In the celebrity world, it’s not uncommon for stars to change their names when making it big.
From names passed down from generation to generation to an entirely self-chosen nickname, often a person’s name can get people talking just as much as what they do.
And it’s not just their first and last names, as several famous faces are the owners of some rather unusual and quirky middle names.
A famous singer has a very big middle name Cloud de Bounevialle.
Another is the proud owner of the moniker Hercules, while a huge chart-topper rocks the middle name Pirate. But can you guess who owns these names?
From colors to family members to having a label identical to their first name, Web takes a look at celebrities’ surprising middle names…
dido
Well, that’s a bite: Dido’s full name is actually Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O’Malley Armstrong
The White Flag singer, 51, is already rocking an unusual nickname, but Dido is really just a nickname.
Dido’s full name is actually Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O’Malley Armstrong.
The star has shared how she believes this to be her real name, which is named after the Queen of Carthage in Virgil’s Aeneid, and has walked past Dido since she was a child after being bullied over her name.
Dido, daughter of Clare – a poet of French descent – and Irish publisher William O’Malley Armstrong previously said her name was one of the “most irritating” things her parents had ever done to her, admitting it made her ” embarrassing” was growing up.
In an interview with The Guardian in 2001, she said of her name: “Being called one thing and baptized another is actually very confusing and annoying. It’s one of the most irritating things my parents have done to me.
“I’m still irritated by it. Florian is a German male name. That’s just mean. To give your kid a whole bunch of weird names. They were all so embarrassed.’
Despite walking past Dido these days, the star opened up about how she hated that too when she was younger, noting how “cruel” it was to call her that and that when she was younger she even pretended to be Claire to be called.
Elton-John
Change: Like Dido, Elton, 75, has a completely different name from the one he was born with, his real name is Reginald Kenneth Dwight – though the singer is said to have not felt he had star quality
Like Dido, Elton, 75, has a completely different name from the one he was born with, his real name is Reginald Kenneth Dwight – though the singer is said to have not felt he had star quality.
He also said the name contained “unhappy memories,” and said in a 1987 interview, “When I became Elton John, it was like a new life. I didn’t particularly like being Reg Dwight. It had too many unhappy memories.’
In 1972, he legally changed his name to Elton John, a tribute to two members of the blues band Bluesology: saxophonist Elton Dean and singer Long John Baldry.
Meanwhile, his middle name wasn’t named after the mythical hero, as many might suspect, but after a horse featured on British sitcom Steptoe and Son.
Billie Eilish
Cool: While Billie Eilish is a pretty cool name in itself, the 21-year-old Ocean Eyes hitmaker’s full name is actually Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell
While Billie Eilish is a pretty cool name in itself, the 21-year-old Ocean Eyes hitmaker’s full name is actually Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell.
The star uses her middle name as her surname, while her other two names are Pirate and Baird – with Baird being her mother’s surname.
Pirate, meanwhile, was the nickname her older brother Finneas gave her when she was still in her mother’s womb, with Billie later declaring that the nickname was “pretty weird”.
In a 2017 BBC interview, Billie opened up about her name, explaining: “Pretty weird huh? Pirate was supposed to be my middle name, but then my uncle had a problem with it because pirates are bad. Then Baird is my mother’s name.”
Kate Hudson
Heartbreaking story: The glamorous Hollywood star, 43, has a middle name that many would ever expect – Garry
The glamorous Hollywood star, 43, has a middle name that many would expect – Garry.
While many may raise eyebrows at the name, there’s actually a heartbreaking story behind it.
Kate’s mother – actress Goldie Hawn – decided to name her girl in honor of her beloved late uncle Garry, who died shortly before Kate was born.
James Corden
Not what you’d expect: TV star James Corden has a rather surprising middle name, Kimberley
TV star James Corden has a rather surprising middle name, Kimberley.
In his own family, however, it’s not uncommon, as the comedian previously revealed to The Late Late Show in 2019, that his family has a tradition of passing the middle name on to sons born into the family.
He said of the name: “Every man in my family has it – it’s a tradition. I pretended it was Karl forever, but my sister was out with one of my buddies and she told him, then he told the whole school. It wasn’t great.’
Macaulay Culkin
Genius: Believe it or not, Macaulay’s real name is Macaulay Macaulay Culkin Culkin
Believe it or not, Macaulay’s real name is Macaulay Macaulay Culkin Culkin.
His middle name was actually Carson, but Macaulay wasn’t a fan of it, tweeting in 2018: “My middle name is something stupid. Larry? Orange? To be honest, I don’t even remember it.’
That same year, the 42-year-old Home Alone actor conducted a fan poll to legally change his middle name, with the star revealing he would choose from the top five names, namely: ” Stunt, TheMcRibIsBack, Kieran, Shark Week and Macaulay Culkin.’
On Christmas Day, he tweeted his new official name and wrote: “Merry Christmas to me everyone! My new middle name has been chosen. You have voted and the winner has been determined. In 2019 my new legal name is Macaulay Macaulay Culkin Culkin. It has a nice ring to it (if you like my name).’
Adele
Mix it up: While Adele is such a megastar that just a name will do, her full nickname is actually Adele Laurie Blue Adkins
While Adele is such a megastar that just a name will do, her full nickname is actually Adele Laurie Blue Adkins.
The Grammy winner, previously Adele, told British Vogue in 2012 that Blue was almost her first name.
Richard Gere
Like James Corden, Hollywood heartthrob Richard Gere was given a middle name traditionally used by the opposite sex, his name being Tiffany.
The Pretty Woman star does not use his middle name in his professional career, although the nickname is actually his mother’s maiden name.
Anders: Like James Corden, Hollywood heartthrob Richard Gere was given a middle name traditionally used by the opposite sex, his name being Tiffany