Celebrities Sharing Names: Unbelievable Coincidences Revealed

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There’s almost zero chance that you’re the only person who has your name.

Unique names like Blue Ivy are becoming more common among celebrity offspring, but in essence, it indicates that another Carter clan is preparing to welcome a new Blue Ivy into their family. Imitation, as they say, is the purest expression of fandom.

For people like us with ordinary first names, it’s likely that we share a name with at least one other person. This implies that someone bearing the exact same name as you might have already achieved fame, serving as a “Tom Cruise” to your “Thomas L. Cruise.

Less common, but not unheard of, are multiple famous individuals sharing the same name. Surprisingly, there are more instances than one might assume, as some celebrities changed their names early in their careers, either for personal preference or to distinguish themselves from a look-alike. For instance, Tom Hollander and Tom Holland, despite minor differences, have reportedly experienced confusion by their own talent agencies.

For example, Michael Keaton, originally named Michael Douglas, faced the restriction of only having one “Michael Douglas” under SAG rules. Consequently, the star of “Beetlejuice” had to invent a stage name. Similarly, Katy Perry, also known as Katheryn Hudson, chose to adopt her mother’s maiden name during her singing career to prevent confusion with actress Kate Hudson.

Additionally, you’ll find those rising stars who chose to keep their original names, occasionally dealing with confusion about their identities, but choosing to embrace it anyway.

Maybe adding a middle initial, maybe not.

Michael B. Jordan, who shares a name with the basketball legend but is actually named after his father, once shared that he was often teased about not being the actual Michael Jordan. In an interview on Good Morning America in 2018, he explained that this experience gave him a competitive edge and inspired him to excel at everything he did, carve out his own path, and establish his own unique legacy.

Given that the basketball player has been out of the game for 22 years, let’s imagine the 38-year-old film star dominating the silver screen in “Sinners” as if he’s the only one on the court, playing solo.

Even so, it’s clear that we have more than enough duos of famous individuals sharing the same moniker to assemble an entire team. Keep reading to discover the stars who inadvertently remind you of someone else and those who decided to change their names to avoid confusion:

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Once a year, we get together and decide to maintain our shared name, as expressed by American comedian Dan Levy on Instagram in June 2022, accompanying a photo featuring him alongside the Canadian Schitt’s Creek co-star Daniel Levy.

However, there is a key difference.

Dan Lee-vy, also known as the comedian, made it a point during his standup that he isn’t Dan Leh-vy. He explained this to avoid confusion, even stating that he sometimes mixes up his own name when reading emails.

Michael B. Jordan was given his name in honor of his father, Michael A. Jordan; a fact that he humorously admitted on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” in 2013, stating that he hadn’t quite grasped the challenges ahead for the first two and a half decades of his life. However, he has always felt a strong drive to emulate his namesake.

Back in 2018, when I shared with Men’s Health my competitive spirit, it stemmed from my name, you see. Raised amidst the world of sports and bearing a moniker like Michael Jordan, I was constantly faced with challenges to prove myself, lest I be known as a mere namesake. It wasn’t enough for me to simply have his name; I had to excel. And that drive didn’t stop at sports—it permeated every aspect of my life. I thought, if not better, then at least on par with the greatness he achieved in his field.

He had no interest in meeting the six-time NBA champion, unless they could engage in a face-to-face conversation.

The actor stated, “I prefer not to have an official encounter with him until we both recognize each other. It’s about mutual respect. Until then, it would just be a casual ‘hey, that’s you, isn’t it?’ sort of thing, which I don’t find appealing. This situation encourages me to keep pushing forward in my work.

Albert Brooks, a well-known figure in acting, writing, and comedy, chose to use a different name than his birth name, Albert Einstein.

Not least to avoid theories of relativity.

however, it’s true that the actress from Broadcast News, who was born in 1947, was actually named after the Nobel Prize-winning physicist.

Brooks expressed, “On CBS Sunday Morning in 2024, I inquired about something and was told, in essence, ‘Ask your parents.’ Despite my queries, no one provided an answer.

The Oscar-winning British filmmaker, Steve McQueen, isn’t named after the famous American actor who passed away in 1980, but he certainly enjoys the connection to such a legendary name.

The director shared with Empire in 2024 that his name originated from a character named Steven in the U.S. TV series Peyton Place. When he was born, the nurses initially called out “How’s Steve doing?” but his mother corrected them saying it was Steven, not Steve. Coincidentally, the movie Bullitt came out in 1968, a year before he was born. He also recounted going to see The Magnificent Seven with his father at the Hammersmith Odeon in the mid-1970s, where Western movies were popular within the West Indian community. As he touched the carpeted walls and heard the theme tune, he saw his name appear on screen – an unforgettable moment for him.

He added, “Often, they inquire if I’ve ever considered altering my name, however, the truth is, I’m not actually pursuing fame. It’s at that point things can become rather foolish.

Davy Jones of The Monkees was born David Jones—and so was David Bowie.

David Thomas Jones, being two years senior, originated from Manchester. On the other hand, David Robert Jones, a native of London, adopted the stage name Bowie in 1965 to avoid confusion with another dreamy-eyed compatriot.

He derived the name Bowie from the American cowboy character Jim Bowie, portrayed by Richard Widmark in the 1960 film “The Alamo.” This is according to John Lyon’s book “America in the British Imagination: 1945 to the Present.

Despite having a 15-year career difference, many people unfamiliar with Chris Evans, the British TV and radio personality, mistakenly believed that Chris Evans from the Marvel Cinematic Universe was chosen to host the U.K.’s Top Gear in 2015.

 

Initially, actor Adam Scott from “Parks and Recreation” aimed to distance himself from the professional golfer also named Adam Scott, who hails from Australia.

The actor jokingly remarked on Conan in 2013, saying, “‘Who is his caddie, isn’t he Nick Offerman?'” He was referring to the confusion that arose when his sports counterpart won the Masters, with many jokes being made at his expense. He humorously pointed out, “I can hardly believe anyone could confuse the two Adam Scotts. They are complete opposites.” Additionally, he quipped, “‘Hey Adam, do you know what’s below par? Your acting.’

Scott expressed, “Lately, my existence feels like a living nightmare, though I’m deeply appreciative. And I want to make it clear that I’m saying this out of affection, not resentment – could we all try to be a bit quieter for a while? Many thanks in advance.

In the year 2016, he decided to go along with the humor of the situation, creating and starring in a production called “Adult Swim Golf Classic”. To add to the fun, he adopted a rather subtle Australian accent for the show.

As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but reminisce about the times when Randy Jackson, while serving as a judge on American Idol, often paid tribute to Michael Jackson by acknowledging him as one of the greatest musicians ever.

It’s not certain whether the bassist from Journey has ever crossed paths with Randy Jackson, who is more commonly known as the late King of Pop’s youngest brother and a member of the Jackson 5. Interestingly, Randy was actually born as Steven Randall Jackson, making him one of Joe and Katherine Jackson’s 10 children.

While it might be fitting for a Chris Martin not from Coldplay to include “not in Coldplay” on his Instagram bio, surprisingly, it’s the English comedian Chris Martin who actually did so.

Neither of them is not Chris Martin, the skilled footballer who has been a forward for Bristol Rovers in the EFL League One since 2023.

Mandy Moore, known for her Emmy-winning choreography on shows like “So You Think You Can Dance,” “Dancing With the Stars,” and “La La Land,” has christened her company “Nope Not Her.” This name is identical to her Instagram handle as well.

Furthermore, it means “she is not Mandy Moore,” who gained recognition as the Emmy-nominated actress from “This Is Us,” “A Walk to Remember,” and “Chasing Liberty.

To distinguish herself from the famous actress, the dancer originally named Samantha Jo Moore adopted the stage name Mandy Jo Moore, a move that prevents double representation within the Screen Actors Guild as they don’t permit two actors sharing the same professional moniker.

As for the SAG guidelines, it was Michael Keaton, rather than Michael John Douglas, who played the leading roles in both “Beetlejuice” and “Batman”.

At the start of his career, Keaton chose not to enlist with the guild under his true last name since another actor named Michael Douglas was already established. (Interestingly, this is the real name of the Wall Street star, though his father Kirk Douglas originally went by Issur Danielovitch.)

Reflecting on the origins of my stage name back in 2024, I shared with People magazine, “To be honest, I can’t recall if it was a phone book or just my creative mind at work. In any case, when I needed to find a suitable name, I paused and said to myself, ‘I don’t know, let me think of something here.’ And then, suddenly, ‘That sounds reasonable’ popped into my head.

Back in 2024, the actor from Spotlight shared with TopMob News that he and Douglas had joked about an incident from earlier. It seems that one time, Douglas received an item (possibly from a hospital), and his reaction was something like, “What?!” due to a mix-up in the items they provided.

In his Instagram bio, Mark L. Walberg (the host) makes it clear that he is not the actor known for hamburger commercials.

And Mark Wahlberg goes to sleep before either of those shows is on.

4-time Emmy nominee Anthony Edwards wrapped up his last day as Mark Green on ER in 2002 – a year before the birth of another Anthony Edwards, a renowned basketball player who played as an All-Star shooting guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Kate Garry Hudson was 5 years old when Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson was born in 1984.

Additionally, it was in 2001 when she released her first Christian album under the title “Katy Hudson”. However, she opted to adopt her maternal grandmother’s surname and perform as Katy Perry, which she felt was a better choice.

Not least because Kate Hudson was more than Almost Famous by then. 

In 2017, Katy Perry explained to The Guardian that she invented the character of Katy Perry as a means of protection. She felt that if people saw her as Katheryn Hudson, a girl with a Bioré strip on her nose, they might find her unglamorous. Instead, she opted to present herself as someone else because she didn’t want to be Katheryn Hudson and found it too intimidating.

She did want to be Kate Hudson’s friend, though.

In a SiriusXM Town Hall in 2013, Perry expressed that when they text each other, it’s like saying, “This is Hudson.” They are good friends who get along well. Instead of going out to clubs, they started spending their time at home and having game nights, which are quite enjoyable. And she is incredibly cool and stunning, almost too beautiful for words.

Yes, it often happens that the former member of Destiny’s Child, Michelle Williams, receives mail intended for the Oscar-nominated actress, also named Michelle Williams.

In a March 2025 Instagram post, the singer revealed a letter that started, ‘Dear Michelle Williams,’ which read, ‘I hope this letter finds you in high spirits.’ The writer, identified as Philip, expressed his admiration for Michelle’s outstanding performances on both film and stage.

Given that the sweet fan requested an autograph for his daughter, Williams felt it was important to address this promptly.

She remarked that it’s simply fantastic,” she said. “Michelle is also in the loop, and I’m eagerly looking forward to seeing her. Ideally, it won’t be too long before we meet up. Arrangements are being made for this.

In April, the two Michelles – one a former star of “Dawson’s Creek,” and the other an acclaimed Broadway actress – finally crossed paths. The singer, in a playful gesture, feigned signing the actress’ headshots, only to reveal that she was standing beside the Emmy winner instead.

The Fosse/Verdon star inquired, “To whom should I address it?” To which the ‘Say My Name’ singer responded, “Could you please address it to my name?

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2025-05-04 10:20