Chris Pratt, the actor known for his roles in movies like Mercy and Guardians of the Galaxy, almost changed his name when he first entered the entertainment industry. Before becoming the widely recognized Chris Pratt, he considered going by “Christo,” a nickname that emerged during his early days working at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, as he shared during a recent podcast.
The Origin of ‘Christo’ During Early Jobs
Pratt revealed that while working at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, a portion of his name tag was worn off, leaving only “Christo” visible. Because of this, his colleagues and new employees mistakenly called him Christo, causing the nickname to stick within that environment.
“I was going to be Christo,” he said on the January 22 episode of Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast. “I had a name tag that said ‘Christopher’—but this is at a Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. But the P-H-E-R part got rubbed off, so it said Christo and everyone called me Christo for a long time.” – Chris Pratt, Actor
He also noted the high turnover rate at Bubba Gump led to new workers frequently assuming his name was Christo, which only reinforced the misconception.
“While I was working at Bubba Gump, high turnover rate,” he continued. “The new employees thought my name was Christo.” – Chris Pratt, Actor
Considering a Permanent Name Change in Hollywood
Although the nickname was useful in the service industry, when Chris Pratt moved to Los Angeles to pursue his acting career, he seriously mulled the idea of adopting Christo as his professional name.
“As I navigated being discovered and brought to Los Angeles to follow my dreams,” Pratt elaborated, “Part of me thought in earnest, ‘Maybe I’d go by just Christo.’” – Chris Pratt, Actor
Despite this, he ultimately chose to keep his original name professionally, joking that it’s never too late to try out the name now.
The Challenge of Sharing a First Name With Other Famous Chrises
Chris Pratt also experiences confusion due to sharing his first name with other prominent Hollywood actors named Chris, including Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, and Chris Pine. During one press event, someone even called him by Chris Pine’s name, which he found amusing.
“Someone on this press tour called me Chris Pine,” Pratt noted. “I don’t think they mistake me,” he said before adding, “I think…just the alliteration.” – Chris Pratt, Actor
Pratt’s Stance on AI Replacing Actors
Besides name mix-ups, Pratt addressed concerns about artificial intelligence threatening actors’ roles in films. At the New York premiere of Mercy on January 20, he refuted claims that AI-generated artists, such as Tilly Norwood, might replace human performers like him.
“I don’t feel like someone’s going to replace me that’s AI,” Pratt told Variety. “I heard this Tilly Norwood thing. I think that’s all bulls–t. I’ve never seen her in a movie. I don’t know who this b—h is.” – Chris Pratt, Actor
He added a note of skepticism about the current state of AI art in entertainment:
“You know, it’s all fake until it’s something.” – Chris Pratt, Actor
Other Celebrities Who Changed or Adapted Their Names
While Pratt kept his birth name, many artists have altered theirs for their careers. The practice of adopting stage names or modifying real names is common in the entertainment world, often to craft a memorable persona or simplify pronunciation.
Post Malone Embraces His Surname Over First Name
Austin Richard Post, better known as Post Malone, uses his surname for fame but retains his first name among friends. At the 2024 MTV VMAs, Taylor Swift called him Austin while they won Best Collaboration for “Fortnight.”
Aubrey Anderson-Emmons Becomes Frances Anderson for Music
Former Modern Family star Aubrey Frances Anderson-Emmons shortened her name to Frances Anderson when launching her music career. She explained that Frances is her middle name, inspired by a family friend, and that her previous last name was quite long and hyphenated.
“Frances is actually part of my legal name—it’s my middle name, and it’s after my mom’s old family friend,” she shared in a 2025 interview. “I thought, one, it was a bit shorter than ‘Aubrey Anderson-Emmons.’ I do have a long, hyphenated last name.” – Aubrey Frances Anderson-Emmons, Actress and Musician
Hannah and Mary Fanning’s Middle Names Used for Fame
Actors Hannah and Mary Fanning switched to their middle names, Dakota and Elle Fanning, for their professional careers. Elle mentioned it made sense since their mother also used her middle name. The decision helped avoid confusion in school and public life.
“It was awkward in school when they were calling roll call,” Elle Fanning recalled. “Because they’d go, ‘Mary? Mary?’ Kids would be like, ‘There’s no Mary here.’ I’d awkwardly raise my hand, like, ‘Uh, it’s me.’” – Elle Fanning, Actress
William Carl Radke Known As Carl Despite Legal First Name
William Carl Radke, famous from Summer House, revealed that although his legal first name is William, he has been called Carl from the beginning.
“My I.D. and my passport—my first name is William,” he said. “So, my middle name is Carl, but I’ve always, since day one, been called Carl.” – William Carl Radke, Reality TV Personality
Sterling Kelby Brown’s Name Shift Honors Family
Sterling Kelby Brown used his middle name Kelby through childhood because he felt Sterling sounded old-fashioned. After his father passed away, Brown chose to embrace Sterling to honor his memory.
“My dad’s name is Sterling Brown Jr., my grandfather is Sterling Brown Sr.,” he said on The Kelly Clarkson Show. “I wanted my own name and it felt like Sterling was an old man’s name. Because he passed away when I was 10, by the time I turned 16 and I hadn’t heard his name for five, five-and-a-half years, I was like, ‘I kinda just want to hear that name again.’ So I asked people to call me Sterling.” – Sterling Kelby Brown, Actor
Nicholas Dylan Efron Uses Middle Name Instead
Nicholas Dylan Harrison Efron, winner of Traitors, drops his first name Nicholas in favor of Dylan, making Harrison his middle name now.
“That’s my first name and everything gets bumped up,” he said about his name change. – Nicholas Dylan Efron, Reality TV Winner
Lawrence Brothers Adopt Stage Last Name
Andrew, Matthew, and Joey Mignogna chose the surname Lawrence professionally after an agent criticized their family name, altering their original last name for easier recognition.
Kat Dennings’ Stage Name Inspired by Pop Culture and Family
Kat Dennings, born Katherine Victoria Litwack, started using her stage name at nine years old, well before her acting debut. She took inspiration from Christina Ricci’s character Kat in Casper, combined with “Denning,” the surname of a French family friend.
Pop Icon Cher’s Real First Name Revealed
For years, Cher was thought to be named Cherilyn, but after obtaining her birth certificate, she discovered her legal name is Cheryl. Her mother’s response recalled the challenging circumstances of her birth.
“I was only a teenager, and I was in a lot of pain. Give me a break.” – Georgia Holt, Mother of Cher
Outlaw Country Star’s Name Misspelled to Shaboozey
Collins Obinna Chibueze adopted the nickname Shaboozey after his Virginia high school misspelled his last name, later using this as his official stage name.
Katy Perry’s Name Change From Her Birth Name
Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson initially released a Christian album under her real name but adopted Katy Perry, inspired by her mother’s maiden name, to appeal to pop audiences.
Cardi B’s Nickname Crafted From Family Inspirations
Belcalis Almanzar was nicknamed Bacardi by family, inspired by her sister’s nickname Hennessy. She later shortened this to Cardi B, which became her official stage name.
Meghan Markle’s Early Usage of Rachel
Before gaining worldwide fame as the Duchess of Sussex, Rachel Meghan Markle was briefly known simply as Rachel.
Shania Twain’s Stage Name Origin Story
Eilleen Regina Edwards explained her choice of stage name Shania Twain on Apple Music’s Home Now Radio. She sought a name that distanced her from her grandmothers’ names and found inspiration in the name Shania.
“In short, I was born, Eilleen Regina Edwards, and then I was adopted and I became Eilleen Regina Twain. Then I became a professional singer and I needed a stage name that sounded a little less like my grandmother’s name, 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.” – Shania Twain, Singer
Chappell Roan’s Drag Persona Provides Personal Boundaries
Kayleigh Rose Amstutz performs under the name Chappell Roan, a drag project that allows her to separate her personal life from her public persona in the music industry.
Gigi Hadid’s Nickname Originated From School Confusion
Model Jelena Noura Hadid became known as Gigi after a teacher confused her with another student named Helena. Her mother’s nickname for her, Gigi, was adopted by the teacher and stuck throughout her career.
Vin Diesel and Other Famous Stage Name Transformations
Mark Vincent became Vin Diesel to create a striking action-star identity, while others like Miley Cyrus and Bruno Mars adopted their stage names based on childhood nicknames or family influences.
Actors Who Changed Their Names for Clarity and Fame
Jason Sudeikis, born Daniel, uses his middle name to reduce confusion with his father. Similarly, Emma Stone adopted a stage name after discovering her birth name was already registered in the Screen Actors Guild. Reese Witherspoon chose her middle name from her mother’s maiden name to honor family. Elizabeth Woolridge Grant performs as Lana Del Rey as an artistic persona, while Frank Ocean legally changed his name in 2014.
Legends and Pioneers With Stage Names Rooted in Identity
Calvin Broadus rose to fame as Snoop Dogg. Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor chose the stage name Lorde inspired by her interest in aristocracy. Enrique Morales is better known as Ricky Martin. Finally, Amethyst Kelly transformed into Iggy Azalea to craft her public image.
The history of celebrities altering or adapting their names reveals a complex blend of personal, cultural, and professional reasons behind their choices. Though Chris Pratt nearly became Christo, he remains one of many artists whose identity has been shaped subtly but powerfully by the names they adopt on their path to stardom.
#ChrisPratt calls the buzz around AI actress Tilly Norwood “bullshit”: “I’ve never seen her in a movie. I don’t know who this bitch is.” pic.twitter.com/eLJp68qR7U
— Variety (@Variety) January 21, 2026
