13 Celebrities With Birth Names You Probably Never Expected

Names can influence far more than we realize. Studies suggest that people with easier-to-pronounce names are more likely to land higher-status positions at work. From your first name to your last, the way it sounds can shape how others perceive you — which may help explain why so many celebrities choose to use nicknames. That’s why we decided to look into the stars who go by a name different from the one they were given at birth and discover what they’re really called.

1. Jodie Foster — Alicia Christian Foster

2. Whoopi Goldberg — Caryn Elaine Johnson

3. Skeet Ulrich — Bryan Ray Trout

4. Rebel Wilson — Melanie Elizabeth Bownds

5. Joaquin Phoenix — Joaquin Raphael Bottom

6. Maisie Williams — Margaret Constance Williams

7. Nicki Minaj — Onika Tanya Maraj

8. Jamie Foxx — Eric Marlon Bishop

9. Audrey Hepburn — Audrey Kathleen Ruston

10. Nina Dobrev — Nikolina Kamenova Dobreva

11. Spike Lee — Shelton Jackson Lee

12. Gigi Hadid — Jelena Noura Hadid

13. Vin Diesel — Mark Sinclair Vincent

Be sure to check out our other article featuring celebrities you probably remember from their older years — but their younger selves were absolute stunners.