LOU'S THAT?
Celebs’ secret real names revealed – from Katie Price to the Duchess of Sussex, who wasn’t born Meghan Markle
Find out who Belcalis Almanzar is these days...
PETER Gene Hernandez or Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson - have YOU got any idea who these people are?
Whilst the names may sound like your everyday strangers on the street, these monikers, in reality, belong to some of the biggest names in the showbiz industry.
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Just yesterday, Celebrity Big Brother fans were left in shock after discovering Louis Walsh's real name.
The X Factor legend, 71, has been a famous household name for three decades, appearing on shows such as Britain's Got Talent - but, as revealed on the show, his birth name is very different to the one we know him as.
Turns out, the star, who's currently on CBB with Love Island's Ekin-Su and pal Sharon Osbourne, is actually named Michael Vincent Walsh - however, the boy band manager prefers to go by Louis.
But the Irish super star, who was in his forties when he first found fame, is not the only celebrity who's chosen a brand new moniker.
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Here, Fabulous take a look at the famous faces whose birth name is different to their stage persona...
Katie Price
Just when we thought we knew almost everything about the former glamour model and mum-of-five, Katie Price recently shocked fans with yet another surprise - and no, this time it wasn't a new boob job.
The 45-year-old revealed that her actual name is not Katie Price - and she even wondered what her mum was ''on'' at the time of naming her.
According to her, the real name, which has some Greek influence, is Katrina Amy Alexandria Alexis Infield.
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The Sun reported that Katie's father’s surname Infield was changed to Price after he left the family when the star was four, and Katie switched to her stepdad's name.
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Meghan Markle
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The Duchess of Sussex, 42, - who Kate's uncle insisted should be STRIPPED of her royal title - also has a birth name that not many fans of the mum-of-two have heard of.
, the royal's real moniker was revealed on her son, Prince Archie's, birth certificate - Rachel Meghan Markle.
Some sources have claimed that the mum has stuck to using Meghan instead of Rachel, as she does not like how her other name rhymes with her last name.
Prince Harry
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Just like his wife Meghan, Prince Harry, too, was given an entirely different name by his parents, King Charles and late Princess Diana.
Many fans of the Royal family may not know that the 39-year-old, who's moved to California, the USA, also goes by another name - Henry Charles Albert David.
"My name is Henry as well," the royal told a in 2022.
"But everyone calls me Harry. I have no idea why."
Katy Perry
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She may be one of the biggest popstars, with a net worth of an astronomical $340m (£290m), after finding fame with iconic bops, such as her hits I Kissed a Girl and Hot N Cold - but Katy Perry isn't really Katy Perry.
The 39-year-old's actual moniker, as , is Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson - however, the singer decided to come up with a new stage persona for a very simple reason.
Chatting to Elle, the mum-of-one adopted her mother's last name in order to avoid being confused with actress Kate Hudson.
Miley Cyrus
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With major hits such as Malibu, Flowers and Wrecking Ball, Miley Cyrus has indeed earnt herself a spot as one of the most recognised faces in the world.
However, even if you know all the lyrics by heart, what you may not be aware of is that the star's real birth name isn't Miley.
The 31-year-old, who recently won the prestigious Grammy Award for her hit Flowers, was born Destiny Hope Cyrus.
But where did Miley come from? Well, turns out, her family nicknamed the back-then little tot Smiley, as she was constantly a bubbly kid - and some time later, this was then shortened to Miley.
Elton John
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Superstar Sir Elton John has made several well-known tunes in his time as a music icon.
But before becoming a legend, the now-76-year-old was once called a different name - Reginald Kenneth Dwight.
After making a name for himself in the industry, Elton decided to legally change his moniker in 1972 due to his "dislike" for the name Reg and the "unhappy memories" it came with.
Cardi B
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First finding fame back in 2016 as a fan-favourite cast member on VH1's reality series Love & Hip-Hop, Cardi B turned her popularity on the show and social media into a successful music career, now estimated to be worth a staggering $80m - or £63m.
The former stripper is known for her aggressive flow and outspoken lyrics - but fans will be shocked to learn that her birth moniker is actually... Belcalis Almanzar.
In an interview for The Wendy Williams Show, the rap icon revealed where the stage name came from.
"My sister, her name is Hennessy. So, everybody used to be like 'Bacardi' to me.
"And then, you know, I shortened it to Cardi B. The 'B' stands for whatever the 'B'... be," and then said that "depending on the day, beautiful or a bully."
Lady Gaga
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When you hear Lady Gaga's name, you may think of her memorable fashion looks - such as the meat dress she wore to an awards ceremony in 2019 - or her iconic acting performance in A Star is Born alongside fellow actor Bradley Cooper.
But what is her birth name? Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta - and there's even a funny story behind how the avant-garde star landed her stage moniker, which began with an autocorrected text message.
Back in 2006, the now-37-year-old met music producer Rob Fusari, who compared her vocals to Queen's Freddie Mercury.
He'd sing "Radio Ga Ga" whenever the star entered the studio - and the rest is history, as one day his phone allegedly autocorrected her name to Lady Gaga.
Bono
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The U2 frontman, Bono, too uses name different to his birth moniker - and even urges fans to not call him by his actual moniker, as .
Although he may be known as Bono since the 70s, the star - who's celebrating his 64th birthday in May - was named Paul David Hewson by his parents.
It's been said that the With Or Without You rocker was nicknamed Bono Vox as a teen in Dublin, which, translated by Latin's Bonovox, meant ''good voice''.
Rihanna
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Thought you knew everything about RiRi? Well, what about her birth name -Robyn Rihanna Fenty?
The global superstar - who was recently paid a whopping £4million to perform at the wedding gig for son of Asia’s richest man - still goes by Robyn with pals and family.
"When I hear Robyn, I pay attention," she chuckled in a chat with in 2011.
Drake
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Only loyal fans of the Canadian rapper Drake, 37, will know that he was named Aubrey Drake Graham - but why did he ditch his first name when thinking of his stage title?
During a , the star - who loves travelling in his lavish jet - explained the reasoning, and turns out it's all to do with success, .
“Aubrey’s not a guy’s name,” the podcast host expressed her thoughts.
“Yes it is," Drake responded.
“Have you ever met a male Aubrey?” she asked the rapper.
“Yeah, you’re looking at him,” Drake hit back.
“You don’t even go by that ‘cuz it’s such a bad name,” the interviewer chuckled.
“No, that’s not true… [I go by Drake] ‘cuz it’s shorter,” he noted.
“You know, people with two syllables are way less successful than people with one.”
Bruno Mars
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The That's What I Like and Grenade singer, who rose to fame in 2010, is a household name we all know - after all, the talented and gifted star has won a number of awards during these years.
But, like many celebs in the industry, Bruno, 38, is not really Bruno and got his nickname for the cutest reason.
Peter Gene Hernandez - or Bruno Mars - : "Bruno is after Bruno Sammartino, who was this big, fat wrestler.
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''I was this chunky little baby, so my dad used to call me that as a nickname.
''Mars came up because a lot of girls say I'm out of this world!"
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