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Most of the celebrities we've all come to know and love are most likely hiding a little secret. Their name isn't actually their name. Sometimes they have to come up with a stage name because there is already someone in the spotlight with the same name (The Screen Actors Guild does not allow two actors to have identical working names). Other times they change their name by choice because their birth name is not 'cool' enough. Or perhaps they have such an unusual or unpronounceable name that they choose to change it to do us all a favour.

Jennifer Aniston - The friends star was originally named Jennifer Anastassakis. She discarded the Greek name because it was too hard to pronounce, or was it because she feared people would pronounce it 'A nasty ass kiss?'

Al Brooks - The actor turned director was actually born Albert Einstein. No prizes for guessing why he had to change his name.

50 Cent - The rapper, born Curtis Jackson, chose the name 50 cent because it's a metaphor for 'change.'

Bono - Technically Paul Hewson didn't change his name, Bono is just a nickname. Bono would sing so loudly that it seemed he was singing for the deaf so his friends gave him the nickname Bono Vox after a hearing aid shop in Dublin. In Latin Bono Vox loosely translates to 'Good Voice.'

Carmen Electra - Tara Leigh Patrick changed her name when Prince/the artist formally known as Prince/symbol told her she looked like a Carmen after she signed with his record company. She also changed her last name to Electra meaning Greek goddess.

The Rock - In his early career Wrestler turned actor Dwayne Douglas Johnson was known as Rocky Maivia (This comes from his grandfather, Peter Maivia and his father Rocky Johnson). This was often shortened to Rocky and then eventually to The Rock.

The Edge - Bono's U2 band mate, born David Howell Evans, was given the nickname The Edge due to his angular facial features. However, Bono once said that the name come about because The Edge tends to stand close to the edges of buildings because of his comfort with heights.

Snoop Dogg - Cordozar Broadus' mother nicknamed him 'Snoopy' when he was young because of the way he dressed and because he loved the cartoon Peanuts. When he began recording, he took the stage name Snoop Doggy Dogg.

Shania Twain - Eilleen Regina Edwards became Eilleen Twain when her mother remarried. While trying to make it as a recording artist she was urged to change her last name to something that went well with Eilleen. But wanting to stay loyal to her family her opted to change her first name instead. Ojibway name Shania means 'I'm on my way' in the Native American language.

Shaggy - Musician Orville Burrell was given the nickname Shaggy by his friends because his first name is similar to that of the Scooby Doo character Norville 'Shaggy' Rogers. But when speaking on TV in 2008 he said the nickname Shaggy came about due to his then hairstyle.

LL Cool J - The not so 'hip' James Todd Smith chose the stage name LL Cool J after signing with Def Jam Recordings. It stands for Ladies Love Cool James. Hmmm do they?!

Also: Alice Cooper was born Vincent Damon Furnier, Billie Holliday is Eleanora Fagan, Elton John is Reginald Kenneth Dwight, Elvis Costello was born Declan Patrick MacManus, Eminem was originally Marshall Bruce Mathers III, Freddie Mercury was Farookh Bulsara, Hulk Hogan is Terry Gene Bollea, Helen Mirren used to be Ilynea Lydia Mironoff, Jamie Foxx was born Eric Bishop, John Wayne was Marion Michael Morrison, Marilyn Manson is Brian Warner, Marilyn Monroe used to be Norma Jean Baker, Kim Cattrall was born Clare Woodgate and Kirk Douglas had the birth name Issur Danielovitch Demsky.

Learn more about this author, Jade Fitzgerald.
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