Although it would be nice to believe that there are parents out there who'd name a child 'Whoopi', sadly it isn't the case. It was always safe to assume that the first part of Whoopi Goldberg's name was a pseudonym. The fact that 'Goldberg' isn't correct either might surprise you though. The 'Star Trek' and 'Sister Act' star is really Caryn Johnson.
The only other place you might have heard 'whoopi' used is in reference to a whoopee cushion, and that's exactly where she took the name from. 'Goldberg' has more cynical origins though. Goldberg's mother thought that her daughter would need a 'Jewish sounding name' to make it in the world of showbiz, and like a good daughter she took the advice. We can't say it turned out badly for her, although whether it was necessary is another matter!