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Home · Celebrity

<p>Do You Know These Celebs' Real Names?</p>

Actor Mahershala Ali recently revealed his real name, and it's so beautiful you'll need a second to practice saying it. Did you know Jamie Foxx, Timbaland and Nicki Minaj's real names? We've uncovered the unknown, and surprising, government names of your favorite celebs.

By Jolie A. Doggett · Updated October 27, 2020
01
Mahershala Ali
Real name: Mahershalalhashbaz Ali (It’s a tongue twister isn’t it?!)
Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
getty images
02
Common

Real name: Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr.

(Did you have a moment when you thought “Who’s that?!” when his name was announced at Oscars? It’s okay to admit it)

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Mat Hayward/Getty Images
03
Nicki Minaj

Real Name: Onika Tanya Maraj

Beyoncé called Nicki by her government name during the “Flawless” remix.

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic
04
Stevie Wonder

Real name: Stevland Hardaway Morris

His last name isn’t really “Wonder,” but we still think he’s wonderful!

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
05
Jamie Foxx

Real name: Eric Marlon Bishop

Not even close (there’s not even a “J” in his real name).

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Getty Images
06
Issa Rae

Real name: Joissa Diop

Pick up her book, “Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl,” to see the hilarious story behind her pen name.

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Getty Images
07
Drake

Real name: Aubrey Graham

You may have caught his real name in the credits on Degrassi.

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
08
Timbaland

Real name: Timothy Zachery Mosley

His real name wasn’t bad but he needed a unique name to match his one-of-a-kind beats.

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Getty Images
09
Snoop Dogg

Real name: Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr.

Snoop has changed his name from Calvin to Dogg to Lion. What’s next?

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Getty Images
10
Kelly Rowland

Real name: Kelendria Trene Rowland

She’ll always be Kelly to us!

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Getty Images
11
Missy Elliot
Real name: Melissa Arnette Elliot We knew her middle name couldn’t really be “Misdemeanor”…
Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Getty Images
12
Erykah Badu

Real name: Erica Abi Wright

First name Erica, Last name… is not Badu.

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
DC/PictureGroup
13
Alicia Keys

Real name: Alicia Augello Cook

A piano-playing songstress who’s real last name is “Keys” is just too good to be true.

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Yu Tsai
14
Swizz Beatz

Real name: Kasseem Dean

Both Swizz and his wife Alicia Keys go by aliases. Is there no one we can trust?!

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Getty Images
15
Spike Lee

Real name: Shelton Jackson Lee

Shelton…Spike… eh, close enough.

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images for NAACP Image Awards
16
Rihanna

Real Name: Robyn Rihanna Fenty

The Bad Gal’s government name just doesn’t have the same ring. 

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Bryan Bedder/Getty Images and JP Yim/Getty Images
17
Whoopi Goldberg
Real name: Caryn Elaine Johnson The name change is understandable. “Whoopi” just sounds more fun.
Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
18
Andre 3000
Real name: André Lauren Benjamin We’re sure you could’ve guessed that his last name wasn’t really 3,000. But if you didn’t know, we won’t tell anyone.
Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
19
John Legend

Real name: John Stephens

But his voice and piano skills are definitely legendary.

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images
20
Genuwine

Real name: Elgin Baylor Lumpkin

No, seriously. That’s his real name.

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Getty Images
21
Tina Turner

Real Name: Anna Mae Bullock

As heard in the semi-autographical film What’s Love Got to Do With It? 

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
22
Will Smith

Real Name: Willard Carroll Smith, Jr. 

Did you think his first name was William, too?

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Getty Images
23
Ludacris

Real Name: Christopher Brian Bridges

We like the clever word play Luda!

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Steve Granitz/WireImage
24
The Weeknd

Real Name: Abęl Tesfaye

The Weeknd has a nice ring to it, even though it’s missing a vowel. 

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Getty Images
25
J. Cole

Real Name: Jermaine Lamarr Cole

The Grammy-nominated rapper didn’t get very creative with his stage name but it’s ok because he’s skills are dope anyway. 

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Anheuser-Busch
26
Kendrick Lamar

Real Name: Kendrick Lamar Duckworth

We have to admitl, dropping his last name for the stage was a good move. 

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Getty Images
27
Dej Loaf

Real Name: Deja Trimble

Dej Trimble has a nice ring to it though! 

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Getty Images
28
Frank Ocean

Real Name: Christopher Breaux

Frank Ocean/Chris Breaux, we’d buy music from both, honestly. 

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
29
T-Pain

Real Name: Faheem Rasheed Naim

T-Pain holds it down with some hits. 

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
30
Sade

Real Name: Helen Folasade Adu

The Nigerian singer uses an abbreviation of her middle name on stage. 

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Gus Stewart/Redferns
31
Jason Derulo

Real Name: Jason Desrouleaux

The real singer’s last name is a mouthfull!

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Theo Wargo/Getty Images
32
Yasiin Bey

Real Name: Dante Smith

The artist formally known as Mos Def. 

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Mark Horton/WireImage
33
Big Boi
Real name: Antwan Andr Patton The Outkast rapper’s stage name is far from his birth name but still pretty cool.
Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
34
A$AP Rocky

Real Name: Rakim Mayers

Fun fact, Rocky’s real first name is attributed to rapper Rakim (who’s real name is William Michael Griffin Jr.). The rapper’s mother was a big fan of Eric B and Rakim back in the day. 

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
George Pimentel/WireImage
35
Queen Latifah

Real Name: Dana Elaine Owens

How dope would it be if this Oscar-nominated, Grammy, Golden Globe, Emmy and SAG winning star’s reall name was actually Queen?!

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
36
D’Angelo

In a 2015 interview with Tavis Smiley, the singer talked about his album, Black Messiah, black culture, black men, and black women. 

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Rick Kern/Getty Images
37
Method Man

Real Name: Clifford Smith

Funny enough, we can’t see this Wu-Tang member with a name like Clifford. 

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Brad Barket/Getty Images
38
Flo Rida

Real Name: Tramar Dillard

Because chances of your real name being the same as the state you’re from are slim to none. 

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Amanda Edwards/WireImage
39
Will.i.am

Real Name: William James Adams, Jr.

Even though the Black Eyed Peas singer basically goes by his first name, the creativity is there and we love it. 

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
40
Foxy Brown

Real Name: Inga Marchand 

We wonder if the rapper’s stage name is a nod to the iconic movie character?

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
41
Questlove

Real Name: Ahmir-Khalib Thompson

The Roots drummer has a cool stage name, we dig it. 

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Victoria’s Secret
42
Donna Summer
Real Name: Ladonna Gaines While it would be great to have the last name of a wonderful season, sadly this disco diva does not.
Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
Michael Putland/Getty Images
43
Q-Tip

Real Name: Kamaal Ibn John Fareed

The DJ and Tribe Called Quest rapper was born Jonathan Davis but changed his legal name after converting to Islam. The more you know. 

Do You Know These Celebs’ Real Names?
D-Nice/ Instagram

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