In the celebrity world, it’s not uncommon for stars to change their names when they hit the big time.
From names passed down through the generations to a completely self-chosen nickname, often a person’s name can get people talking as much as what they do.
And it’s not just their first and last names, as several famous faces own some pretty unusual and wacky middle names.
A famous singer has the great middle name of Cloud de Bounevialle.
Another is the proud owner of the Hercules moniker, while a major chart-topper has the middle name Pirate. But can you guess who these names belong to?
From colors to family members and even a name identical to their first name, MailOnline takes a look at the surprising middle names of celebrities…
Mischief
Now that’s a mouthful: Dido’s full name is, in fact, Florian Cloud of Bounevialle O’Malley Armstrong
The 51-year-old White Flag singer already has an unusual nickname, but Dido is really just a nickname.
In fact, Dido’s full name is Florian Cloud of Bounevialle O’Malley Armstrong.
The star has recounted how she considers this to be her real name, the name of the Queen of Carthage in Virgil’s Aeneid, and has called herself Dido since childhood after being bullied for 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 she was “embarrassed” about it. . growing.
In an interview with The Guardian in 2001, he said of his name: “To be called one thing and baptized another is really very confusing and annoying.” It’s one of the most annoying things my parents did to me.
‘I’m still irritated by it. Florian is a German male name. That’s bad. To give his son a lot of strange names. They were all so embarrassing.
Despite going by the name Dido these days, the star recounted that she hated this when she was younger too, noting that it was ‘cruel’ to call her that and that when she was younger, she even pretended to be Claire.
Elton John
Change: Like Dido, Elton, 75, sports a completely different name than he was when he was born, his real name is Reginald Kenneth Dwight; however, it is said that the singer did not feel that he had star quality.
Like Dido, Elton, 75, sports a completely different name than the one he was born with, his real name is Reginald Kenneth Dwight; however, it is said that the singer did not feel that he had star quality.
He also said that the name held ‘unhappy memories’, stating in a 1987 interview: ‘When I became Elton John, it was like a new lease on life. I didn’t particularly like being Reg Dwight. He had too many unhappy memories.
He legally changed his name to Elton John in 1972, paying homage to two members of the blues band Bluesology: saxophonist Elton Dean and vocalist Long John Baldry.
Meanwhile, his middle name was not named after the mythical hero as many might assume, but after a horse featured in the British sitcom Steptoe and Son.
billie eilish
Cool: While Billie Eilish is a cool name in its own right, 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 on its own, the 21-year-old Ocean Eyes hitmaker’s full name is actually Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell.
The star uses his middle name as his last name, while his other two names are Pirate and Baird, with Baird being his mother’s last name.
Meanwhile, Pirate was the nickname her older brother Finneas gave her while still in their mother’s womb, with Billie later stating that the nickname was “pretty weird”.
In a 2017 BBC interview, Billie spoke about her name, explaining: “Pretty weird, right? Pirate was going to be my middle name, but then my uncle had a problem because pirates are bad. So Baird is the name. of my mother.
Kate Hudson
Heartbreaking story: The glamorous Hollywood star, 43, has a middle name many would expect: Garry
The glamorous Hollywood star, 43, has a middle name that many would expect: Garry.
While many may be surprised by the name, there is actually a heartbreaking story behind it.
Kate’s mother, actress Goldie Hawn, decided to name her baby girl after her beloved late Uncle Garry, who died shortly before Kate’s birth.
james corden
Not what you’d expect: TV star James Corden has the rather surprising middle name, Kimberley
TV star James Corden has a pretty amazing middle name, Kimberley.
It’s not unusual in his own family, though, as the comedian previously revealed on The Late Late Show in 2019 that his family has a tradition of passing down middle names to children born into the family.
He said about the name: ‘All the men in my family have it, it’s a tradition. For a long time I pretended that it was Karl, but my sister was dating one of my classmates and she told him, then she told the whole school. He 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 given middle name was actually Carson, but Macaulay wasn’t a fan of that, tweeting in 2018: ‘My middle name is kind of silly. Larry? Orange? Honestly, I can’t even remember.
That same year, the 42-year-old Home Alone actor polled fans to legally change his middle name, with the star revealing that he would choose from the top five names, which were: ‘Publicity Stunt, TheMcRibIsBack, Kieran, Shark Week and Macaulay Culkin.
On Christmas Day, he tweeted his new official name, writing: ‘Merry Christmas to me from all of you! My new middle name has been chosen. You voted and the winner is clear. In 2019 my new legal name will be: Macaulay Macaulay Culkin Culkin. Sounds good (if you like my name)’.
adela
Mixing it up: While Adele is such a megastar that just one name will suffice, her full nickname is, in fact, Adele Laurie Blue Adkins.
While Adele is a megastar that just one name will suffice, her full nickname is, in fact, Adele Laurie Blue Adkins.
Formerly Grammy-winning singer 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, Tiffany.
The Pretty Woman star doesn’t use her middle name in her professional career, and the nickname is actually her mother’s maiden name.
Different: Like James Corden, Hollywood heartthrob Richard Gere was given a middle name traditionally used by the opposite sex, with his name Tiffany