14 Celebrities That Changed Their Name After Marriage

By Mehera Bonner
Updated Jul 20, 2016 @ 3:15 pm
Credit: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

The majority of American women take their husband's last name, but those statistics are somewhat skewed in Hollywood. Makes sense—celebrities build brand recognition based on their name, which means female celebs who do change up their moniker are in the minority. In fact, there are a few stars who still go by their OG name even though they legally changed it post "I dos!"

Scroll down to see which celebs took their partner's last name despite Hollywood protocol.

RELATED: 9 Celebrities Who Married Non-Celebs

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1 of 14

Miranda Lambert > Miranda Shelton

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Miranda Lambert never started using the name "Shelton" (good thing, since this couple parted ways), but she did legally ditch Lambert on her driver's license. Totally counts.

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Portia de Rossi > Portia DeGeneres

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Most people call Portia de Rossi by her given name, but she actually took Ellen's moniker after their wedding—which means she's legally Portia Lee James Degeneres. (Note: at least one of those middle names seems to be a new addition.)

3 of 14

Jenna Dewan > Jenna Dewan Tatum

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Jenna Dewan added her husband Channing Tatum's last name onto her own after their wedding, and it appears as though she made her maiden name her middle name. Either that or her full name is Jenna Lee Dewan Tatum, which is quite a mouthful.

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Jennifer Garner > Jennifer Affleck

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Despite never going by her now ex-husband Ben Affleck's name in public, Jennifer Garner has been Jennifer Affleck this entire time. The more you know.

5 of 14

Victoria Adams > Victoria Beckham

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Before there was Victoria Beckham, there was Posh Spice, and before there was Posh Spice, there was Victoria Adams. The Spice Girl changed her last name after marrying footballer David Beckham, and hasn't looked back. Now, the name is eponymous with her entire brand.

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Stacy "Fergie" Ferguson > Fergie Duhamel

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Fergie (born Stacy Ann Ferguson) officially changed her name to Fergie Duhamel in August 2013. "I actually found out [through the media]," the singer's husband, Josh Duhamel said. "It was so sweet. It was her plan for a while, but she finally found the time. When the baby comes she wanted all of us to have the last name. It was very sweet."

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7 of 14

Amal Alamuddin > Amal Clooney

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Amal Alamuddin changed her last name after marrying George Clooney, which sparked quite the online controversy among people who believe the practice is outdated. Yeah, it would have been amazing if George had changed his name to Alamuddin, but to each their own.

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Salma Hayek > Salma Pinault

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Salma Hayek took her husband François-Henri Pinault's last name because her daughter asked her to. “It was Valentina’s request,” she told InStyle. “I said to myself, ‘This is who I am now. I’m starting a whole new life. Why shouldn’t I share it with the people who have been supporting me my whole career, who have been with me since the beginning? I should let them in on the fact that I’m a different person, and a better person.'”

9 of 14

Vanessa Minnillo > Vanessa Lachey

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Vanessa Minnillo had a very simple reason for changing her last name when she married Nick Lachey: she wanted to! "We talked about it and he was so sweet," she explained. "He said, 'Whatever you want, I understand.' And I said, 'But would it mean a lot to you if I took it? Because I'm old fashioned and I want to.' And he said, 'What guy wouldn't want their girl to take their name fully?' [But] He didn't push me, no, no, no."

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10 of 14

Kim Kardashian > Kim Kardashian West

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Kim Kardashian rose to fame because of her last name, so ditching it entirely would be insanity. But the reality star added West onto her official name for good measure—though people still refer to her as Kim Kardashian.

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Sarah Michelle Gellar > Sarah Michelle Prinze

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Sarah Michelle Gellar waited a full five years of marriage before she got around to changing her last name to Prize as an anniversary present to her husband. "I had no idea what to get him. I'd been meaning to change my last name to Prinze, but I just hadn't gotten off my lazy a** to get it changed," she said. "It helps with what I do, specifically, because it does give you the feeling of being separate, of having this other life. You can go to work and have this stage name, and then go home and be someone else."

12 of 14

Katy Perry > Katy Brand

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Though the media never started calling her Katy Brand, Katy Perry took her ex-husband, Russell Brand's name after their marriage—news which she announced during an appearance on Ellen.

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13 of 14

Demi Guynes > Demi Moore

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Demi Moore took on her last famous last name during a 5-year marriage to Freddie Moore, and has stuck with it. Sure, she had "Mrs. Kutcher" on her Twitter bio for a while, but that's hardly official.

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Jessica Biel > Jessica Timberlake

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Fact: Jessica Biel is officially going by Jessica Timberlake—though the internet still seems to be calling her by her old name. "Yes, I'm changing my name," the star said. "My professional name will still be the same, but for life, yes, I think it sounds great. I think I really won the jackpot of names."

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By Mehera Bonner