If You became Famous, would you change your name , or keep the one you got?
By dramaqn
@dramaqn (1990)
United States
January 26, 2008 3:50am CST
I came up with this topic after submitting my Sylvester Stallone piece, which reminded me of the piece I did awhile ago about Bea Arthur. So, if you became famous (acting, modeling, music, etc.) would you change your name or keep the one you have? If so, what would it be and why would you change it from your birth name?
Me? Trust me, I'd definitely change my name. I've never liked my name. Many people tell me it's beautiful, but sorry, Danielle just isn't cutting it for me. Of course it could have a lot to do with what my maiden name was, but we won't get into that.
And just for the record...we all need to promise we wont steal anyones idea for names here. It's like naming your child or pet, nothing more aggravating than a friend stealing your name.
So, if I became a famous I'd change my name to D'Nei which is the name I use when I write my poetry. It can be used by itself or I can go with Alicia D'Nei which is similar to my middle name Alicia Dante. But anyway, that's it. So, what's yours?
7 people like this
27 responses
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
26 Jan 08
If I were ever to become famous (which is highly unlikely, ha!) I'd most likely want to use my maiden name along with given first and middle names. My married name just wouldn't cut it for someone famous. It reminds me too much of a cartoon character. LOL
2 people like this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
29 Jan 08
Oh yeah, you wanna bet dramaqn? :P LOL
Don't feel bad gantwick, I think most kids see their parents this way at one time or another. LOL
@gantwick (849)
• United States
27 Jan 08
Your married name reminds you of a cartoon character? Heck, my kids think I AM a cartoon half the time. I'm surprised they haven't given me an ACME Portable Hole to see if I could throw it against a wall and jump into it! LOL!
@GloomCookieLex (6073)
• United States
26 Jan 08
My stage name is just my real name but with my last name taken off, so it's just my first and middle. There's a superstition that my last name is bad luck and whenever someone uses it, they don't get a big break. Both my brother and father are musicians and every time they almost got a record deal, something bad happened and it fell through.
2 people like this
@mamakat (321)
• United States
29 Jan 08
I'm sort of embarrassed and sorry to say that I've never really liked my name that much. It's just soooo blah and uninteresting. So I'd have to go with I'd change it. In a heartbeat. lol
Now what I'd change it to. . . I have absolutely no clue. I seem to be going through a rather uncreative spell so I can't think of something that would have a good ring to it. But I'd probably choose something that sounded exotic. Saying that though, whatever field I pursued to become famous would also play into what name I'd choose. Like if I wanted to become a famous ballerina, I'd want to choose something that had an elegant ring to it. Or something like that.
I like your name choice, BTW. Of course, I think your real name has a cool sound to it too. I think Dante is a great, powerful name for a writer and is very memorable. :-)
1 person likes this
@mamakat (321)
• United States
30 Jan 08
LOL! I'd love to hear the rest of the name story. Sounds like it's a good one. :-)
Yup, I think I lost a lot of the creativity in the rush of the holidays. That and I'm expecting a baby later this year, so that's sucked a lot of energy and brain cells out of me. Friends have told me that the brain really does start functioning again after you deliver--so I'm hopeful that I'll be back on my game. . . someday. :P
Hope you have a great day!
1 person likes this
@dramaqn (1990)
• United States
30 Jan 08
Well thank you for the compliment on my name. I like it too. I mostly went by it growing up, except in school. Of course my friends and peers in jr high thought that Danielle and Dante were too different people, but that's another story I'll have to tell you about sometime. So, what's going on with your creativity? Is it on strike from the holidays? LOL Well, when it comes back, let me know. And thanks for responding.
@LittleMel (8742)
• Canada
27 Jan 08
I would keep my married name. I used it on one of my published short story. I was not going to use my full name but too late. So if I ever become famous I would still keep the same name I use in my writing just because it's already out there.
@LittleMel (8742)
• Canada
27 Jan 08
I wouldn't say it here. I was shy about it.
I don't give out my real name online either :)
maybe one day
1 person likes this
@SixPaulEleven (552)
• United States
27 Jan 08
No offense, but it sounds like a stripper name.
I'd keep my real name. I was born with my name and intend on dying with my name.
I didn't change my last name when I married. I kept my name given to me at birth.
My parents took a long time to pick out my first and middle name and gifted me with their last name, and IMO, it's an insult to change it due to marraige or becoming famous and just wanting a name change.
1 person likes this
@dramaqn (1990)
• United States
27 Jan 08
What part sounds like a stripper name? the D'Nei or the Alicia D'Nei? And trust me, I'm nowhere near being offended, seeing how I use to be a stripper. And my stripper name was Drama. Alicia is part of my middle name and the D'Nei is derived from the other part of my middle name Dant'e, but the spelling was inspired by my first name Danielle. So, as you can see, it's me, with a twist. And I'll tell you what, I'll pm you my first name with my maiden name, and my brothers and then you will see why I don't and never will like my name.
1 person likes this
@jack_bhargava (414)
• India
29 Jan 08
I will keep my name same because when i will get success then i got success with my original name and i don't want to change my name by this i got the success...
1 person likes this
@izathewzia (5134)
• Philippines
2 Feb 08
Nope, i will still carry my name as it is. I will not use screen or pseudo names to hide my real one. I am proud to be named that way by my parents. Although my name doesn't really sounds good for me. lol
@Aingealicia (1905)
• United States
27 Jan 08
I will tell you I have changed my name for my writing. It is my pen name. I also dislike my birth name a great deal. Also with my name that I was given at birth, there is already a writer out there with that name.
Yes it may be a good publicity stunt but I will not use the same name as someone else, I feel it is an infringement on someones hard earned name.
Good luck with your writing. I also like what you have chosen.
My name for publication is and always will be Aingealicia. Also I own the whole section on any web browser you look at. So how can I go wrong?
Have a great day.
Aingealicia
1 person likes this
@dramaqn (1990)
• United States
27 Jan 08
I like that name, how cute, and not just because my middle name is on the end..alicia..lol. But I can surely understand about not using a name that is already out there. I guess my first name and 2nd married last name would be a combination of 2 writers, Nora Roberts and Danielle Steel. Thank you for sharing. do you realize you submitted this twice?
@Aingealicia (1905)
• United States
27 Jan 08
My computer submitted twice. I didn't mean to. My computer has a mind of its own so to say.
I am glad you liked my comment and yes I love my name, it is my Gaelic name and means Angel of Ireland.
Aingealicia
1 person likes this
@antagonist (21)
• Pakistan
27 Jan 08
well, as for as the names are concerned, i don't think one have to change his or her name after getting some kind of fame. What I believe it is very much psycological factor that most of people don't like their name very much and always wish to change it.
Most of people usually concious about their birth name, and when they get kind of famous or get known by people then this concious become more strong and that is the reason many celeberities have changed their names after getting fame.
but still we have lot of good examples of those who didn't change their birth names after getting fame.
@antagonist (21)
• Pakistan
27 Jan 08
Hmmm, you can say that I wouldn't change my name, beause I have no problem with it. It sounds not very bad :)
@Lolita222 (5)
• Canada
6 Feb 08
I would change my name in a heartbeat also, and i really like the name Esther (Although i'm not quite sure what last name would suit this name). But i wonder, how is it that for famous people who have changed their names, you can still find out about their birth name. I mean, it's there in the records and if you search their biography, it's there--i definitely wouldn't like that if i ever became famous, since i've been made fun of alot in school for my name and wouldn't want people outside those close to me to know me...
1 person likes this
@dramaqn (1990)
• United States
7 Feb 08
Well first of all, Thank you for responding. Further more, what is your real name and why the heck do you like the name Esther? As for what last name goes with it, this is where you get to be creative. Think of streets you've lived on, favorite characters, songs, things like that. Use your personality to let it just come to you. When you find one, let me know, I'm anxious to see what you come up with. I might try to think of some for you also, this could be fun.
@Ericaaax3 (1)
• United States
27 Mar 11
To be honest i've never ever liked my name
i think it is such an ugly name and i just hate it
my dream is to be a famous model and actress and i
already picked out my professional name and i want it to be
Erica Nieves my real last name is Nieves and i love it
because i have a HUGE family from my dad's side
and i just love how sometimes peole will just shout out my
last name NIEVES whereevr they see me, anyways my point is
that i would deffinately change my name.
@gantwick (849)
• United States
27 Jan 08
I'd keep my name the same if I became famous. That way people who knew me as a kid could say, "Yeah, I remember that guy. I went to grad school with him."
That's what I say when people talk about the Country singer Vince Gill. It's his real name, and I played Little League baseball with him when we were kids.
1 person likes this
@overdosed (230)
• Philippines
27 Jan 08
I'd change my name. I want my real name private. When you're famous, it feels like the world world owns you. I want some part of me known to me and my closest circle only.
I use my pseudonym Skylar Vera when I write all the time, I might use it in other creative endeavors. ;-) Me and my friends created that name which has a meaning "secret truth."
1 person likes this
@moneyandgc (3428)
• United States
29 Jan 08
I probably wouldn't change my name. I don't care so much about my last name, it has changed twice with marriage anyway, but I wouldn't change my first name which is Dana, pronounced Dan-nuh. It was supposed to be spelled Danna but my birth certficate was wrong and my parents found it too much trouble to change it.
I haven't always liked my name because people always pronounce it wrong, but my dad gave it to me and I would never change it.
@dramaqn (1990)
• United States
29 Jan 08
Oh cool. My last name has changed twice due to marriage as well. I like your first name, I see you have a reversed version of birthcertificate name spelling like my mom. I say reversed because she doesn't spell her name like on her birth certificate because she said she didn't feel the extra "N" was necessary. Her name is Dianna on her BC, but she spells it Diana. Well, thanks for sharing your story.
@cheapscake1326 (43)
• Philippines
26 Jan 08
I would definitely keep my name, because it is who I really am, and I would not let fame get into my head.. But if it means losing my job or anything important, then I would not. =P
@ersmommy1 (12588)
• United States
27 Jan 08
I'd keep my name. It's part of me. It's part of my family. I guess It's respect. It would feel like giving part of myself away. But I understand. If I say Who is Bernie Shwartz? You'd say WHO!? But if I said Tony Curtis You would know. Its all in the name I guess.
@dramaqn (1990)
• United States
27 Jan 08
I actually knew that one. But yea I see your point. Well, I feel you on the whole respect thing..to a point. I mean I was named after my moms uncle, on her moms side, so if I had his last name also, it probably wouldn't have been so bad. But I'm telling you, I really think my mom was on something when she gave me and my older brother our first names. Of course he didn't have problems with his name, cuz he was local sport famous, for football. Anyway, thanks for sharing.
@kdhartford (1151)
• United States
27 Jan 08
oh, I'd keep the one that I have...after all it got me here.
1 person likes this
