Wild meaning behind Whoopi Goldberg's iconic stage name

Whoopi Goldberg isn't actually called Whoopi Goldberg - and there's a very unusual reason behind the unique stage name.

The 70-year-old American actor and comedian has an impressive career in the entertainment world spanning across four decades, from roles in hard-hitting movies to TV talk shows and comedic performances.

She was also the first Black woman to win an EGOT, which is the nickname for the big four - an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony.

But the household name we know her by actually came from quite a random beginning.

Goldberg's real name is Caryn Johnson; however, she felt this wasn't interesting enough to make it in the celebrity world and so chose to take on a brand new moniker in her 30s.

The star revealed during a 2024 episode of Late Night With Seth Meyers that the inspiration behind her original stage name was sparked by a gag gift.

She explained: "Whoopi first, and I was whoopie cushion. And then I was Whoopi Cushión.”

Whoopi Goldberg has revealed the unexpected origin behind her stage name (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

Yes, really - her career began with a name stemming from the rude practical joke device, which simulates the sound of flatulence.

Thankfully, her mother Emma Harris eventually convinced her to change 'Cushion' to 'Goldberg'.

The actress recalled: “She said, ‘You are diminishing your abilities.‘If you call yourself by Whoopi Cushion, people are not really going to appreciate what you can do.’

"And I said, ‘Oh really? Oh, great namer of the star?’ And she said, ‘Yes.’"

As for where Goldberg came from, it’s a moniker that does exist in her family, and they liked the sound of it, so why not?

Goldberg continued: “She said, ‘Well, there’s a lot of family names, we’ve got a lot of different people in our family, I like Goldberg.’ And I said, ‘Okay, well, we’ll try it.’ Well?”

It was the star's mother Emma who prompted her to change it (Ron Galella/Getty Images)

In her memoir, Bits and Pieces, she also delved more into the origins of 'Whoopi Cushion," writing, "Once I started getting parts in plays, I wanted a name that sounded more interesting. Caryn Johnson wasn’t it.

"Some people at the Rep called me Whoopi because I would sometimes let loose with a fart.

"I added 'Cush-ione' to it, with a French pronunciation. Then, I got a review written by journalist Welton Jones. It was a good one, so I sent it to my mother. Later, when we talked on the phone, she said, 'What is this Whoopi Cushione?'"

Goldeberg's mother, who sadly died in 2010, did outline a few things she wanted from her daughter in return, for coming up with the name that launched her career.

As per E! News, Goldberg wrote in her book: “She said, ‘I only want three things.

“She said she wanted an English beaver bowler hat. It had to come in the box, the leather box, with the brush.

“She wanted an Ermine coat. And she wanted a Bugatti. When you read the book, you’ll understand - my mother had very good taste.”