlike his brother, who kept the Estévez surname, Sheen went for a more “American” sounding last name to gain better acting opportunities.
4. Chelsea Micoley (adopted as Chelsea O’Donnell)
Rosie O’Donnell’s adopted daughter filed for a name change this January, reverting to her mother’s maiden name, Micoley. As the relationship between Rosie and Chelsea sours following the latter’s conviction, it’s no surprise to see them establish some distance between them.
3. Angelina Jolie (born Angelina Jolie Voight)
Jolie finally dropped the Voight surname in 2002, after a long and strained relationship with her father, Jon Voight. Even before the legal change, however, Jolie had rejected the Voight name professionally.
2. Malia Ann (born Malia Obama)
Being heir to the Obama legacy can be a powerful tool in politics, but Malia Ann’s true calling is cinema. For her 2023 debut short film, The Heart, Malia dropped the Obama name, keeping just her first and middle names for her professional career.
1. Suri Noelle (born Suri Cruise)
Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise’s feud over Scientology led their daughter, Suri, to ditch the Cruise name altogether. She picked “Noelle” as a way to honor her mother, Katie Noelle Holmes, without relying on the actress’s established popularity.
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