NOT EVERY ARTIST WAS BORN WITH A COOL NAME

Does Sting's wife call him Sting? Discover the real names of 10 stars

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Not every artist is born with a name that is destined for greatness. Not every artist has parents as cool as Prince did, who actually named their son Prince Rogers Nelson. Most of the famous musicians, actors, and actresses we know were born with normal, middle-of-the-road names, like the rest of us. And, while many have decided to keep their given names, some have changed their monikers to something better suited to their chosen identities. The following ten are examples of successful artists who made this bold move. Did you know already any one of these?

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Perhaps the greatest rock and roll star of all time, the Thin White Duke, reinvented himself and his whole style every few years. David Bowie’s name has become an icon in itself, but that wasn’t always the case.

Back in 1966, when the young David Jones was 18 and taking his first steps under the spotlight, he changed his name to avoid confusion with another British musician of the same name, Davy Jones, who later became the frontman for The Monkees. Bowie chose his moniker as a homage to the Bowie knife and James Bowie, a famous American pioneer.

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Another name that has long turned into an icon is Bob Dylan. Until 1962, his name was Robert Zimmerman and the most popular theory about why he chose Dylan was that it was done as an homage to poet Dylan Thomas. But the Nobel Prize winner has denied this a few times.

Apparently, the name came to him as a mixture of his own nickname, Bob, and the last name of jazz artist David Allyn. That same name, Allyn, sounded similar to Dylan, which the singer-songwriter preferred.

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While it may come as a surprise that some famous people’s names are not their real ones, others are quite obviously fabricated. Lady Gaga’s parents gave their daughter the more standardized name of Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta.

The young Stefani’s friends gave her the name Gaga after a lyric from the Queen song "Radio Ga Ga," which sounded similar to Lady Gaga.

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Elvis Costello may not have been born with that name but his parents gave him an even more flamboyant title: Declan Patrick Aloysius Macmanus. Granted, that name might have probably worked wonders for him in other endeavors, but in the realm of showbiz, shorter and easier-to-remember names are preferred.

And probably that is why ol’ Declan eventually chose a stage name after signing his first recording contract, combining ‘Elvis’ from Elvis Presley and his own father’s stage name, Costello.

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Is Elton John an elegant name? You bet. Especially with the added "Sir." Is it real? Not a chance. Sir Elton was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight, a very British name indeed, but apparently not the one he wanted for his career.

The Rocket Man creator started going by the name "Elton John" in honor of saxophonist Elton Dean and singer Long John Baldry.

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A name so iconic that it doesn’t even need a last name, Cher is, in fact, short for the Pop Goddess's real name, Cherilyn, whose full birth certificate name is Cherilyn Sarkisian.

But before deciding to go with Cher, she recorded songs under the names Bonnie Jo Mason and Cherilyn. Even when she formed a duo with Sonny Bono, they went by "Caesar & Cleo," before landing on "Sonny & Cher."

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When you sing as incredibly well as Freddie Mercury did, you can name yourself anything you want and people will come. But the man who gave us "Bohemian Rhapsody" thought that his birthname, Farrokh Bulsara, was not the best suited for his career.

The Queen frontman legally changed his name to Freddie Mercury around 1970, when the band was formed.

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Stevland Hardaway Judkins was a wonder from a very early age. In 1961, 11-year-old Stevie was discovered by Ronnie White of the Motown group the Miracles. After a meeting at Motown Records, Berry Gordy renamed the young prodigy "Little Stevie Wonder," later dropping the "Little" as he matured.

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It probably won’t be a shock to know that Sting, the British musician, wasn’t born with that name. Instead, his parents gave him the most normal name of Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner.

While in school, Sumner played in local clubs as part of bands called Pheonix Jazzmen and Last Exit. It was one of his Pheonix Jazzmen bandmates who first dubbed Sumner, "Sting." The nickname stemmed from a black-and-yellow striped sweater he often wore while performing. And it stuck.

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Another rock star who decided that surnames were not a good look for him is U2’s frontman, Bono. Paul Hewson was born and raised in Ireland. While still in his teens, he was a member of a group called "Lypton Village."

One evening, hanging out on the street across from a local hearing aid shop called Bono Vox, his friends decided that such a name would be a good nickname for Paul because, in addition to being an Irish hearing aid company, "Bono Vox" means ‘good voice’ in Latin. At one point, Mr. Hewson dropped the "Vox," and from then on, became known simply as Bono.

LOST LANGUAGE

Gone but Not Forgotten: 10 Words That Got Removed From the Dictionary

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Living languages are constantly evolving and adapting to the needs of their speakers, and shedding some of their least-used vocabulary is a natural part of the process. English is, of course, no exception to this rule, and each year both speakers and dictionaries make room for newer words that often fit their realities better. But don’t despair for these lost terms, because here we gathered 10 that, despite being almost completely obsolete, offer us a fascinating glimpse into our linguistic past.

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Definition:To stare silently at someone while they are eating, hoping to be invited to join.

It sounds like an onomatopoeic crossbreed between a dog’s growl and a toad’s croak, however, it is actually quite an established verb! The origins of this peculiar word are hard to trace, though some linguists propose it may come from Scots or Gaelic.

In a single word, groak captures the universal experience of both dogs and insatiable teenagers. Though it might seem like an oddly specific term, its meaning has been somewhat fluid throughout its history. It has also been used as a noun or to refer to looking over your shoulder suspiciously.

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Definition:A shrewd, unprincipled person, particularly a politician.

This term originated in 19th-century America and is a delightful example of political slang. Though its origins are fuzzy, it describes a manipulative individual who ventures into politics solely for personal gain (sounds familiar?). Some etymologists argue that the term derives from the word "snallygaster," a mythical creature from rural Maryland that is half reptile and half bird, but historical evidence suggests that this use emerged later.

Though it has faded from use, its meaning has remained relevant over time and thus has reemerged now and then, for instance when President Harry S. Truman used it (albeit somewhat incorrectly) in a 1952 speech.

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Definition:To argue stubbornly about trifles; squabble.

"Brabble" was a word commonly used in the 16th and 17th centuries to describe petty arguments. Curiously, despite its similarity to "babble" in both sound and meaning, these two words are not related. According to some etymologists, "brabble" likely derives from the Middle Dutch verb "brabbelen," meaning "to quarrel."

In any case, its sonorous qualities perfectly convey the noise of pointless bickering. And while the word might have fallen out of favor, the behavior it describes remains timeless, an inevitable part of human interactions.

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Definition:One who arrives at a party without money.

No, it’s not a fancy term for an artisanal espresso or anything like that. Originating in the early 19th century, "lanspresado" is sort of a playful yet piercing term. The word combines elements of Latin and Romance languages to label what we would now call a mooch or a freeloader.

A dictionary that compiled thieves’ or street slang in 1736 clearly defines it as: "He that comes into company with but Two-pence in his Pocket". Hundreds of years later, we might not use the word anymore, but there is no shortage of lanspresadoes. So we just might bring it back. Apparently, humanity never changes.

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Definition:To gossip or talk idly.

A popular English word in the 16th century, "twattle" encapsulates the concept of idle chatter and gossip. Unlike "babble," which often refers to incoherent speech, "twattle" specifically pertains to pointless or frivolous talk. "Twattle" is actually a cousin to "twaddle," which still sees occasional use.

Despite its disappearance from everyday language, the behavior it describes is still very much alive. Who hasn’t engaged in a bit of twattle in the street after bumping into a neighbor?

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Definition:A person who remains aloof or independent, especially from party politics.

Popularized in the late 19th century, "mugwump" was originallya very specific word that referred to a member of the Republican Party who refused to support the party's main candidate at the time. Eventually, the word evolved to describe any politician who remained politically independent.

Interestingly, the word might derive from an Algonquian term meaning "great man" or "big chief," though its later usage was ironic rather than flattering. While "mugwump" has remained a part of American political slang, it is not commonly used today.

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Definition:A combination of smoke and haze.

Similar but less prevalent than "smog"—itself a combination of smoke and fog—"smaze" emerged in the 20th century as a portmanteau of smoke and haze. The term is almost intoxicatingly self-explanatory, and it was particularly relevant during periods of intense industrial pollution, before stricter laws reduced emissions and controlled air pollutants in cities and residential areas.

Curiously, there have been many similar word combinations to refer to various atmospheric conditions, such as "vog," coined in Hawaii to describe a dangerous mixture of toxic gases, volcanic dust, and fog.

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Definition:A wooden toy figure that moves when a string is pulled; a puppet.

This whimsical term from 19th-century England describes a wooden toy whose limbs can be controlled by pulling a string—in simpler words, a puppet. By extension, the word came to refer to a person who is controlled by someone else, especially in political contexts.

Some argue that the "quock" part of the word might be related to a lost dialectal term meaning "tremble or shake," like "quake". Since real quockerwodgers weren’t exactly like typical puppets, where each string controls a limb with purpose, but rather were made to jerk uncontrollably by pulling a single string, this interpretation makes sense.

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Definition:Pretending to work when you’re not actually doing anything.

"Fudgel" is a humorous word that perfectly captures the well-known office phenomenon of appearing busy while accomplishing nothing. Allegedly originating in the 18th century, its absence from unabridged editions of various dictionaries suggests it might be a more recent term, though it never quite gained widespread use.

Interestingly, its similarity to "fudge" goes just beyond the sound, as "to fudge" can also mean "to change or falsify evidence." It’s easy to imagine someone fudgeled a bit too much at the office and ended up creating an entirely new word.

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Definition:Divination by observing cheese.

We can all agree that cheese can be quite mesmerizing, especially good Italian cheese. But did you know there used to be a whole branch of divination involving cheese? Tyromancy, the practice of telling fortunes with cheese, was regularly performed in 2nd century Greece by professional soothsayers.

These specialists would analyze the cheesiest details to predict the year’s harvest or determine future marriages. They scrutinized the number and size of holes in a block of cheese, any patterns on its surface, or the shapes it formed as it coagulated.