When you rattle off a list of celebrity names from the top of your head it’s likely the words just roll smoothly off your tongue.
As though they’d been destined for stardom from the moment they were named, almost every A-List star has an aurally pleasant sounding moniker.
WATCH: Brad Pitt gives Renee Bargh a flirty wink
Alas, it’s no coincidence Hollywood’s biggest and brightest all have names that sound like they belong on a red carpet.
A number of celebrities have opted for a stage name as a way of standing out while simultaneously fitting into the elite circle of stardom.
Perhaps their original name was dull, odd sounding or difficult to pronounce, whatever the reason it’s extremely common for celebs to change their names. In many cases celebs actually choose to be called by their middle names – Meghan Markle and Reese Witherspoon are prime examples.
Scroll on to see which stars made a swap to help their project them to stardom.
Marilyn Monroe
Born: Norma Jeane Mortenson
Meghan Markle
Born: Rachel Meghan Markle
Brad Pitt
Born: William Bradley Pitt
Gigi Hadid
Born: Jelena Noura Hadid
Rihanna
Born: Robyn Rihanna Fenty
Miley Cyrus
Born: Destiny Hope Cyrus
Reese Witherspoon
Born: Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon
Natalie Portman
Born: Neta-Lee Hershlag
Olivia Wilde
Born: Olivia Cockburn
Drake
Born: Aubrey Drake Graham
Bruno Mars
Born: Peter Gene Hernandez
Helen Mirren
Born: Ilyena Lydia Mironoff
Lorde
Born: Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor
P!nk
Born: Alecia Beth Moore
Molly Meldrum
Born: Ian Alexander Meldrum
Elle Macpherson
Born: Eleanor Nancy Gow
Rose Byrne
Born: Mary Rose Byrne
Tina Arena
Born: Filippina Lydia Arena
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