Celebrities' real names revealed as Meghan Markle’s first name isn’t what you think
Following the revelation last week that Meghan Markle actually shares a secret surname with her husband and their two children, there has seemingly been a spark in intrigue over Royal titles.
Speaking on her new self-fronted Netflix series last week, the former Suits actress announced that her family have gone by the surname 'Sussex' since Prince Harry's grandmother, The late Queen, bestowed the name upon them following their 2018 wedding.
Meghan's 'real' name
The news subsequently prompted followers of the monarchy deep-diving into the real names of modern day Royals - and some were left even further surprised to see that Meghan isn't actually called 'Meghan'.
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That's right, according to her five-year-old son Archie's birth certificate, the Duchess was actually born 'Rachel', and her name is now listed on all official documentation as 'Rachel Meghan Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex'. Who knew?
As we say, the double-whammy revelation has left many gossip-fans - Team Tyla included - wondering which other huge-name stars go by different names in the spotlight, and why they have a stage name in the first place...
Other stars who go by 'stage names'
Miley Cyrus
The former Hannah Montana star has gone by 'Miley' since her childhood years, when her father - country star Billy Ray Cyrus - began nicknaming her 'Smiley'.
It turns out that the 32-year-old was actually born 'Destiny Hope Cyrus, but changed her name to 'Miley Ray Cyrus' in 2008 - a nod to both her father and her grandfather, Ronald Ray Cyrus, as per CNN.
Millie Bobby Brown
Last week, the Stranger Things actress broke the news to her Electric State co-star Chris Pratt that 'Bobby' isn't actually her real name.
Brown explained in a Buzzfeed interview that she was born with the middle name 'Bonnie', but partially opted to change it to 'Bobby' as a tribute to her father Robert Brown when she became famous, and partially made the change for 's***s and giggles'.
Emma Stone
The two-time Best Actress Academy Award winner was told when she began acting, she had to register in the Screen Actors Guild with a name different to the one she was born with.
After being told there was already an 'Emily Stone' on the roster - her birth name - she initially opted for 'Riley' before changing it to 'Emma'.
She told W Magazine in 2017: "For a 16-year-old, picking a new name is an interesting prospect, and back then I said, 'I'm now going to be Riley Stone!'. So, for about six months I was called Riley.
"I landed a guest spot on Malcolm in the Middle, and one day they were calling, 'Riley! Riley! Riley! We need you on set, Riley!' and I had no idea who they were talking to."
Cher
Some lucky stars have been able to get away with using one name in total - including Beyoncé, Rihanna, Madonna and, of course, Cher. It turns out, however, that this isn't even the 'Believe' singer's real name.
The singer initially thought that upon her 1946 birth, she was named 'Cherilyn', but in the 70s, discovered her mother had actually registered her as 'Cheryl'.
Katy Perry
The US hitmaker was actually born Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson, but only recently did she reveal the real reason she opted to develop a stage name all those years ago.
She told The Guardian in 2017 she created the character of 'Katy Perry' in a bid to 'liberate' herself following a difficult childhood, having been raised by devout Christian and fundamentalist parents.
Katy told the publication her stage persona couldn't be further from her real personality.
Shania Twain
The country music star was given her father Clarence Edwards' surname upon her birth, and 'Eilleen Regina' as her first and middle names after her grandmothers on each side.
When her stepfather adopted her following her parents' divorce, however, she became a 'Twain'.
And after she got her record deal, she changed her first name to 'Shania'.
"I needed a stage name that sounded a little less like my grandmother's name," she recently explained on Apple Music's Home Now Radio.
"Because I'm named after my grandmother, both my grandmothers, Eilleen and Regina. I think, in my mind, I was just not really wanting to be called my grandmother's name onstage, so I decided to change it to Shania Twain.
"I met somebody with the name Shania, thought it was beautiful, and Shania Twain was born."
Chappell Roan
The 'Pink Pony Club' hit-maker was actually born 'Kayleigh Rose Amstutz', but opted for her stage name as part of a 'drag project' in a bid to set a boundary between her stardom and personal life.
Gigi Hadid
Some stage names make complete sense - like Gigi Hadid's.
The model was actually born 'Jelena Noura Hadid', but after one of her teacher's consistently got her confused with another student named 'Helena' - and her mother already nicknamed her 'Gigi' at home - her new one stuck.
Lady Gaga
Stefani Germanotta adopted the stage name 'Lady Gaga' when she entered showbiz, choosing the iconic moniker as a reference to Queen's hit song 'Radio Ga Ga'.
Reese Witherspoon
The actress was actually born 'Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon', but opted to go for 'Reese' as her stage name in honour of both her middle name and her mother's maiden name, which was also 'Reese'.
Lana Del Rey
The singer's real name is actually 'Elizabeth Woolridge Grant', but she opted her legendary triple-whammy stage name in a bid to sound exotic - reportedly inspired by fellow actress Lana Turner and the Ford Del Rey sedan.
Topics: Celebrity, US News, UK News, Royal Family, Meghan Markle
Rhianna Benson