Would anybody have paid any attention to Dwayne Johnson if we hadn't already gotten to know him as 'The Rock'? Would Lady Gaga's music have captured everybody's imagination the way it did if she was just Stefani Germanotta (even though that's a really cool name)? We can't say for sure.
Celebrities change from a real name to a stage name for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it's because they want something marketable. Other times, it's just because their real name just isn't that memorable. There's a reason why nobody called John Smith has ever starred in a big Hollywood movie.
Whether it's because their name was too long, too plain or didn't fit the image they were going for, having a stage name has been a must for any self-respecting star ever since fame became a career option. Here are fifty celebrities who are better known by their pseudonyms!
